Macron Calls for Swift Israeli Troop Withdrawal from Southern Lebanon
French President Emmanuel Macron becomes the first foreign leader to visit Beirut since Joseph Aoun’s election as Lebanon’s president.
French President Emmanuel Macron has urged Israel to expedite its withdrawal of troops from southern Lebanon, as the deadline for the pullout approaches under a ceasefire agreement that ended the conflict with Hezbollah last year.
During his visit to Beirut on Friday, Macron emphasized the need for Lebanon’s military to assert complete control over weapons in the region. He also reiterated France's commitment to strengthening the Lebanese army’s presence in the southern part of the country.
"We need the full withdrawal of Israeli forces," Macron declared while standing alongside Lebanon's newly elected president, Joseph Aoun, who was the commander of Lebanon's armed forces before assuming the presidency earlier this month.
“We are in favor of empowering the Lebanese military and ensuring its deployment in the south of the country,” Macron added.
Macron’s visit marks the first by a foreign head of state to Lebanon following Aoun’s election on January 9, signaling a shift in Lebanon's political landscape after the war, which left Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia, severely weakened.
The ceasefire, brokered by the United States and France and implemented on November 27, set a 60-day deadline for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon. It also called for Hezbollah to remove all of its fighters and weapons from the region, while the Lebanese army must work alongside UN peacekeepers as Israel’s military pulls back by January 26.
With just over a week until the deadline, Macron has called for a faster implementation of the agreement.
“There have been positive steps, but they need to be accelerated and made sustainable,” Macron said. “A complete Israeli withdrawal is essential, and the Lebanese army must maintain full control over weapons in the south.”
A committee consisting of representatives from Israel, Lebanon, France, the United States, and the UN peacekeeping forces is monitoring the ceasefire's progress.
In addition to his call for troop withdrawal, Macron announced that France would host an international conference in the coming weeks to discuss Lebanon’s reconstruction.
“When President Aoun visits Paris in the near future, we will organize an international conference to rally support for rebuilding Lebanon’s infrastructure,” Macron said. “The international community must prepare for substantial assistance in Lebanon’s recovery.”
Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, highlighted the significance of Macron's visit, calling it a symbol of a new era for Lebanon under fresh leadership.
“Macron’s visit represents support for the new leadership,” Khodr stated. “He also addressed necessary reforms in Lebanon’s judiciary, financial system, and public sector as the country prepares for a new government.”