France in efforts to reduce tension in the south of Lebanon

BEIRUT: France took diplomatic action on Tuesday to ease tensions in southern Lebanon following an Israeli drone attack the previous day on two factories in Ghaziyeh, north of the Litani River.

The French Ambassador to Lebanon Herve Magro said after meeting Abdullah Bou Habib, Lebanon’s caretaker foreign minister, that his country’s position “is clear and we are working to reduce the level of tension.”

In response to a question about whether France was communicating with Iran-backed Hezbollah directly, the ambassador said: “We are talking to everyone and we hope to make progress.”

Firefighters and civil defense were working into a second day to extinguish fires that had broken out at a site targeted by Israelis on Monday evening in the town of Ghaziyeh, which is about 60 km from the southern border and just south of Sidon.

Oil and diesel leaking from tanks torn apart in the raid added to the problems at a generator factory that had been targeted.

The Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture in Sidon and South Lebanon organized a field tour for journalists in the town of Ghaziyeh to inspect the site targeted by the Israeli airstrike, which had resulted in several Syrian workers and residents of the town being injured.

Damage caused to the operating machines at the two factories was evident, while the generator factory had been completely destroyed and reduced to scrap metal.

Its owner, Mohammed Khalifa, said: “The enemy’s claim that we have weapons depots (here) is nonsense.

“The factory contains parts for assembling electrical generators, in addition to a warehouse for machine oils. We have been working for 11 years, day and night, in full view of all the people who know the nature of our work.”

Ahmed Saeed, director of the Al-Bahr Tile Manufacturing Company, which was also targeted, said: “(This) place is for the production of border stones, and there is nothing underground. The goal of the aggression is to cause harm to this factory, where dozens of families make a living.”

Mohamed Saleh, president of the chamber, said: “Our presence in front of the electric generators and oil factory proves that the Israeli enemy’s accusations of it being a weapons depot for Hezbollah are false.

“The enemy aims to destroy the economy and industry after destroying agriculture in the south. The agricultural lands and forests that were set on fire three months ago by Israel using phosphorus bombs now need 30 years to get purified and recultivated. Israel aims today to target all vital sectors to destroy our economy.”

Dr. Hazem Khader Badie, the mayor of Sidon, described the raid as “a serious development, as we cannot consider that it targeted Sidon, which is far away from the border.

“While human injuries are minor, damage is very serious for factory owners and investors working on promoting the whole country, namely the south, its economy and industry.”