French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the “absolute necessity” to prevent escalation between Hezbollah and Israel during a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.
The Elysée Palace stated that Macron “expressed deep concern over escalating tensions between Hezbollah and Israel along the Blue Line,” stressing the critical importance of preventing a situation that could harm the interests of both Lebanon and Israel, posing a significant risk to regional stability.
According to the statement, Macron underscored “the urgent need for all parties to swiftly move towards a diplomatic solution,” and reminded of the crucial need for maximum restraint.
The French presidency highlighted that Macron and Netanyahu “discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts in this direction,” ahead of the arrival of Amos Hochstein, US President Joe Biden’s envoy, in Paris on Wednesday. Hochstein is scheduled to meet with France’s Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian and the French President’s Middle East advisor.
Meanwhile, Naïm Qassem, Deputy Secretary-General of Lebanese Hezbollah, stated on Tuesday that the only guaranteed way to halt fire on the Lebanese-Israeli border is a complete ceasefire in Gaza.
Qassem told the Associated Press that if there is a ceasefire in Gaza, Hezbollah will cease without discussion regarding strikes on Israel. He added that Hezbollah’s involvement in the Israel-Hamas conflict served as “supportive reinforcement,” and if the conflict stops, this military support would no longer exist.
However, he noted that if Israel reduces its military operations without reaching an official ceasefire agreement and complete withdrawal from Gaza, the repercussions on the border conflict between Lebanon and Israel would be less clear.
Qassem stated, “If what happens in Gaza becomes a mix of ceasefire and non-ceasefire, war and non-war, we cannot know Hezbollah’s reaction, because we do not know the form, results, or impacts of this situation.”
In recent weeks, amid stalled ceasefire talks in Gaza, concerns have grown over escalation on the Lebanese-Israeli front. Hezbollah has engaged in near-daily attacks with the Israeli army along its borders over the past nine months, leading to the displacement of tens of thousands on both sides of the Lebanese-Israeli border.
Last month, the Israeli military stated it “approved and authorized” plans to launch an attack in Lebanon if no diplomatic solution is reached to ongoing clashes. Any decision to conduct such an operation must come from the country’s political leadership.
Some Israeli officials seek a diplomatic resolution to the confrontation and hope to avoid war, while cautioning that scenes of destruction witnessed in Gaza could repeat in Lebanon if conflict erupts.
Qassem stated he does not believe Israel currently has the capability or has decided to wage war. He cautioned that even if Israel intends a limited operation in Lebanon short of a widespread war, it should not expect the fighting to remain contained.
