Macron: Lebanon-Israel Deal a Step Towards More Peace

French President Emmanuel Macron (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron (Reuters)
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Macron: Lebanon-Israel Deal a Step Towards More Peace

French President Emmanuel Macron (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron (Reuters)

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said the “historic agreement” between Lebanon and Israel that unlocks offshore gas production was an “important step towards more peace” between the Mediterranean neighbors.

Although Lebanon and Israel have remained technically at war since Israel's creation in 1948, Lebanese President Michel Aoun approved the US-brokered maritime border deal on Thursday.

Macron congratulated Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati for their “efforts and their determination,” the Elysee Palace presidency said.

“This is undeniably an important step towards more peace for Israel, for Lebanon and all the countries and peoples of the region.”

Macron stressed that the maritime border agreement, which promotes the exploration and exploitation of gas resources off the coast of Lebanon and Israel “will also contribute to the prosperity of both countries,” in light of a serious economic crisis in Beirut.

He further pointed out that it represents a positive example for the region of what could be attained through a shared desire to reach a solution within the framework of negotiations held based on shared respect.

The presidency added that the three senior officials thanked Macron for his contribution to the conclusion of the deal.

US President Joe Biden has described the conclusion of the maritime demarcation agreement between Lebanon and Israel as a “historic breakthrough,” noting that it was the culmination of months of mediation conducted by the US administration.

He asserted that it is now critical that all parties uphold their commitments and work towards implementation.

Biden thanked the US diplomats who acted as mediators between the two sides and hailed French President Emmanuel Macron and his government for their support in these negotiations.

Macron, for his part, hailed the US mediation and assured that France “will assume its full role, confidently, with its partners” to ensure the implementation of the agreement.



Abbas Denounces Israeli Gaza Offensive at UN, Insists: 'We Will Not Leave'

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, US, September 26, 2024.   REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, US, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
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Abbas Denounces Israeli Gaza Offensive at UN, Insists: 'We Will Not Leave'

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, US, September 26, 2024.   REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, US, September 26, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

The head of the Palestinian Authority denounced Israel and its offensive in the Gaza Strip in front of world leaders Thursday, appealing to other nations to stop what he called a “genocidal war” against a place and people he said had been totally destroyed.
Mahmoud Abbas used the rostrum of the UN General Assembly as he typically does — to criticize Israel. But this was the first time he did so since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israel that triggered an Israeli military operation that has devastated the Gaza Strip.
Abbas strode to the podium to loud applause and a few unintelligible shouts. His first words were a sentence repeated three times: “We will not leave. We will not leave. We will not leave.”
He accused Israel of destroying Gaza and making it unlivable. And he said that his government should govern post-war Gaza as part of an independent Palestinian state, a vision that Israel’s hardline government rejects.
“Palestine is our homeland. It is the land of our fathers and our grandfathers. It will remain ours. And if anyone were to leave, it would be the occupying usurpers," The Associated Press quoted him as saying.
A nationwide series of campus protests against Israel's operations in Gaza swept the United States in the spring and largely originated at Columbia University, about 70 blocks north of the United Nations.
“The American people are marching in the streets in these demonstrations. We are appreciative of them," Abbas said.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 41,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 96,000 others, according to the latest figures released Thursday by the Health Ministry.

Abbas spent big chunks of his speech at the United Nations talking about the state of life in Gaza, and he painted a bleak picture.
"Entire family names have been written out of the civil record," he said. "Gaza is no longer fit for life. Most homes have been destroyed. The same applies for most buildings. ... Roads. Churches. Mosques. Water plants. Electric plants. Sanitation plants. Anyone who has gone to Gaza and known it before would not recognize it anymore.”
Among his demands, none of which are new: A full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip — not “buffer zones.” Allowing Gaza's displaced Palestinians — an estimated 90% of the population — to return to their homes. And a central role for Abbas' government in any future Gaza.
“Stop this crime. Stop it now. Stop killing children and women. Stop the genocide. Stop sending weapons to Israel. This madness cannot continue. The entire world is responsible for what is happening to our people in Gaza and the West Bank.”