The Jerusalem Post reports: According to unnamed sources quoted in Israeli media on Sunday, Israel refused to allow France to participate in mediation talks between it and Lebanon, claiming France is an “unfair mediator.”

Last week, an incident in Lebanon involving Israeli warning shots towards a UN convoy of Spanish and Italian peacekeeping soldiers added to already heightened tensions between the countries.

“In terms of relations with the State of Israel, Israel still has a lot of credit in its contribution to the EU, especially in terms of innovation, especially in its security and defense industry, which Europe needs,” Dr. Maya Sion-Tzidkiyahu, director of the Israel-Europe Relations Program at the Mitvim Institute and a lecturer at the Hebrew University European Forum, told The Media Line.