Israel wants freedom to strike Lebanon
14/11/2024 5:46
Israeli officials are
insisting on maintaining a capacity to strike Lebanon at any
moment as part of conditions to secure a ceasefire with
Iran-backed Hezbollah, France's foreign minister said on
Wednesday.
Speaking to a parliamentary hearing after holding talks in
Israel last week in Jerusalem, Jean-Noel Barrot said it was a
condition increasingly voiced among Israeli officials.
"Today we hear in Israel voices calling for it to keep a
capacity to strike at any moment or even enter Lebanon, as is
the case with its neighbour Syria," said Barrot, who held talks
with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and new
Defence Minister Israel Katz last week.
"That is not compatible with the sovereignty of a strong
country," Barrot said, referring to broader efforts to help
strengthen Lebanon's governance.
Several diplomats said that it would be all but impossible
to get Hezbollah or Lebanon to accept any proposal that included
this demand.
There was no immediate comment from Israel on the remarks.
Its defence minister, Israel Katz, said earlier: "We will not
allow any arrangement that does not include the achievement of
the war's objectives - and above all Israel's right to enforce
and act on its own against any terrorist activity."
France, which has historical ties with Lebanon, has sought
to play a role in trying to secure a ceasefire in the Middle
Eastern country.
It has worked with the United States to try to implement a
temporary ceasefire, but those talks stalled at the end of
September.
Coordination between Paris and the outgoing U.S.
administration to get a ceasefire has been more complicated
since, with U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein focused on his own
proposals.
Barrot said it made no sense for France to lead initiatives
by itself on Lebanon given it needed the United States to
convince Israel, just like it was not helpful for Washington to
go it alone because it would "lack a fine appreciation of
Lebanon's internal political dynamics," he said.
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