French FM to Lebanon’s Leaders: ‘Get Moving’

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. AFP file photo
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. AFP file photo
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French FM to Lebanon’s Leaders: ‘Get Moving’

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. AFP file photo
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. AFP file photo

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Sunday urged Lebanese leaders to push to resolve the country’s political stalemate.

"Political authorities should get moving because the country is in a dramatic situation," he told French public radio.

The government of Saad Hariri resigned in late October under pressure from protests against the political elite that has overseen decades of corruption and bad governance.

Hariri is expected to be named again Lebanon's prime minister.

He wants to lead a cabinet of specialist ministers which he says would be able to tackle the crisis and attract foreign aid, while his opponents want a combination of politicians and experts.

President Michel Aoun's formal consultations with lawmakers to designate the premier, postponed from last week, are scheduled to take place on Monday despite the dispute.

"It should be clear to anyone who might nominate Hariri tomorrow (Monday) that he will only form a government of specialists," a source close to Hariri told Reuters.

Aoun is required to choose the candidate with greatest support among parliament's 128 lawmakers.



Netanyahu Says Israel Won't Stop Striking Hezbollah

Lebanese army soldiers and residents stand in front of a damaged building in the southern suburb of Beirut following an Israeli raid, in Beirut, Lebanon, 26 September 2024. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
Lebanese army soldiers and residents stand in front of a damaged building in the southern suburb of Beirut following an Israeli raid, in Beirut, Lebanon, 26 September 2024. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
TT

Netanyahu Says Israel Won't Stop Striking Hezbollah

Lebanese army soldiers and residents stand in front of a damaged building in the southern suburb of Beirut following an Israeli raid, in Beirut, Lebanon, 26 September 2024. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
Lebanese army soldiers and residents stand in front of a damaged building in the southern suburb of Beirut following an Israeli raid, in Beirut, Lebanon, 26 September 2024. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel is striking Lebanon’s Hezbollah “with full force” and won’t stop until its goals are achieved.

Netanyahu spoke as he landed in New York to attend the annual UN General Assembly meeting and as US, European and some Arab officials were pressing for a 21-day halt in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah to give time for negotiations.

Netanyahu said Israel’s “policy is clear. We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force. And we will not stop until we reach all our goals, chief among them the return of the residents of the north securely to their homes.”

He added that he approved the “targeted killing operation” of the head of Hezbollah’s drone unit in south Beirut Thursday.

Israel has dramatically escalated strikes in Lebanon this week, saying it is targeting Hezbollah. Israeli leaders have said they are determined to stop more than 11 months of cross-border fire by the group into Israel, which has forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of Israelis from communities in the north.