France urged on Thursday “all parties to exercise the utmost restraint,” saying it was “extremely concerned by the gravity of the situation in Lebanon” following the “dramatic” intensification of violence on the border with Israel.
Christophe Lemoine, deputy spokesman for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed that France calls for “the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701” and remains “fully committed to preventing any risk of escalation on the Blue Line and promoting a diplomatic solution.”
This statement comes as Canada and Germany this week called on their nationals to leave Lebanon as soon as possible.
For the time being, the Quai d’Orsay has no plans to evacuate its nationals from Lebanon, but reiterates that it remains “imperatively recommended” that French nationals do not travel to Lebanon.
French nationals currently in Lebanon for personal or professional reasons “are asked to postpone, as much as possible, all travels to southern Lebanon, and to exercise utmost vigilance.”
Around 23,000 French nationals live in Lebanon.
