French-American proposal: Three-stage plan to stop escalation in Lebanon

French-American proposal: Three-stage plan to stop escalation in Lebanon
Involving Iran in talks indicates recognition of its disruptive role in Lebanon, and could be a crucial factor in the success of any de-escalation initiative
September 26, 2024, 10:24 pm

علم لبنان

Following the White House's confirmation of ongoing diplomatic efforts to stop the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, sources from Al Arabiya/Al Hadath have revealed details of a French-American initiative consisting of 3 stages to cease fire between the parties. The sources reported that the Paris and Washington plan calls for dismantling Hezbollah's military installations on the border.

France is conducting communications with Iran, Lebanon, and Hezbollah to calm the situation. Paris is also re-proposing a de-escalation plan between the parties at the negotiating table. The same sources clarified that France is working on drafting a new text to facilitate the implementation of Resolution 1701.

Moreover, Paris and Washington are seeking to achieve a temporary truce followed by a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, according to Al Arabiya/Al Hadath sources. France emphasizes a pivotal role for the Lebanese army in the border area and prioritizes ensuring that Israel does not expand the scope of its operations in Lebanon.

The same sources added that France appealed to Hezbollah not to drag Lebanon into the war. In a related context, American officials revealed to "Axios" that Israeli regime president Benjamin Netanyahu and his team contributed to drafting the de-escalation proposal with Hezbollah, while Israeli officials told Axios that Netanyahu did not present the de-escalation proposal to the mini-cabinet.

These developments came following France and the United States' call yesterday, Wednesday, after intensive diplomatic consultations at the United Nations, for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to avoid exacerbating the situation, in a call supported by Arab and European countries.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barro is expected to visit Lebanon in the coming days after his country worked with the concerned parties to define the criteria for a diplomatic solution to the crisis based on UN Security Council Resolution 1701. This resolution was adopted by the United Nations following the 33-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, which expanded the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force, allowing it to assist the Lebanese army in maintaining weapon-free areas in the south, except for those belonging to the Lebanese state.

Levant-Agencies

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