Israeli officials insist on maintaining the capacity to strike Lebanon at any time as part of conditions for a ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah, France’s foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a parliamentary hearing after talks in Jerusalem last week, Jean-Noel Barrot said that this was a situation that was increasingly voiced among Israeli officials.

Barrot, who had meetings with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, said, “Today, we hear voices in Israel calling for it to maintain its attack capacity at any time, as in its neighbor Syria, and even enter Lebanon.” Defense Secretary Israel Katz last week.

“This is incompatible with the sovereignty of a strong country,” Barrot said, referring to broader efforts to strengthen Lebanon’s governance.

Some diplomats said it would be nearly impossible for Hezbollah or Lebanon to accept any offer that included that demand.

No statement was made from Israel regarding the statements. Defense minister Israel Katz had previously said: “We will not allow any arrangement that does not include the achievement of war objectives and, above all, the right of Israel to implement and act alone against any terrorist activity.”

France, which has historical ties with Lebanon, tried to play a role in ensuring a ceasefire in the Middle Eastern country.

He worked with the United States to implement a temporary ceasefire, but those talks stalled at the end of September.

Coordination to achieve a ceasefire between Paris and the outgoing US administration has been further complicated by US envoy Amos Hochstein’s focus on his own proposals.

Barrot said that it makes no sense for France to lead initiatives on Lebanon on its own, as the US needs to convince Israel, just as it would be beneficial for Washington to go it alone because it “does not have a good appreciation of Lebanon’s internal political dynamics”. He said it wouldn’t happen. ” he said.

(Reporting by John Irish; editing by Philippa Fletcher)