By Alexander Cornwell
NEAR TEL AVIV, Israel, March 20 (Reuters) – France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Friday he did not see an obvious end to the conflict in the Middle East in the short-term, but that France and its allies would continue to work towards trying to find a lasting solution.
“There is no obvious short-term way out of the ongoing regional escalation, which has in some ways been unfolding since October 7, 2023. But this must in no way serve as a pretext for inaction,” Barrot told reporters after meeting with Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar in Tel Aviv.
Underscoring the realities of the situation, as the minister arrived for the news conference, the Israeli military warned that Iran had launched missiles toward Israel, triggering sirens and sending the minister, his staff and press into a bomb shelter.
Barrot was in Israel after traveling to Lebanon on Thursday as part of efforts to de-escalate the crisis, but also to push a ceasefire in Lebanon.
France has historical ties with Lebanon and – along with the United States – has sought to mediate in the conflict that exploded after Iran-backed Hezbollah launched missiles into Israel.
Barrot said he had outlined Paris’ reservations about a possible Israeli ground operation in southern Lebanon, but said the Lebanese army had to do everything possible to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah as demanded by the Lebanese government.
Israel has so far rebuffed an offer of direct talks from Beirut as too little, too late by a government that shares its goal of wanting Iran-backed Hezbollah disarmed but fears that acting against it could risk civil war, sources familiar with the situation have said.
President Joseph Aoun, who met Barrot on Thursday, has expressed a willingness to begin direct negotiations with Israel, which has carried out airstrikes in Lebanon since Hezbollah fired on Israel on March 2. Hezbollah has rejected the move and fought on.
France last week presented counter-proposals to U.S. ideas to bring an end to the conflict, two diplomats said.
Three diplomats said the U.S. had been lukewarm to the proposals, but discussions with Washington were continuing. Israel had rejected the proposals, they said.
(Additional reporting by John Irish; Writing by Gianluca Lo Nostro and John Irish; Editing by Makini Brice)
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