A new French initiative to contain the tension between Hezbollah and Israel

French Foreign Minister Stephane Ségornet will put forward proposals to prevent further escalation and possible war between Israel and the Iran-allied Hezbollah group during a visit to Lebanon on Sunday, as Paris seeks to refine a road map that both sides can accept to ease tensions.

France has historical ties with Lebanon, and earlier this year Ségornet presented an initiative proposing that Hezbollah’s elite unit withdraw ten kilometers from the Israeli border while Israel halts its strikes in southern Lebanon.

The two sides have exchanged blows in the past few months, but the exchanges have increased since Iran launched a barrage of missiles at Israel in response to a suspected Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital, Damascus, which led to the killing of members of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

The French proposal, which was discussed with partners, especially the United States, did not make progress, but Paris wants to maintain the momentum of the talks and emphasize to Lebanese officials that Israeli threats to launch a military operation in southern Lebanon must be taken seriously.

Hezbollah stressed that it won’t enter into any concrete discussion until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza, as the war between Israel and Hamas has entered its sixth month.

Israel also said it wants to ensure calm is restored on its northern border so that thousands of displaced Israelis can return to the area without fear of cross-border missile attacks.

Christophe Lemoyne, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a press conference, “The goal is to prevent the region from igniting and to avoid further deterioration of the situation on the border between Israel and Lebanon”.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun met with French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month, where they discussed the French proposal.

In a letter addressed to the French embassy in Beirut in March, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said that Beirut believed that the French initiative would be an important step towards peace and security in Lebanon and the broader region.

Local Lebanese media reported that the government had provided comments to the French regarding the proposal.

French officials say the responses so far have been general and lack consensus among the Lebanese.

Although they consider it too early to reach any form of agreement, they believe it’s necessary to engage now so that both parties are ready when the right moment comes.

Paris will also stress the urgent need to break the political deadlock in the country.

Lebanon has neither a head of state nor a government with full powers since the end of Michel Aoun’s term as president in October 2022.

Israel has remained cautious about the French initiative, although Israeli and French officials say Israel supports efforts to defuse cross-border tensions.

“The fire will ignite and tensions will continue… We’re in a state of strategic ambiguity on both sides,” a Lebanese diplomat said.

France has 700 soldiers stationed in southern Lebanon as part of a 10,000-strong United Nations peacekeeping force.

Officials say UN forces are unable to carry out their mandate, and part of France’s proposals aim to support the mission by strengthening the Lebanese army.

After Lebanon, Sigourney will head to Saudi Arabia before traveling to Israel.

Foreign ministers from Arab and Western countries, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, will hold informal talks on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh to discuss the Gaza war with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.