Any negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are unlikely to resolve fundamental disputes, meaning the most likely scenario in the coming weeks is an escalation in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. On March 16, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the start of large ground operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, escalating the renewed fighting with Hezbollah that erupted on March 2 amid Israel and the United States' ongoing war with Iran. Two days earlier, Axios reported that France had drafted a diplomatic framework aimed at ending the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah war and preventing a prolonged Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon. The proposal reportedly calls for direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, facilitated by France and potentially supported by the United States, with the goal of reaching a political declaration within approximately one month. The reported framework would see both sides reaffirm their commitment to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which...
