French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné is set to visit the Middle East starting Saturday, with discussions planned on the ongoing instability in southern Lebanon and the situation in Gaza.
Stéphane Séjourné
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné is set to visit the Middle East starting Saturday, with discussions planned on the ongoing instability in southern Lebanon and the situation in Gaza.
This marks Séjourné's second trip to the region since assuming office, following his initial visit in early February.
Séjourné's tour will begin in Beirut, where he will discuss France's proposals aimed at restoring stability along the Lebanon-Israel border. These proposals were first introduced during his February visit and are part of France's broader effort to defuse the rising tensions between Lebanon and Israel.
The urgency of Séjourné's mission is underscored by recent high-level discussions in Paris, where French President Emmanuel Macron met with Lebanese Prime Minister Nagib Mikati and the Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Army, Joseph Aoun. These talks are part of a concerted effort to address the escalating violence in the region.
The Lebanese government's lack of autonomy concerning Hezbollah remains a significant challenge. The Iranian-backed Shiite movement continues to operate under Tehran's guidance, often ignoring international demands such as UN Resolution 1701, which calls for peace and stability in the area.
Neither Lebanon's Prime Minister nor its army has the influence needed to curb Hezbollah's provocative actions, which are expected to continue despite international efforts.
Following his discussions in Beirut, Séjourné will continue his tour, visiting Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Palestinian territories.
By Michel Khoury
Israeli forces killed four people in southern Lebanon on Monday, Lebanon's National News Agency reported, citing the health ministry, in two separate strikes that the Israeli military said targeted members of the Shi'ite Muslim armed group Hezbollah.
Iran could agree to dilute its most highly enriched uranium in exchange for all financial sanctions being lifted, its atomic chief said on Monday, one of the most direct indications so far of its position at talks with Washington.
Kuwait has added eight Lebanese hospitals to its national sanctions list over alleged links to terrorism, according to the Kuwaiti daily Al-Rai. The hospitals are all located in areas where Hezbollah is influential: southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.