Israel demands to ‘retain the capacity to strike’ Lebanon ‘at any time’, says Barrot

Israel demands to “retain the ability to strike” Lebanon “at any time” as part of a ceasefire agreement with the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement, which is incompatible with the country’s sovereignty, stressed Wednesday the head of French diplomacy.

Stressing that the Israeli government’s war aims in Lebanon were “not entirely precise”, Jean-Noël Barrot, who was in Israel last week, noted a hardening of positions.

“On the horizon, there is indeed a Lebanese state with which to live in peace, a neighbor, which would not be a threat to Israel. But in the short term (…) it is the logic of war, positions are hardening,” he said during a hearing on Lebanon at the National Assembly.

“Today, we hear voices in Israel rising to say that the most important thing is that Israel, at any time, can maintain the capacity to strike in Lebanon, or even enter Lebanon, as is the case. is the case with (…) Syria,” explained Jean-Noël Barrot.

“It is obviously a perspective which is not compatible with sovereignty (…), with a strong State having a monopoly on legitimate force,” he continued, stressing that diplomatic efforts focused on the rise in power of the Lebanese armed forces.

Since September, Lebanon has been the scene of open war between Hezbollah and Israel. Diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire have been ineffective.

France is pushing for the application of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 of 2006, stipulating that only peacekeepers and the Lebanese army must be deployed in southern Lebanon bordering Israel.

And she is considering ways to strengthen the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) while it is under fire from criticism from Israel who accuse it of having turned a blind eye to the weaponry of Hezbollah, which fires rockets daily on northern Israel.

Jean-Noël Barrot stressed that discussions were taking place on the “evolution” of UNIFIL “without necessarily having to modify the mandate”.

He thus mentioned “the equipment that UNIFIL could mobilize to monitor the application of the ceasefire when the time comes”, “the frequency of patrols” or even “its capacity to intervene”.

The minister stressed that France was holding discussions with the main countries with contingents within UNIFIL to strengthen both the Lebanese armed forces and UNIFIL to guarantee security in northern Israel, “and therefore fully justify the withdrawal of Israeli forces.