France is focusing on raising hundreds of millions of dollars in aid at a conference for ravaged Lebanon, but any prospect of a wider diplomatic breakthrough has been stymied by the absence of key players, AFP reports.

The French government nevertheless hopes that the gathering can keep diplomacy alive around the conflict between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which has so far claimed more than 1,500 lives and displaced 700,000 people.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told broadcaster RTL that around 70 countries and 15 international organisations would be there, vowing that France “will not let Lebanon down”.

“Everyone we invited said yes,” he added, a list which did not include Iran or Israel.

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