Lebanon has accepted a French proposal as a basis for peace talks with Israel, while Israel and the United States are still reviewing the framework, Axios reported on Saturday, citing three sources familiar with the details.
The proposal reportedly aims to end the current war, secure an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and create a path toward unprecedented Lebanese recognition of Israel.
The reported framework comes as Israel prepares to significantly expand its ground operation in Lebanon, with Israeli and US officials telling Axios that Jerusalem is weighing a push to seize the area south of the Litani River and dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure.
Such a move would mark Israel’s largest ground operation in Lebanon since the 2006 war, according to the report.
According to Axios, France wants Israel and Lebanon to open negotiations, with US and French backing, on a political declaration that would be finalized within one month. The talks would reportedly begin among senior diplomats and later move to senior political leaders, with Paris proposed as the venue.
The declaration would include an initial Lebanese recognition of Israel and a commitment by Beirut to respect Israel’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the report said.
Both sides would also reaffirm their commitment to UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and to the 2024 ceasefire agreement.
Lebanon would further commit to preventing attacks on Israel from its territory and to implementing a domestic plan to disarm Hezbollah and prohibit its military activity, according to the report.
The proposal also called for the Lebanese Armed Forces to redeploy south of the Litani River while Israel withdraws, within a month, from areas captured since the start of the current war.
Axios reported that the US-led monitoring mechanism would be used to address ceasefire violations and imminent threats.
UNIFIL would verify Hezbollah disarms in southern Lebanon
Under the proposal, UNIFIL peacekeepers would verify Hezbollah’s disarmament south of the Litani River, while a separate coalition mandated by the UN Security Council would oversee disarmament elsewhere in Lebanon.
The plan would also have Lebanon declare its readiness to negotiate a permanent non-aggression agreement with Israel. According to the report, the agreement would be signed within two months and would formally end the state of war that has existed between the two countries since 1948.
The proposed non-aggression agreement would commit both countries to resolving disputes peacefully and to establishing security arrangements, Axios reported.
After such an agreement is signed, Israel would reportedly withdraw from five positions in southern Lebanon that IDF forces have controlled since November 2024.
The final stage of the French proposal envisions completing the demarcation of the Israel-Lebanon and Lebanon-Syria borders by the end of 2026.
A spokesperson for French President Emmanuel Macron did not respond to Axios’s request for comment.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has already appointed a negotiating team for possible talks with Israel, according to the report.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tasked Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer with managing the Lebanese file and coordinating with the Trump administration, but officials cited by Axios said a deal is unlikely without strong US leadership.