Prominent French politician Claude Goasguen visited Israel last week at the invitation of ELNET, to inspect one of the Hezbollah terror tunnels recently discovered at the Israel-Lebanon border. Goasguen is one of the first foreign officials allowed to enter a Hezbollah tunnel since the operation “Northern Shield” began.
A senior member of the French National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Goasguen is responsible for reporting on the situation in the Middle East and recommending French policy in the region.
After touring the tunnel Goasguen stated:
“The tunnels definitely increase the risk of war and arean attack by Hezbollah on Israel. The UN must take responsibility and UNIFIL needs to maintain peace. Iran is an enemy of Israel, is influential and has power in the Lebanese government. We are on the eve of war, which no one wants. Hezbollah must be held accountable, and it’s the responsibility of the Lebanese government to ensure calm for the sake of peace.”
MP Claude Goasguen
He suggested France should take a more decisive role in stabilizing the situation:
“France can become a mediator and help calm the situation by pressuring Iran. France can demand that Iran stop providing Hezbollah with ammunition and military equipment in exchange for the support it receives from France.”
MP Claude Goasguen
The visit comes only two months after Goasguen visited Lebanon and met with President Michel Aoun and a number of high-level officials to discuss the security situation in the region.
In a statement issued on December 12, France expressed concern over the tunnels saying they are a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
