France ties Lebanon war settlement to recognition of Israel

Shafaq News-
Paris

France has
drafted a proposal to end the war in Lebanon that would require Beirut to take “the
unprecedented step” of recognizing Israel, according to a report by Axios
citing sources familiar with the plan, as the confrontation between Tel Aviv
and Hezbollah entered its 13th day.

Under the
plan, currently under review by Israel and the United States, Israel and
Lebanon would open negotiations —supported by Paris and Washington— on a
“political declaration” to be finalized within one month. Talks would begin at
the level of senior diplomats before advancing to senior political leaders,
with French officials proposing that the negotiations be held in Paris.

The
declaration, the sources affirmed, would include “Lebanon’s initial recognition
of Israel and a commitment by the Lebanese government to respect Israel’s
sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Both sides would also reaffirm
adherence to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the
2006 war, as well as the 2024 ceasefire agreement.

Beirut would
pledge to prevent attacks on Israel from its territory and proceed with a plan
to disarm Hezbollah —the Iran-backed Shiite armed group that operates as both a
political party and an armed organization in Lebanon— while banning its
military activity. The proposal also envisions the Lebanese Armed Forces
redeploying south of the Litani River, while Israel would withdraw within one
month from territories it has captured since the start of the current war.
Ceasefire violations and imminent threats would be addressed through the US-led
monitoring mechanism.

According to
the sources, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) would verify
Hezbollah’s disarmament south of the Litani River, while a separate
multinational coalition mandated by the UN Security Council would oversee
disarmament across the rest of Lebanon.

The plan
also calls for Lebanon to declare readiness to negotiate “a permanent
non-aggression agreement” with Israel. The deal could be signed within two
months, formally ending the state of war between the two sides, committing them
to “resolving disputes peacefully and to establishing security arrangements.” After
it is concluded, Israel would withdraw from five military positions in southern
Lebanon that its forces have controlled since November 2024. The final phase of
the proposal envisions demarcating the Israel–Lebanon border, as well as the
Lebanon–Syria border, by the end of 2026.

Earlier today,
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed France’s readiness to help secure a
ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and to host potential negotiations in
Paris.

Earlier today,
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed France’s readiness to help secure a
ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and to host potential negotiations in
Paris.

President Aoun said on Friday that Lebanon had conveyed its willingness to
negotiate with Israel but had received no response from the other side, warning
that continued “Israeli aggressions” could destabilize the wider region.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem described the confrontation in Lebanon as a legitimate
act of defense against Israeli attacks and criticized the Lebanese government,
arguing that it had failed to secure sovereignty or protect citizens during the
escalation.

France previously helped facilitate the November 27,
2024 ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, which was monitored through the
International Monitoring and Implementation Mechanism (IMIM), a
US–French-sponsored framework that includes Lebanon, Israel, and the United
Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Despite the agreement, UNIFIL has
recorded more than 10,000 Israeli violations since it took effect, including
near-daily strikes that killed and wounded hundreds of people, among them women
and children.