France urges Lebanon cease-fire amid reports of looming Israeli ground operation

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - France on Monday urged both Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah to de-escalate the situation and agree on a cease-fire that ends the ongoing hostilities.

Addressing a press conference in Beirut, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noal Barrot urged Israel "to refrain from any ground incursion (into Lebanon)."

Several Israeli media reports suggest a possible ground operation in southern Lebanon amid massive airstrikes across the country.

"I also call on Hezbollah to do the same and to refrain from any action likely to lead to regional destabilization," the top French diplomat said.

He also said Paris is ready to help implement the UN resolution 1701, and support the Lebanese army.

Adopted on Aug. 11, 2006, the resolution calls for a complete cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel and the establishment of a demilitarized zone between the Blue Line (the boundary between Lebanon and Israel) and the Litani River, allowing only the Lebanese army and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to possess weapons and military equipment in the area.

Barrot met with several top Lebanese officials, including Prime Minister Najib Mikati and chief lawmaker Nabih Berri, to discuss the developments between Israel and Lebanon.

Since Sept. 23, Israel has launched massive airstrikes against what it calls Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, killing more than 900 people and injuring over 2,700 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

Several Hezbollah commanders have been killed in the Israeli assault, including its leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said early Thursday that Tel Aviv will only accept a cease-fire in Lebanon when Hezbollah is pushed away from the border to the north of the Litani River and disarmed.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 41,600 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.

The international community has warned that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could escalate the Gaza conflict into a wider regional war.