Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu sets conditions for ceasefire in Lebanon

According to RIA Novosti, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron that Israel will not agree to a ceasefire with the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon until it creates safe conditions for residents of the northern part of the country to return to their homes and until security threats emanating from Lebanon end.

“During the phone call, the Prime Minister stated that he opposes a unilateral ceasefire, which would not change the security situation in Lebanon but would only return it to its previous trajectory. He stressed that Israel is acting against the terrorist organization Hezbollah,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said.

According to the Israeli Prime Minister's office, Mr. Netanyahu has made it clear that Israel will not accept any deal that would allow Hezbollah to reorganize and arm.

“The Prime Minister also expressed surprise at the French President’s intention to convene a conference in Paris on Lebanon, which would include countries such as South Africa and Algeria, which seek to deprive Israel of its basic right to self-defense,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office added.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron, after summoning the Israeli ambassador in Paris to the Foreign Ministry, said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “should not forget that his country was founded by a UN decree” and therefore he must not violate UN decrees.

Tensions between France and Israel arose after President Macron called for a halt to the supply of weapons used to fight in the Gaza Strip to Israel, calling the move a priority to resolve the situation in the region. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply criticized this.