French President Emmanuel Macron has said Paris is ready to mediate a truce between Lebanon and Israel, saying that Lebanese leaders are willing to engage in direct talks in a major shift in the country’s approach towards Israel.Macron’s statement on Saturday came as Israel continued its attacks, killing more than 800 people in Lebanon and displacing some 800,000. Israel has issued forced evacuation orders for all residents south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon. Reports also suggest that Israeli forces are preparing for a major ground invasion there.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listIsrael launched strikes on Lebanon after the Hezbollah group fired rockets in response to the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 1, a day after the United States and Israel started the war. Hezbollah had not responded to near-daily attacks carried out by Israel since the November 2024 ceasefire.Let’s unpack what France has said and what it means.What’s Macron’s proposal?Macron said he spoke with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Speaker Nabih Berri.“The Lebanese government has indicated its willingness to engage in direct talks with Israel,” he said on X in a message posted in Hebrew, Arabic and French. All segments of the country must be represented, he said, urging Israel to seize the o …
