France Warns Israel of Military Action in Lebanon

Newly appointed French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Stephane Sejourne arrives to attend the first weekly meeting of the French Council of Ministers after a cabinet reshuffle at the Elysee Palace in Paris on January 12, 2024. (Reuters)
Newly appointed French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Stephane Sejourne arrives to attend the first weekly meeting of the French Council of Ministers after a cabinet reshuffle at the Elysee Palace in Paris on January 12, 2024. (Reuters)
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France Warns Israel of Military Action in Lebanon

Newly appointed French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Stephane Sejourne arrives to attend the first weekly meeting of the French Council of Ministers after a cabinet reshuffle at the Elysee Palace in Paris on January 12, 2024. (Reuters)
Newly appointed French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Stephane Sejourne arrives to attend the first weekly meeting of the French Council of Ministers after a cabinet reshuffle at the Elysee Palace in Paris on January 12, 2024. (Reuters)

France’s Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne delivered a direct message from President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to Israel, asserting France's pivotal role in any prospective political solution in Lebanon, according to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation on Tuesday.
Tensions flared during the meeting between Sejourne and Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, primarily over concerns regarding Lebanon and the hostages in Gaza.
The Arab World Press noted France's failure to provide evidence confirming the delivery of medicines to Israeli hostages in Gaza.
Sejourne issued a warning in response to Katz's declaration that time is running out for a diplomatic solution in southern Lebanon, with Israel prepared to take military action to repatriate evacuated residents.
He cautioned that France would take military measures in Lebanon to safeguard approximately 20,000 French nationals residing there in the event of conflict with Hezbollah.
Sejourne's visit to Israel included a series of high-level political meetings.
Katz urged Sejourne to pressure Qatar for evidence that medications reached hostages in Gaza.
In mid-January, France and Qatar were part of a deal to purchase and send medication to Israeli hostages held in Gaza, but Israel has not been able to verify that they reached the captives.
Unnamed sources revealed that the French Foreign Minister reiterated his country's ongoing endeavors on the matter, stressing that if the medications did not reach the hostages, there would be "grave repercussions," as per reports from the broadcasting authority.



US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
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US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)

The United States is deferring the removal of certain Lebanese citizens from the country, President Joe Biden said on Friday, citing humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

The deferred designation, which lasts 18 months, allows Lebanese citizens to remain in the country with the right to work, according to a memorandum Biden sent to the Department of Homeland Security.

"Humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon have significantly deteriorated due to tensions between Hezbollah and Israel," Biden said in the memo.

"While I remain focused on de-escalating the situation and improving humanitarian conditions, many civilians remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Lebanese nationals who are present in the United States."

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel's military assault in Gaza.

The fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

On the Israeli side, 10 Israeli civilians, a foreign agricultural worker and 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed. Tens of thousands have been evacuated from both sides of the border.