عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Macron Calls On Israel to Avoid Escalation, 'Particularly in Lebanon'

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media during the second day of a European Union leaders summit, as EU leaders attempt to agree on Russian oil sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Brussels, Belgium May 31, 2022. (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media during the second day of a European Union leaders summit, as EU leaders attempt to agree on Russian oil sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Brussels, Belgium May 31, 2022. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Macron Calls On Israel to Avoid Escalation, 'Particularly in Lebanon'

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media during the second day of a European Union leaders summit, as EU leaders attempt to agree on Russian oil sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Brussels, Belgium May 31, 2022. (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media during the second day of a European Union leaders summit, as EU leaders attempt to agree on Russian oil sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Brussels, Belgium May 31, 2022. (Reuters)

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Israel to avoid escalation, "particularly in Lebanon", following a strike in Beirut attributed to Israel that killed Hamas's deputy leader, the Elysee Palace said Tuesday.

Macron, who spoke by telephone with Israeli minister and war cabinet member Benny Gantz, said "it was essential to avoid any escalatory attitude, particularly in Lebanon, and that France would continue to pass on these messages to all players directly or indirectly involved in the area", the presidency said.

Hamas number two Saleh al-Aruri was killed in a strike attributed to Israel in a suburb of Beirut on Tuesday evening, the Palestinian militant group and Lebanese security officials said, AFP reported.

Israel regularly carries out strikes against the Hamas-allied Hezbollah movement along its shared border with Lebanon, but Aruri's killing was the first time since the start of the war in Gaza that it has targeted the Lebanese capital.

After the strike, Hezbollah vowed Aruri's death would not go "unpunished", calling it "a serious assault on Lebanon... and a dangerous development in the course of the war".

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati also condemned the killing and said it "aims to draw Lebanon" further into the Israel-Hamas war.

In his conversation with Gantz, Macron reiterated his call for a "lasting ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas, the presidency said.

He also expressed again his "deepest concern" at the mounting civilian death toll in Gaza, as well as the humanitarian crisis unfolding inside the Palestinian territory, while at the same time reaffirming "France's commitment to the security of Israel".

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Israeli Commander Calls for Occupying Parts of Southern Lebanon to Form Buffer Zone

A smoke plume billows during Israeli bombardment on the village of Kfar Shouba in south Lebanon near the border with Israel on September 16, 2024 amid ongoing cross-border tensions as fighting continues between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (AFP)
A smoke plume billows during Israeli bombardment on the village of Kfar Shouba in south Lebanon near the border with Israel on September 16, 2024 amid ongoing cross-border tensions as fighting continues between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (AFP)
TT
TT

Israeli Commander Calls for Occupying Parts of Southern Lebanon to Form Buffer Zone

A smoke plume billows during Israeli bombardment on the village of Kfar Shouba in south Lebanon near the border with Israel on September 16, 2024 amid ongoing cross-border tensions as fighting continues between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (AFP)
A smoke plume billows during Israeli bombardment on the village of Kfar Shouba in south Lebanon near the border with Israel on September 16, 2024 amid ongoing cross-border tensions as fighting continues between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (AFP)

Commander of Israel’s Northern Command Major General Ori Gordin called on Monday for occupying part of southern Lebanon to turn it into a buffer zone that would prevent Hezbollah from launching attacks on northern Israel, thereby allowing displaced residents of the North to return to their homes.

Gordin submitted his recommendation to Israel’s chief of staff, reported Israel’s Israel Hayom daily.

It quoted sources as saying that Gordin believes that the conditions are appropriate and the army could create the buffer zone in a short time.

They explained that Israel has killed several members of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit that is deployed along the Lebanese-Israeli border. Several of the members have also fled the area.

Only 20 percent of the Lebanese population remains in the South with the rest fleeing the attacks between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel. Hezbollah had started launching attacks against Israel in support of Hamas in wake of the October 7 attack.

The sources noted that the low number of civilians in the region would make the Israeli military’s operation “simple and much faster.”

The purpose of the operation would be to eliminate the Hezbollah threat and force it to remove its fighters from the border areas so that they can no longer pose a risk to northern Israel, said Gordin.

Moreover, the occupation of some southern regions would gain Israel a bargaining chip in talks over a permanent settlement, which Hezbollah would have to agree to in exchange for the withdrawal of the Israeli army, he added.

Israel Hayom reported that some forces in the army expressed their reservations over the plan because it would pave the way for a wide-scale battle with Hezbollah. They warned that it remains unclear if such a fight could be contained to prevent it from turning into a long battle that may turn into a broad regional conflict.

Israel on Tuesday expanded its stated goals of the war in Gaza to include enabling residents to return to communities in northern Israel that have been evacuated due to attacks by Hezbollah.

The decision was approved during an overnight meeting of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, Netanyahu's office said.

Israel Hayom said that the majority of political and military leaderships in Israel were not keen on waging a war on Lebanon. They believe that Israel can deal Hezbollah a fatal blow, but it would incur heavy losses in the process.