Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has reaffirmed that no one in the country wants to establish diplomatic relations with Israel, after senior officials in Beirut accused Israeli authorities of seeking to do so, The National reported.Israeli troops continue to occupyfive locationson the border with Lebanon, having invaded the south of the country last year in what it said was an attempt to counter the threat of powerful Lebanese group Hezbollah.The Israeli military was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon on January 26 in a ceasefire deal agreed with Hezbollah in November.Salam said the five areas held "no military or security value" for Israel, "other than maintaining its pressure on Lebanon"."No one in Lebanon wants normalisation with Israel and it is rejected by all Lebanese," he said on Wednesday.Israel has continued tobomb south Lebanonrepeatedly, despite the truce agreement.
More than 4,000 people were killed last year in Israeli attacks on the country, Lebanese health officials say.Salam said the situation remained concerning but Beirut had "not exhausted all means of political and diplomatic pressure".According to Israeli media, unnamed Israeli officials have signaled an interest in establishing relations with Lebanon with the support of the new US administration ofPresident Donald Trump.Lebanon and Israel technically are in a state of war.
It is a serious crime for Lebanese people to communicate with anyone in Israel, or enter the country.While Hezbollah remains a deeply divisive issue in Lebanon, most Lebanese are united in their stance against Israel and its actions.Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri this week said Israel intends to draw us into political negotiations leading to the normalisation of relations between the two countries, but this is out of question for us".It came as French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian has arrived in Beirut as Lebanon continues to grapple with instability on its borders withIsrael and Syria.He visited PresidentJoseph Aounat the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, and met Salam later on Wednesday.
The latter said Le Drian's visit was focused on reconstruction efforts.A major talking point will be the reconstruction of the parts of Lebanon particularly hard hit by the war betweenHezbollahand Israel.
Israeli forces continue to bomb the south of the country regularly, with a spike at the weekend, after three rockets were launched at Israel.Last October, a Paris conference raised $1 billion for humanitarian aid and security in Lebanon, and in the coming months France aims to raise more for the rebuilding effort.
The World Bank has estimated that the short-to-medium term costs of recovery and reconstruction stand at $11 billion.Aoun is expected to visit France this weekend in one his first official overseas trips since becoming President in January.
Le Drian was among guests when Mr Aoun was sworn in at the Lebanese Parliament.Former colonial power France was a major player in unblocking the impasse that had led to two years of a caretaker government and institutional paralysis in Lebanon.
Aoun's election, the naming of Salam as Prime Minister and the formation of a cabinet happened soon after.
In a show of support, French President Emmanuel Macron came to Lebanon in January.