Israel said demanding to keep France out of Lebanon deal over perceived hostility

Channel 12 publishes details on what it says are the remaining points of contention between Israel and Hezbollah to reach a ceasefire in the north.

One issue, it says, is Israel’s insistence that France can not be part of the agreement, or be a member of the international committee that will monitor a deal’s implementation — this, due to its perceived hostility toward Israel in recent months under President Emanuel Macron’s administration. Macron has recently repeatedly called for an arms embargo on Israel, characterizing it as the path toward ending the war, sparking a diplomatic crisis.

Another issue is 13 land points along the Israel-Lebanon border that are disputed due to boundary demarcation issues. The network says Israel is demanding language in the agreement that would allow it to unilaterally choose not to engage in negotiations over disputed points.

The network says Lebanon has accepted that the US will issue a letter that supports Israel’s freedom to act in Lebanon against “imminent threats,” but that final wording on the issue of arms transfers within Lebanon has not yet been agreed.

A senior official tells Channel 12: “Most of the details have been agreed upon, but what remains open is very sensitive and could still derail the agreement.”