A source in the French presidency described the agreement reached between Lebanon and Israel as "a historic agreement that reflects the desire of both parties to find a solution through negotiation. It will help alleviate tensions in the region and demonstrates that all players, including Hezbollah, prefer the option of negotiation over confrontation." The French official predicted through MTV that "this will contribute to the stability of the region and the security of countries, foremost among them Israel." He also highlighted the economic aspect and energy sector, emphasizing that "these are essential matters, and the opportunity for exploration and extraction of gas reserves off the coast of Lebanon and Israel must occur without threats or risks of conflict."
He added, "The agreement is a good example of a shared willingness to reach a deal through negotiations that also respect the sovereignty of both countries." He noted that it should also contribute to the prosperity of both nations and their peoples, enhancing energy independence, and will pave the way for gas to reach markets, including Europe. The outcome, of course, will depend on the volume of gas discovered during the exploratory operations, and we all know that there is a large amount of gas in Karish.
The presidential source considered "the negotiations led by U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein and the work he has done over the past two years to be excellent," mentioning statements from U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli and Lebanese leaders thanking President Emmanuel Macron and France for their role. He affirmed that "the French president has placed special importance on Lebanon since the beginning of his term, and this attention concerns all aspects related to Lebanon. Since the beginning of his presidency, he has listened to the Lebanese and Israelis regarding this issue with an eye towards reaching an agreement."
In a related context, the French official clarified "that things accelerated in recent months, knowing that Hochstein's mission began two years ago, and the French president was asked to contribute to the matter, which happened on multiple occasions. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid requested this many times, especially in July during his visit to Paris, as well as during phone calls and exchanges of messages in recent weeks, particularly in the last ten days." He added, "At the president's direction, the Foreign Ministry asked our embassies in Beirut, Israel, and the United States to follow up on the issue and communicate with the U.S. mediator. We all did everything possible to facilitate the negotiations and reach an agreement. The Middle East advisor in the presidency, Patrick Durel, has also held meetings with the U.S. mediator for some time to help advance the matter," noting that "things accelerated ten days ago, and we intensified our efforts at the French president's request, focusing on two aspects: the draft agreement between the Israeli authorities and the Lebanese authorities."
But what has been the extent of France's role? The source answered that "the French role was to convey messages regarding red lines, and messages about specific wording have indeed been delivered, including messages to Hezbollah as happened previously, especially since neither the United States nor Israel have relations with Hezbollah unlike France. There are also some Lebanese who do not have relations with it. We have also continued daily communications with some Lebanese leaders recently even if they were not responsible for the file, but they play an important role on the ground. All of this contributed in recent days to removing some obstacles." He added, "The other aspect is technical, but it is essential and concerns the company 'Total' responsible for exploration and extraction."
He continued, "In the Kana field, at Macron's request, we worked to ensure that 'Total' is ready to begin exploration as soon as possible. For the Lebanese side, it seemed easier because there was a request from them, and there is an agreement between a consortium and Total and Engie regarding exploration in Block 9. However, it was necessary to work on an agreement between Total and the Israelis regarding part of the Kana field from the Israeli side because Line 23 passes through this field, even though the larger part is on the Lebanese side."
In response to a question about why France is keen to expedite work on both aspects, he answered, "Because when the conditions of the agreement are completed by both sides, it should be implemented as soon as possible. We are close to completing the agreement between Total and the Israelis. France, which will continue its diplomatic efforts, will send Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna to Beirut at the weekend and will oversee the implementation phase of the agreement and closely monitor developments to ensure that the profits return to the Lebanese people."
In conclusion, the official reminded of the necessity to implement reforms, saying, "Hezbollah wanted to reach an agreement and chose negotiations, not confrontation, and no one wanted to bear the failure of the negotiations."
