France Aims to Prevent Lebanon-Israel ‘Escalation’

France has expressed its desire to prevent any escalation of tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border. This sentiment was reiterated by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces during a visit to Tel Aviv on Monday, which included meetings with various political figures, such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Sébastien Lecornu, in an interview with AFP, emphasized that no party in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, or Beirut is seeking war. He stressed the importance of avoiding what might appear to be an inevitable escalation. “The real challenge for us is to ensure that this escalation, which may seem inevitable, does not happen,” Lecornu stated.

He pointed out that the immediate focus should be on enforcing U.N. Resolution 1701, which aims to prevent one side from firing across the border and the other from retaliating, potentially leading to further conflict.

U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted to conclude the 2006 conflict, mandates the withdrawal of all armed forces north of the Litani River, with the exception of U.N. peacekeepers and Lebanese state security forces.

The Israeli military has accused Hezbollah of violating U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 with its attacks. Conversely, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has stated that Lebanon is prepared to adhere to international resolutions, provided Israel also complies and withdraws from contested areas.