Macron to Netanyahu: the UN must play “its full role” in Lebanon for the return of civilian populations

Emmanuel Macron affirmed Monday during a telephone interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the UN must play “all its role” in Lebanon to allow the return of displaced civilian populations, once again denouncing the actions carried out by Israel against UNIFIL.

“The United Nations must play their full role in southern Lebanon, to allow the return of civilian populations to their homes, in safety, on both sides of the border between Lebanon and Israel,” argued the French president according to the Élysée. He also denounced the actions carried out by the Israeli army against the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

According to UNIFIL, which has 10,000 peacekeepers, the Israeli army “deliberately demolished” on Sunday one of its “observation towers” in Marwahin (southern Lebanon). The previous week, she had accused Israeli troops of “repeatedly” and “deliberately” firing on her positions.

“Ceasefire” in Gaza

The two officials also discussed the situation in Gaza. The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinouar, killed on September 16 by Israeli soldiers and considered the mastermind of the attack of October 7, 2023, must be “an opportunity to begin a new phase of negotiation in order to establish a ceasefire in Gaza, obtain the release of all the hostages and allow massive delivery of humanitarian aid,” underlined the French president.

Finally, Emmanuel Macron said he was determined to continue “a demanding dialogue with the authorities in Tehran”, at a time when the army is expanding its offensive against the Islamist movement Hezbollah supported by Iran after almost a month of war.