Macron says France to hold confab to back Lebanese army after Israeli election

DOHA, Qatar — French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that his country would organize a conference to support the Lebanese army after Israeli elections this month, decrying what he called untenable pressure on Beirut. Israeli troops currently occupy a swath of south Lebanon after invading in March in response to Hezbollah attacks. Jerusalem says they will remain there so long as Hezbollah remains a threat. Israel has stationed troops in a self-declared “security zone” running around 10 kilometers (six miles) inside Lebanon along the border. Over the past several months, Israel has carried out large-scale demolitions in villages that its troops hold, saying it is destroying vast terror infrastructure built by Hezbollah to threaten Israeli communities. Lebanese authorities have agreed to work to disarm the terror group, but have made little progress on the matter. “We will coordinate to carry out this work in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces, and a conference will be set up in the coming weeks by France,” Macron told reporters during a visit to Qatar. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms “I think it is useless to do it before the Israeli elections, but we will organize such a conference because it is unavoidable,” he said. Israel is set to go to the polls next Tuesday. An international conference in Paris in support of Lebanon’s army was planned for March but was delayed after Iran-backed Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war by attacking Israel in response to the US-Israeli war on Iran. Israel responded with heavy airstrikes and a ground invasion. Advertisement Supporters of Hezbollah wave flags of the terror group during a ceremony held to mark the second anniversary of the killing of leader Hassan Nasrallah in a strike by Israel, in Beirut’s southern suburbs, Lebanon, September 27, 2026. (Anwar AMRO/AFP) In June, Lebanese and Israeli authorities signed a US-backed framework agreement that involves the disarmament of Hezbollah, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory, and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the area. Israel has rejected French involvement in the talks. But progress has largely stalled, and the poorly equipped Lebanese army has struggled to carry out its mission of disarming Hezbollah in the south. Hezbollah has rejected the agreements and the talks in Washington between Israel and Lebanon, which officially remain in a state of war. Last month, Macron hosted Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and King Abdullah II of Jordan to drum up international support for the cash-strapped army. “I believe that everyone can see today the untenable situation Lebanon finds itself in, with very high tension south of the Litani [river] which is occupied by the Israeli army,” Macron said. “Demands have been made, pressure has been applied on Lebanon, and sovereignty has been challenged — this I would say is the least best way to deal with the issue of Hezbollah,” Macron said. Advertisement “Our objective is the sovereignty, the stability of Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah. To reach this objective, there must be… a withdrawal of Israeli forces, accompanied by confidence-building mechanisms,” he added. Lebanese army soldiers stand guard at a checkpoint near the border with Israel in the southern village of Mansouri, Lebanon, September 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari) “France is ready to contribute to this, as well as Qatar.” Last week, Aoun told visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot that he would welcome any effort to prevent a security vacuum in the south as a decades-long mandate of a UN peacekeeping force expires at the end of this year. Help us report truthfully on social media As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos. This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world. If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism , please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. 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Sign in to stop seeing this Most Popular 1 Global industry professionals spurn major Israeli music showcase amid cultural boycott 2 IDF says strike killed final Hamas member who took part in kidnapping Shani Louk 3 Netanyahu planned attack on Iran earlier this month, but Trump opposed it – report 4 Netanyahu blames French unrest on ‘invasion of extremist Islam’; France set to deploy troops 5 Israel bars United pilot from its airspace over alleged support for Iran, Hezbollah 6 Op-ed: 6 days to election For Israel’s sake, Netanyahu has to go 7 Iran security chief rejects moving enriched uranium abroad, as Netanyahu vows to topple regime 8 A renewed Iran war is only a matter of time, Israeli experts warn read more: Israel & the Region Emmanuel Macron Lebanese Armed Forces Israel-Lebanon border 2026 Israel-Hezbollah conflict 2026 Israeli election Joseph Aoun Hezbollah If you’d like to comment, join The Times of Israel Community. JOIN THE TOI COMMUNITY Already a member? 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