Israeli defence minister rejects French contact group plan

Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant ruled out joining an initiative promoted by French President Emmanuel Macron in which France, the United States and Israel would form a contact group to work on defusing tensions on Israel's boundary with Lebanon.

"As we fight a just war, defending our people, France has adopted hostile policies against Israel," Gallant said in a statement. "Israel will not be a party to the trilateral framework proposed by France."

Reporting by Reuters