Abdelrahman
France has introduced a plan for United Nations peacekeepers, which includes French military personnel, to take over from Israeli forces at strategic locations in order to facilitate their withdrawal from Lebanon by the deadline of February 18, according to Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot’s remarks on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Israel’s state broadcaster reported that the United States had approved a “long-term” presence of Israeli troops in southern Lebanon following information from sources who indicated that Israel had requested an extension beyond its February 18 withdrawal deadline.
A truce agreement negotiated by Washington last November allowed Israeli forces a 60-day period to retreat from southern Lebanon, where they had been engaged in ground operations against militant groups like Hezbollah since early October.
According to the terms of the agreement, Hezbollah militants were expected to evacuate the region, and Lebanese armed forces were arranged to take their place within the specified timeframe.
Barrot noted, “We have been working diligently to develop a proposal that meets Israel’s security needs, which had indicated a desire for a longer stay at specific locations along the blue line,” during a press conference after a meeting on Syria held in Paris.
UN Support for the Proposal
He elaborated that the initiative involves UNIFIL peacekeepers, along with French military troops, taking the place of Israeli forces at observation positions, with backing from the United Nations for this approach.
Barrot emphasized, “It is now our responsibility to persuade Israeli officials that this arrangement is feasible for a complete and final withdrawal.”
The original withdrawal deadline has already been pushed back from January 26 to February 18. According to a Lebanese official and a foreign envoy in the region, Israel has requested an additional 10-day stay at five locations in the south.
