World powers have raised $1bn to ease the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon and support its army at a conference in Paris, with France’s Foreign Minister urging Israel to heed the message to cease fire and focus on diplomacy.
This came as President Emmanuel Macron launched a one-day international conference on Lebanon.
The twin aims of the Paris conference are to alleviate the humanitarian suffering in Lebanon and to strengthen Lebanese state institutions including the official army.
70 government delegations and 15 international organisations met in Paris to help Lebanon.
Reiterating that a Franco-American proposal for a temporary truce was still on the table, France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot told a news conference, “The message [for Israel] is simple: Cease fire!”
Barrot said that more than $800m, including $300m from Washington, had been raised primarily to help up to one million displaced with food, healthcare and education.
A further $200m would go to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), deemed as the guarantor of internal stability, and also vital to implementing 2006 UN security council resolution 1701 that calls for southern Lebanon to be free of any troops or weapons other than those of the Lebanese state.
He noted that the joint proposal made by France and the US remains the basis for any potential ceasefire in Lebanon, adding that the full implementation of UN resolution 1701 was still the goal of diplomatic efforts.
The resolution calls for southern Lebanon to be free of any troops or weapons other than those of the Lebanese state.
Neither Israel or Hezbollah have publicly agreed to the ceasefire proposal, and some hardline members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government have threated to collapse his coalition if a ceasefire is agreed with Hezbollah.
France’s top diplomat also said that Lebanon must end a two-year vacuum and elect a new President, calling the lack of an elected head of state “inconceivable”.
“To preserve its unity in the face of challenges, to be represented at the negotiating table in the future, Lebanon must have a head of state.”
Jean-Noël Barrot
France has historical ties with Lebanon and has been working with Washington in trying to secure a ceasefire, although the two allies differ on approach regarding 1701.
Macron Expresses Regret Over Hezbollah’s Conflict With Israel
Meanwhile, in his opening remarks, Marcon said that it was a matter of bitter regret that Iran, backers of the Hezbollah group, had “engaged Hezbollah against Israel, while Lebanon’s higher interest required that it stay away from the Gaza war.”
In words directed at Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom his relationship has deteriorated badly, he said, “We have been talking a lot in recent days about a war of civilisations or about civilisations that must be defended.”
Netanyahu had said on Europe 1 radio on Wednesday that it is a war of “civilisations against barbarism; we are at the forefront of this war and France must support Israel.”
However, Macron argued, “I am not sure that we defend a civilisation by sowing barbarism ourselves.”
“I am sure of one thing, that the possibility of a civilisation is at stake in Lebanon, that is to say the possibility for women and men whose origins are different, whose religions are different, to share the same territory and to live for the same project.”
“The war must end as soon as possible. There must be a ceasefire in Lebanon. More damage, more victims, more strikes will neither put an end to terrorism nor ensure the security of all.”
Emmanuel Macron
Despite the repeated calls for a ceasefire, there was no sign on Thursday of the conflict abating.
According to the Lebanese army, three Lebanese soldiers were killed in an Israeli strike near the border.
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