The publication, which is considered to be connected to Hezbollah, published a front-page statement to this effect under the headline: "France is about to become an enemy!."
The presumption in Lebanon is that Emmanuel Macron's government will not support Lebanon and does not understand the internal religious affairs governing Lebanon in general and the Shiite community in particular.
The report alludes that French officials spoke with reporters from the newspaper and clarified to them that Israel is serious and significantly focused on the matter. In the event that diplomatic relations collapse and it is impossible to reach an understanding about the forces that will be allowed to operate in southern Lebanon, Israel will launch a significant offensive to push Hezbollah away from the area.
Ibrahim Elamin, a columnist who published the news, wrote, “France is run by secular fundamentalists, who do not love the church, who hate Jews, and who do not want them in their territory. Additionally, they hate Muslims and want to return them to their country of origin. However, France is a fundamentalist country that supports Israel. It sees Israel as a critical partner in the fight to restore the French hegemony to nations in the area.”
“France is convinced that Hezbollah is in a position where it is easily susceptible to pressure and can easily be forced into a state deal that will create a new security and military situation in southern Lebanon, and so fulfill the enemy’s plan to prevent any resistance forces from entering southern Lebanon.”
“The Israelis told France that they want France to fulfill an efficient and practical role, not only a verbal one, to implement their Israeli interpretation of decision 1701 of the UN Security Council regarding a ceasefire after the second Lebanon war.”
According to the newspaper, Israel instructed France to carry out four steps:
To clarify to Hezbollah that war will begin if it does not abide by the clauses of decision 1701.
To call for other political and religious factions in Lebanon to consider different steps to cause pressure on Hezbollah and force it to concede its demands, including parts of Mt. Dov which are disputed territory between Israel and Lebanon.
To push the Lebanese army to prepare itself for a more significant role in southern Lebanon and to prepare itself to take responsibility and be a full partner in International forces in southern Lebanon. This, in practice, would fully enforce decision 1701.
To enter deliberations for security, military, and state matters with the United States of America, Britain, Germany, and Arab states, to ensure a stronger international force and give it significant supplies in order to ensure that it can carry out the decision.
