Photo: Satelite images taken on October 24 show the tiny southern Lebanese village of Ramyah has almost been wiped off the map. In a neighboring village, satellite photos show a similar scene: a hill once covered with houses, is now reduced to a gray smear of rubble. Hezbollah in Lebanon is now being managed by Iran. Its leader Naim Qassem reportedly fled to Tehran. The majority of the Lebanese and especially the Shiites are outraged at Iran for using Lebanon as its battleground with Israel . The Shiites of Lebanon always looked up to Iran as its own. savior but Iran betrayed them and never came to their help during Hezbollah’s war with Israel. The Shiites suffered the most because the majority of them live in Hezbollah strongholds which were targeted by Israel. Over 1.3 million Lebanese mostly Shiites are now displaced
France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, who met hostage families earlier today, has been speaking to journalists in Jerusalem, alongside Israel Katz, the outgoing foreign minister who is due to replace Yoav Gallant as defense minister.
He expressed hope that President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in the US election would increase the likelihood of Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon being brought to an end.
Citing Trump’s “wish to see the end of the Middle East’s endless wars”, he said:
I believe a window has opened for putting an end to the tragedy in which Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region have been immersed since 7 October.
“Diplomatic solutions are possible to free the hostages, protect civilians and ensure the safety of all,” the French foreign minister wrote on X, shortly before meeting Katz. “It is time to end the tragedy that began on October 7.”
Trump has promised to bring “peace” to the Middle East, but has not specified how. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was among the first of the world’s leaders to call Trump with congratulations on Wednesday, has called him the “best friend that Israel has ever had in the White House”.
In this analysis piece, my colleague, Julian Borger, explains why Trump’s election night victory over Kamala Harris has been so welcomed by Netanyahu. Here is an extract from it:
The incoming administration will almost certainly not defend Unrwa. Trump cut off US funding to the agency in 2018 and it was only restored by Biden three years later. The UN and the whole relief effort in the region could well face a funding crisis.
The restoration of Trump also removes a substantial barrier to Israel’s full control and potential annexation of at least part of Gaza and the West Bank. The incoming president has shown himself unburdened by the weight of international law and UN security council resolutions when it comes to territory. His administration recognised Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019.
France24
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