France has reaffirmed the "necessity for the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory, as soon as possible, in accordance with the provisions of the ceasefire agreement."
In a statement released on Tuesday evening, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Paris had "acknowledged the continued withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon." The statement reads: "This is an important step in the implementation of commitments made in the ceasefire agreement signed on November 26, 2024, between Lebanon and Israel," adding, "France notes that the Israeli Defense Forces maintain a presence at five positions on Lebanese territory."
France Reiterates Proposal Regarding UNIFIL
The Ministry called on all parties to consider its proposal, which suggests that the "United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), including the French contingent, be deployed at these five positions near the Blue Line to replace the Israeli armed forces and ensure the security of the populations."
It further emphasized that "alongside the United States within the ceasefire monitoring mechanism, France will continue to fulfill all the missions outlined in the November 26, 2024 agreement."
The Ministry also welcomed the redeployment of the Lebanese Army in coordination with UNIFIL and the ceasefire monitoring mechanism, considering this development as a means to carry out demining operations and assist the return of populations under the best possible security conditions.
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