France offers to host Israel-Lebanon talks as tensions rise

LONDON

France has offered to host talks in Paris between Israel and Lebanon amid escalating tensions along the border.

In a statement on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron said he spoke with key Lebanese leaders, including Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

“Yesterday I spoke with President Aoun, Prime Minister Salam, and Speaker of Parliament Berri,” Macron said.

He said that urgent action was needed to prevent the country from further instability.

“Everything must be done to prevent Lebanon from descending into chaos,” he said.

Macron also called on the Lebanese group Hezbollah to halt its actions, while urging Israel to avoid escalating the conflict.

“Hezbollah must immediately stop its headlong escalation. Israel must refrain from launching a large-scale offensive and must cease its massive strikes,” he said, adding that “hundreds of thousands of people have already fled the bombardments.”

Lebanon’s leadership has indicated it is willing to hold direct talks with Israel, Macron said.

“The Lebanese government has expressed its willingness to engage in direct discussions with Israel,” he said, adding that “all components of the country must be represented in these talks.”

He urged Israel to take part in negotiations and work toward ending the fighting.

“Israel must seize this opportunity to initiate discussions and agree to a ceasefire, find a lasting solution, and allow the Lebanese authorities to implement their commitments in favor of Lebanon’s sovereignty,” he said. “France is ready to facilitate these discussions by hosting them in Paris.”

Hezbollah began targeting Israeli military sites on March 2 in response to the US-Israeli attacks on Iran that killed then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran, as well as Israeli attacks on Lebanon, despite a ceasefire reached in November 2024.

Israel expanded its campaign the same day with airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut and areas in southern and eastern Lebanon.

On March 3, Israel also launched a limited ground incursion into southern Lebanon, along with the ongoing joint military campaign with the US against Iran that started on Feb 28.

Lebanese authorities said Thursday that Israel’s expanded attacks have killed 733 people, injured 1,933, and displaced 822,000.