French Foreign Minister Visits Lebanon to Ease Tensions Between Hezbollah and Israel

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne visited Lebanon on Sunday to discuss proposals aimed at easing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. The proposals include Hezbollah pulling back 10 km from the Israeli border and Israel halting strikes in southern Lebanon, amid recent tit-for-tat strikes and concerns of potential war. "The situation is very tense and could lead to a war in southern Lebanon if not addressed," Sejourne said.

Sejourne met with influential Lebanese officials, including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun. He conveyed France's message of de-escalation and avoiding a "worst-case scenario" in the region. "No one has any interest in Israel and Hezbollah continuing this escalation," Sejourne stated after the meetings.

The French initiative seeks the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the removal of weapons in southern Lebanon from everyone except the army and other state security forces. Sejourne also visited the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) and reiterated that Paris has been making proposals to "avoid conflict in Lebanon."

Why this matters: The cross-border attacks between Israel and Hezbollah have intensified in recent weeks, with Israel striking deeper into Lebanese territory and Hezbollah stepping up missile and drone attacks on military positions in northern Israel. The escalation has raised concerns about a potential full-scale war that could destabilize the region and impact civilians on both sides of the border.

Sejourne said there had been "a lot of progress" on the French proposals, which have been discussed with partners including the United States. However, Hezbollah has maintained it will not enter any concrete discussions until there is a ceasefire in Gaza, where fighting between Israel and Hamas is ongoing. Israel has also flagged a potential military operation along its northern front, saying it wants to restore calm on the border with Lebanon.

After his visit to Lebanon, Sejourne will head to Saudi Arabia to discuss the latest Lebanese positions with Arab and Western states before relaying them to Israel later in the week. France is also underlining the urgency of breaking the political deadlock in Lebanon, which has been without a head of state and fully empowered cabinet since October 2022.

Key Takeaways

• French FM visited Lebanon to discuss proposals to ease Israel-Hezbollah tensions.
• Proposals include Hezbollah pulling back 10 km from Israel border, Israel halting strikes.
• French initiative seeks full implementation of UN Resolution 1701 in southern Lebanon.
• Cross-border attacks have intensified, raising concerns of potential full-scale war.
• France to relay latest Lebanese positions to Israel after visiting Saudi Arabia.