Senior Israeli officials have said that comments by the defence minister, who rejected a French initiative to contain tensions on the Lebanese border over “hostile policies against Israel”, do not reflect the government’s position, AFP reports.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday at the G7 summit in Italy that France, the United States and Israel would form a group to de-escalate soaring cross-border violence between Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israeli forces.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on social media platform X that “Israel will not be a party to the trilateral framework proposed by France”.

“As we fight a just war, defending our people, France has adopted hostile policies against Israel,” Gallant said, accusing Paris of ignoring attacks on Israelis by Hamas.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials in the foreign ministry distanced themselves from Gallant’s remarks.