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France Rebukes Israeli Envoy Over Lebanon Peace Talks Remarks
(MENAFN) France’s foreign minister on Wednesday pushed back strongly against comments made by Israel’s ambassador to the United States regarding France’s involvement in Lebanon-related diplomacy, escalating a growing dispute over international mediation efforts.
Jean-Noel Barrot, speaking on the sidelines of an international conference on Sudan in Berlin, criticized envoy Yechiel Leiter after the Israeli diplomat suggested France should be excluded from ongoing peace discussions involving Lebanon.
Barrot responded by saying Leiter appeared “apparently very diplomatic, very refined and very subtle,” while arguing that the envoy was effectively trying to limit the number of international actors supporting Lebanon’s recovery process.
His comments followed Leiter’s remarks a day earlier, in which he said Israel would prefer France to be kept out of negotiations.
"We would like to keep the French as far away from practically everything as possible ... They are not necessary. They have no positive influence, especially not in Lebanon,” the ambassador said.
In response, Barrot suggested the Israeli envoy “stay away from microphones and TV cameras,” intensifying the war of words between the two sides.
Earlier on Tuesday, the French foreign minister also urged Israel to comply with international law and abandon what he described as “endless wars” in the region.
France was among several countries that issued a joint statement condemning recent large-scale Israeli strikes on Lebanon, as well as attacks targeting UN peacekeeping forces, according to reports.
Jean-Noel Barrot, speaking on the sidelines of an international conference on Sudan in Berlin, criticized envoy Yechiel Leiter after the Israeli diplomat suggested France should be excluded from ongoing peace discussions involving Lebanon.
Barrot responded by saying Leiter appeared “apparently very diplomatic, very refined and very subtle,” while arguing that the envoy was effectively trying to limit the number of international actors supporting Lebanon’s recovery process.
His comments followed Leiter’s remarks a day earlier, in which he said Israel would prefer France to be kept out of negotiations.
"We would like to keep the French as far away from practically everything as possible ... They are not necessary. They have no positive influence, especially not in Lebanon,” the ambassador said.
In response, Barrot suggested the Israeli envoy “stay away from microphones and TV cameras,” intensifying the war of words between the two sides.
Earlier on Tuesday, the French foreign minister also urged Israel to comply with international law and abandon what he described as “endless wars” in the region.
France was among several countries that issued a joint statement condemning recent large-scale Israeli strikes on Lebanon, as well as attacks targeting UN peacekeeping forces, according to reports.
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