Lebanon urges France to pressure Israel to stop ceasefire violations

By Wassim Seif El Din and Ahmed Asmar

BEIRUT (AA) – Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged France on Wednesday to pressure Israel to halt its violations of a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon.

Aoun met with French Ambassador to Lebanon, Herve Magro, and deputy head of the ceasefire oversight committee, General Guilaume Ponchin, at the Baabda Palace in Beirut.

During the meeting, Aoun called for France’s support to his country’s position regarding the full withdrawal of the Israeli troops from the Lebanese lands they had occupied last year, according to a presidency statement.

He also demanded Paris to pile pressure on Israel to halt its ceasefire violations and release Lebanese nationals held by Tel Aviv.

A fragile cease-fire has been in place since Nov. 27, ending a period of mutual shelling between Israel and Hezbollah that began on Oct. 8, 2023 and escalated into a full-scale conflict on Sept. 23 last year.

Since the cease-fire took effect, Israel has committed over 830 violations, killing and injuring dozens in Lebanon, including women and children.

Israel was supposed to complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26 under the ceasefire deal, but it refused and the deadline was extended to Feb. 18.