Israel is demanding the ability to launch strikes on Lebanon at will as part of any ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, revealed during a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday.
Barrot, who recently met Israeli officials in Jerusalem, including Defence Minister Israel Katz and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, said the demand was a recurring theme in discussions.
“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,” Barrot stated. He added that such a condition undermines Lebanon’s sovereignty and complicates broader efforts to strengthen its governance.
Diplomats warn that securing Hezbollah’s or Lebanon’s agreement to such a demand would be nearly impossible. Israel has not officially commented on Barrot’s remarks. However, Defence Minister Katz reiterated Israel’s stance, saying, “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, with its deep historical ties to Lebanon, has been working alongside the United States to broker a temporary ceasefire. However, those efforts stalled in September. Barrot noted that coordination between Paris and Washington has been challenging, with US envoy Amos Hochstein pursuing separate proposals.
Barrot emphasized that unilateral initiatives by either France or the US would be ineffective.
