Paris urges Lebanon’s inclusion in ceasefire deal

French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has reiterated that Lebanon must be included in any initial ceasefire agreement, warning against excluding the country from ongoing diplomatic efforts.

“The ceasefire must absolutely include Lebanon, which under no circumstances can be the scapegoat of the Israeli government,” Barrot said, Associated Press reports.

He described Israel’s strikes on Lebanon as “intolerable,” arguing that they undermine the ceasefire reached between the United States and Iran and ultimately strengthen the militant group Hezbollah.

“Destroying Lebanon, targeting the Lebanese state, does not weaken Hezbollah — quite the opposite, it strengthens it,” Barrot said.

By Vafa Guliyeva