France on Thursday called on Israel to pull its forces out of Syrian territory and respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, cautioning that any military presence in the U.N.-mandated separation zone breaches long-standing international commitments.
Speaking at a press briefing in Paris, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said France "firmly reiterates” that the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between Israel and Syria must be upheld by both signatories.
"France calls for the withdrawal of the Israeli army and insists on full respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Pascal Confavreux said.
He added that Paris supports the establishment of a security agreement between Israel and Syria "aimed at restoring good-neighborly relations and contributing to a peaceful political transition toward a unified Syria.”
He further stressed that any Israeli military presence inside the separation zone "constitutes a violation of the 1974 accord,” and must stop immediately.
Confavreux also underscored France’s concern over escalating violence linked to Israeli settler attacks in the occupied West Bank.
He recalled that Paris had urged the Israeli government to investigate recent assaults, including the arrest of four extremist settlers, and to ensure that "appropriate sanctions” follow to end impunity.
"All plans amounting to de facto annexation, particularly settlement projects that threaten the territorial integrity of the West Bank, remain red lines for France,” he reiterated.
He added that France continues to advocate for the Palestinian Authority as the legitimate governing body for both Gaza and the West Bank.
Confavreux voiced strong concern over the intensification of Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, condemning attacks that have killed civilians and urging all parties to uphold the Nov. 27, 2024, cease-fire agreement.
"We are concerned about this intensification of Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. We condemn the Israeli strikes that are killing civilians,” he said.
He further stressed that the ceasefire must be fully implemented and that commitments made under the agreement must be respected by all sides.
He added it remains "fully engaged,” alongside the US, in the monitoring mechanism overseeing the truce, and continues its participation within the U.N. peacekeeping force, UNIFIL.
Looking ahead, France reiterated its support for the plan announced on Sept. 5, 2025, under which the Lebanese government expressed its intention to disarm Hezbollah and deploy the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) across the south.
Confavreux also urged Tehran to return "urgently" to full compliance with international monitoring obligations, insisting that diplomatic channels remain open despite the reactivation of U.N. sanctions earlier this year.
He said Iran’s nuclear program "remains extremely worrying," stressing that the International Atomic Energy Agency can no longer verify the exclusively peaceful nature of Tehran’s activities.
"The IAEA has lost the continuity of its knowledge regarding nuclear materials and activities in Iran. That is an alarming development," he said.
He reminded reporters that France, together with its E3 partners, Germany and the U.K., and the U.S., reinstated earlier U.N. Security Council resolutions from 2006 to 2010 through the snapback mechanism, effectively returning the international framework to the pre-2015 era before the nuclear deal.
"We continue – and we want to continue – to keep the door open to dialogue with Iran," he added.
