The French-U.S. proposal for a ceasefire to end fighting in Lebanon remains on the table, with parties continuing to work on it, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Monday during a visit to Israel.
He said Israel’s security cannot be guaranteed with military force alone and will require a diplomatic solution.
“Military success cannot be a substitute for a political perspective,” Barrot told reporters.
“To bring the hostages home to their loved ones, to allow the displaced to return home in the north, after a year of war, the time for diplomacy has come,” he added.
Barrot said Hezbollah bears significant responsibility for dragging Lebanon into a war with Israel.
"In Lebanon, violence threatens to plunge a very fragile country into lasting chaos, threatening Israel's security even more than today," Barrot said, adding that "Hezbollah bears a heavy responsibility for this situation, having dragged Lebanon into a war that it did not choose".