Strict Guarantees and Arrangements: Paris Unveils 'Last Card' to Secure Southern Lebanon

France has finalized a draft diplomatic proposal in a race against time before closing the chapter on "UNIFIL," seeking to regulate the security rhythm in southern Lebanon through an approach based on a delicate balance between Lebanese sovereignty requirements and Israeli security concerns.

Western sources revealed that the French vision stems from the necessity of compelling Israeli forces to withdraw immediately and completely from all points and positions they still occupy within Lebanese territory, thereby ending direct friction and establishing the withdrawal line as a stable dividing border.

The sources explained, in comments to "Erem News," that the French paper proposes, in exchange for the Israeli withdrawal, establishing strict security arrangements and guarantees in a geographical range diplomatically defined as the "Gray Line," extending 4 kilometers north of the border.

The sources indicated that the French arrangements aim to prevent any illegitimate military positioning or armed activity outside the framework of the Lebanese state in this sensitive area, while intensifying the operational and supervisory deployment of Lebanese Army units there to ensure it is free of any armed manifestations that could serve as a pretext for escalation.

The sources added that Paris resorted to avoiding an Israeli-American "veto" on its proposal by adopting an alternative diplomatic solution consisting of activating and expanding the powers of the "Observer Group in Lebanon" under the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), increasing its personnel to handle field monitoring tasks and submit periodic reports.

France bases this option on the fact that this body is an existing UN mechanism in Lebanon since the 1949 Armistice Agreement; therefore, enhancing its role does not require issuing a new and complex resolution for its establishment in the UN Security Council.

New Reality
The French movement in Beirut is viewed with a mix of anticipation and diplomatic caution, amid official awareness that the post-December 31, 2026 phase will impose a completely new field reality on the Lebanese military institution and the state as a whole.

Diplomatic sources in Lebanon following the ongoing consultations report that official circles in Beirut have been informed of the outlines of the French direction through non-public channels, clarifying that Paris is trying to play the role of a "bridge" to prevent the collapse of border arrangements immediately after the last UNIFIL soldier departs.

Lebanese sources confirmed, in a statement to "Erem News," that official circles in Beirut show extreme sensitivity towards the geographical names mentioned in leaks, specifically terms like "Gray Line" or "Buffer Zone," fearing that these names may turn into a fait accompli over time, cutting off parts of Lebanese sovereignty or imposing unfair restrictions on the movement of citizens and civilians in front-line border villages.

The sources clarified that Beirut insists in its communications with the French side that any security arrangements within the four-kilometer depth must be implemented exclusively through Lebanese Army units and in accordance with the provisions of International Resolution 1701, not by creating zones stripped of sovereignty or subject to external guardianship.

Lebanese sources view the option of strengthening the "Armistice Commission" as a practical and smart exit legally and diplomatically, as it maintains international legitimacy and UN cover over the border strip, preventing Israel from monopolizing the field or imposing unilateral rules of engagement after the departure of the Blue Helmets.

The sources noted that internal discussion in Beirut currently focuses on how to enable the Lebanese Army to fill the logistical and field vacuum left by UNIFIL, confirming that Paris is simultaneously exploring, with other European capitals including Rome, a formula to provide direct technical and training support to the military institution outside the UN framework, to ensure its ability to effectively control the four-kilometer range.