Now Reading: US, Israel veto France from Hezbollah disarmament verification role
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US, Israel veto France from Hezbollah disarmament verification role
US, Israel veto France from Hezbollah disarmament verification role
Israel and the United States have vetoed France from being part of a proposed international force to verify Hezbollah's disarmament under a US-brokered agreement, Reuters reported on August 8, citing Lebanese and…
The Story in Brief
Israel and the United States have vetoed France from being part of a proposed international force to verify Hezbollah's disarmament under a US-brokered agreement, Reuters reported on August 8, citing Lebanese and diplomatic sources. The shortlist of countries for the verification mission was finalised during talks at the US embassy in Rome. A Lebanese official said Washington will now select one or more countries to replace France. Beirut has also rejected the use of private security firms for the role, insisting only sovereign states are acceptable. The force's mandate, size, and coordination with the Lebanese army remain under discussion, with options including placing it under the UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL or another UN agency.
The Indian Opinion
Some narratives paint this as a deliberate snub to France by the US and Israel. But the real issue is trust. France has deep historical ties in Lebanon, including with Hezbollah via political channels, making it unacceptable to Israel as a neutral arbiter. Blaming Washington for 'dictating terms' ignores that it brokered the fragile June 26 agreement. The key test will come when a replacement nation is named. If it is a non-European power like Saudi Arabia or Egypt, will those same critics accept it? Or will they just shift the complaint?
Source: indiatoday.in
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