Israel rejects French role in Lebanon talks

Israel's Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, has reiterated his country's opposition to French involvement in negotiations concerning Lebanon. In a video statement, Leiter said, "We certainly don’t want the French anywhere near these negotiations," adding that Israel would like to keep France "as far away as possible from pretty much everything." He dismissed France as "not needed" and "not a positive influence," underscoring Israel's preference to exclude a traditional European diplomatic player from the process. This stance complicates international mediation efforts aimed at de-escalating the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.