The French government has issued a number of proposals to Israel in an attempt to get Israeli forces to withdraw from Lebanon [ALINE DESCHAMPS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images]
France has proposed deploying soldiers to Lebanon in a bid to hasten Israel’s complete withdrawal from the country, which was due to happen in February.
The proposal is one of three made by the French government to Israel, which would see French soldiers take over five positions in Lebanon still held by Israel, according to Haaretz.
On 18 February Israeli forces withdrew from south Lebanon, which it had occupied during two months of war with Hezbollah.
However, Israel retains control of five strategic points across south Lebanon in violation of the agreement, with the Lebanese government demanding a complete withdrawal.
As well as an option to deploy soldiers to the posts, France has proposed to combine the Lebanese army with UNIFIL, the UN’s peacekeeping force on the border.
Another option would be to expand UNIFIL’s presence in the south and upgrade both its mandate, and equipment.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s advisor on the conflict Ofer Bronchtein told Haaretz that France has proposed stationing soldiers to areas Israel doesn’t want Hezbollah to gain strength.
He also said that UNIFIL’s old mandate was over and would not just report back to the UN in New York as fighting occurs. “Tomorrow’s UNIFIL will have teeth,” he was quoted as saying.
However, such proposals have not been accepted by Israel nor the US, with a source telling the publication that the positions would only be transferred to Lebanon through negotiations.
Lebanon has a history of installing posts to monitor the border, with the UK government supporting Lebanon in the creation of observation towers on the Syrian border.
Some 80 satellite-linked towers monitor the border, with the UK providing military training and equipment to the Lebanese army.
The French proposals come as Lebanon’s new government attempts to stabilise the country following a five-year economic crisis and brutal war between Hezbollah and Israel that saw a heavy Israeli bombardment across much of the south and east of the country, as well as Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Monday to rekindle ties and receive military aid for the underfunded Lebanese army.
Aoun has repeatedly called on Israel to withdraw from the five points, the latest in a bid of Israeli efforts to retain territory in Lebanon that saw Israel extend its withdrawal from Lebanon from the initial date of 26 January.
