The French intervened following the latest Israeli rejection in the gas talks with Lebanon and Paris told Beirut through PM-designate Najib Mikati that “Israel does not intend to escalate,” al-Akhbar newspaper quoted prominent sources as saying.
The sources added that “the Americans are behind the Israeli stance, especially in the point related to financial compensation, seeing as the U.S. wants to help Lapid’s government in the face of the campaign that he is facing prior to the Israeli elections.”
“The insistence on the word compensation is aimed at giving the impression that Israel has managed to win a Lebanese recognition of its right to the Qana field,” the sources said.