PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said Lebanon was ready to engage in "direct talks" with Israel and offered to host negotiations in Paris. "The Lebanese government has signalled its willingness to engage in direct talks with Israel," he said on X, adding that "all sections of society must be represented in these talks." "France is ready to facilitate these talks by hosting them in Paris," Macron said.
"Everything must be done to prevent Lebanon from descending into chaos," Macron added. "Hezbollah must immediately halt its reckless course. Israel must abandon plans for a large-scale offensive and cease its massive air strikes." Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes. Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said on Friday his group was ready for a long confrontation with Israel.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's health ministry said on Saturday that Israeli strikes had killed 26 paramedics and wounded 51 others since the conflict erupted between Israel and Hezbollah. It came after Lebanese authorities said an overnight Israeli strike killed 12 doctors, paramedics and nurses working at a healthcare centre in the southern town of Burj Qalawiya, following another strike on the town of Sawaneh that left two paramedics affiliated with Hezbollah and its ally Amal dead. The ministry statement also accused Israel of repeatedly "targeting ambulance crews while they were performing rescue duties", after the Israeli military on Saturday accused Hezbollah of using ambulances militarily. — AFP
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