Israel demands France be excluded from truce talks in Lebanon

The ongoing truce negotiations in northern Lebanon have encountered several points of contention, one of the most prominent being the issue of who will monitor compliance with the agreement.

Israel has firmly opposed France's participation in the monitoring process, Caliber.Az reports citing Israeli media outlet Detaly.

France, historically tied to Lebanon due to its mandate over the country after World War I, has drawn Israel's ire in recent months due to the stance of President Emmanuel Macron. Macron has called for an arms embargo on Israel and imposed a ban on Israeli companies from participating in two major military-industrial exhibitions in France, both of which were challenged in court.

As a result, Israel is pushing to exclude France from both the truce negotiations in Lebanon and the list of countries tasked with monitoring the agreement’s compliance. Despite these tensions, the negotiations have reportedly made significant progress.

"Most of the details have been agreed, but what is left open is very delicate and could still derail the agreement," a source within the Israeli government told the publication. "The composition of the international monitoring committee for the implementation of the agreement has been more or less determined, and there is still no final judgement on Israel's freedom of action in case of violations."

The proposed ceasefire would see Israel withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon within days, allowing Lebanese forces to take control of the border, while Hezbollah fighters retreat. This would enable displaced Israelis to return to their homes in northern Israel. A US-led monitoring committee, which would include UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL), Lebanese and Israeli officials, and representatives from countries like the UK and Germany, would oversee the ceasefire.

However, Israel has made it clear that it does not want France involved in the settlement process, even though Paris has not yet been considered for any role in the negotiations. 

The talks come amid growing legal pressure on Israeli leadership, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant face formal prosecution at the International Criminal Court, following the issuance of arrest warrants for their involvement in attacks on Gaza’s civilian population.

By Tamilla Hasanova