Lebanon is willing to engage in “direct talks” with Israel, the French president said.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that Lebanon was ready to “engage in direct talks” with Israel, offering to host the two sides in Paris for negotiations.
“The Lebanese government has signaled its willingness to engage in direct talks with Israel,” the French leader said on social media platform X, adding that he had spoken to Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and the country’s House Speaker Nabih Berri.
“All components of the country must be represented in these discussions,” Macron said. “Israel must seize this opportunity to initiate talks and declare a ceasefire, find a lasting solution, and allow the Lebanese authorities to fulfill their commitments to Lebanon’s sovereignty.”
Tensions between Israel and Lebanon have been mounting over the past two weeks, since Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in the wake of the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran. Israel responded with a series of retaliatory strikes on Lebanon.
“Hezbollah must immediately halt its reckless advance,” Macron said. And “Israel must refrain from launching a large-scale offensive and cease its massive airstrikes, especially since hundreds of thousands of people have already fled the bombings,” he added.
“France is ready to facilitate these discussions by hosting them in Paris,” Macron said.