A statement issued by Netanyahu’s office said: “The Prime Minister informed President Macron that he opposes a unilateral ceasefire, because it will not change the security situation in Lebanon and will return the country to what it was.”
The statement added: “The Prime Minister stressed that Israel’s operations aim to prevent Lebanese factions from threatening Israeli citizens on the northern border and to enable them to return to their homes safely.”
The Elysee Palace had previously announced that French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the time has come for a ceasefire in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
While Macron affirmed France’s commitment to Israel’s security, Netanyahu announced that Israel expects “support, not restrictions” from France.
The call between Macron and Netanyahu took place a day after the French President made statements about the need to stop arms supplies to Israel in order to activate the peace process in the Gaza Strip.
In his statements, Macron also criticized the Israeli military operation in Lebanon, and expressed his refusal to “turn Lebanon into another Gaza,” which sparked anger in Israel, as Benjamin Netanyahu described the French president’s statements as a “shame,” adding that Israel is capable of achieving victory with and without Western aid. .
Paris expressed its regret over Netanyahu’s reaction, considering his words “excessive,” and noting that he “does not respond to the friendly relations between France and Israel.”
Source: Reuters+
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