US EditionFrance's Foreign Minister Heads to Israel After Lebanon Talks
France seeks to reduce tensions and promote talks after presenting counter-proposals to US ideas; Israel and Lebanon have yet to engage in direct negotiations, officials said.
- Jean-Noël Barrot will make an unscheduled trip to Israel on March 19 after visiting Beirut to discuss regional security and humanitarian aid, the foreign ministry said.
- France last week presented counter-proposals to U.S. ideas, with U.S. diplomats describing the response as lukewarm, and Israel has rejected them.
- During his Beirut visit, Jean-Noël Barrot toured aid sites and announced France would double its aid to €17 million after France sent 60 tonnes last week, speaking with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
- Israel has rebuffed Beirut's offer of direct talks and rejected Paris's proposals, while Hezbollah has refused the move and fighting continues.
- France and the US brokered the November 2025 ceasefire, with Macron urging Israel to seize the opportunity for talks, offering Paris as a host.
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16 Articles
French foreign minister Barrot to discuss war in Middle East during Israel visit
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot is due in Israel on Friday to discuss the conflict in the Middle East and ways to de-escalate the fighting that has engulfed the region since Israeli and American forces struck targets in Iran on 28 February.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot was in Beirut on Thursday in an attempt to persuade the Americans to put pressure on Benyamin Netanyahu to accept, as a first step, a truce of hostilities.
This is the first visit to Israel for the Minister of Foreign Affairs since France's recognition of a State of Palestine in September 2025.
Israel has launched new strikes on Iran on Friday, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes to be "deathed", while missile and drone attacks continue to target the Gulf countries. Follow our direct.
Lebanon’s Aoun calls for truce while receiving French FM
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday renewed his call for a truce and the opening of negotiations with Israel to stop the war between it and Hezbollah, during a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. Lebanon was brought into the regional war on 2 March, when Hezbollah fired rockets toward Israel in response to the killing of its ally Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Israeli-US attacks. Israel responded with …
According to the French Foreign Ministry, Jean-Noel Barrot will discuss the security situation, humanitarian challenges and de-escalation prospects.
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