EU Ambassador in Israel: Europe Likely to Deploy Force to Replace UNIFIL in Lebanon

Michael Mann, the European Union’s ambassador to Israel, said in an interview with ynet’s studio that the EU is still considering sanctions against ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir. He added that the bloc is likely to send a force to take the place of UNIFIL in Lebanon, referring to the United Nations peacekeeping mission.

Mann also said the EU is unhappy with the rising violence in the West Bank. In his words, the union is “not satisfied with the escalating violence in the West Bank, not satisfied with Israel’s violence.” The interview did not include any final decision on the sanctions, only that they remain under discussion.