{"id":2149971,"date":"2026-09-17T05:00:56","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T02:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2149971"},"modified":"2026-09-17T05:00:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T02:00:56","slug":"macron-to-host-king-abdullah-ii-and-lebanons-aoun-to-discuss-support-for-lebanese-armed-forces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2149971","title":{"rendered":"Macron to host King Abdullah II and Lebanon&#8217;s Aoun to discuss support for Lebanese Armed Forces"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/56\/31\/1200x675_cmsv2_dca950dd-c2ab-5835-96f7-da65bc7e4661-9915631.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2926541-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2926541\" data-cid=\"9917589\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926541-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/75\/89\/189x106_cmsv2_001382a6-0470-5f80-9c84-b5ef8b5f1dd6-9917589.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A farmer drives a tractor and plough at Ireland&apos;s National Ploughing Championships\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    From horse-drawn ploughs to autonomous tractors at Ireland\u2019s ploughing show\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926580-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2926580\" data-cid=\"9917826\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926580-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/78\/26\/189x106_cmsv2_fd624056-87a6-5298-8650-18ab241f96fc-9917826.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latest news bulletin | September 17th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Top News Stories Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latest news bulletin | September 17th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926563-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2926563\" data-cid=\"9917735\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926563-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/77\/35\/189x106_cmsv2_74d6b91a-e7f9-5c41-8745-dc56e887efd4-9917735.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"UAE president&apos;s diplomatic adviser Dr Anwar Gargash speaks at the Arab Media Summit in Dubai, 17 September 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    United Arab Emirates<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    UAE&#8217;s Gargash says trust with Iran will take years to rebuild\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926553-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2926553\" data-cid=\"9917711\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926553-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/77\/11\/189x106_cmsv2_75713a34-3bb4-506b-87bc-78aa2fed5446-9917711.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"China blocked global exports of rare earth during a trade war with the US in 2025.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Brussels seeks &#8216;credible&#8217; outcome in EU-China talks\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926541-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2926541\" data-cid=\"9917589\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926541-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/75\/89\/189x106_cmsv2_001382a6-0470-5f80-9c84-b5ef8b5f1dd6-9917589.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A farmer drives a tractor and plough at Ireland&apos;s National Ploughing Championships\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    From horse-drawn ploughs to autonomous tractors at Ireland\u2019s ploughing show\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926580-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2926580\" data-cid=\"9917826\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926580-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/78\/26\/189x106_cmsv2_fd624056-87a6-5298-8650-18ab241f96fc-9917826.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latest news bulletin | September 17th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Top News Stories Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latest news bulletin | September 17th, 2026 \u2013 Evening\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926563-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2926563\" data-cid=\"9917735\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926563-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/77\/35\/189x106_cmsv2_74d6b91a-e7f9-5c41-8745-dc56e887efd4-9917735.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"UAE president&apos;s diplomatic adviser Dr Anwar Gargash speaks at the Arab Media Summit in Dubai, 17 September 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    United Arab Emirates<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    UAE&#8217;s Gargash says trust with Iran will take years to rebuild\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926553-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2926553\" data-cid=\"9917711\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926553-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/77\/11\/189x106_cmsv2_75713a34-3bb4-506b-87bc-78aa2fed5446-9917711.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"China blocked global exports of rare earth during a trade war with the US in 2025.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Brussels seeks &#8216;credible&#8217; outcome in EU-China talks\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Europe<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe News<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Macron to host King Abdullah II and Lebanon&#8217;s Aoun to discuss support for Lebanese Armed Forces<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/56\/31\/1536x864_cmsv2_dca950dd-c2ab-5835-96f7-da65bc7e4661-9915631.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"French President Emmanuel Macron, left, welcomes Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, 28 March 2025.\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              French President Emmanuel Macron, left, welcomes Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, 28 March 2025.<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspEstelle Nilsson-Julien\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1789621256\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-09-17 07:00:56 +02:00\">17\/09\/2026 &#8211; 7:00 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span 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height=\"48\" alt=\"bluesky\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        The Paris talks come as Lebanon is seeking international backing to strengthen its armed forces and prevent a security vacuum in the south of the country.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>French President Emmanuel Macron is set to host Jordan\u2019s King Abdullah II and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Paris on Thursday, ahead of an international summit, aimed at mobilising support for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>According to an Elys\u00e9e source, the talks \u2014 which are part of the Aqaba Process launched by Jordan in 2015 \u2014 will bring together senior officials and military experts from France, Britain, Jordan, Lebanon and the US to discuss plans for deploying the LAF, as well as wider efforts to stabilise the region.<\/p>\n<p>At present, Lebanon is seeking international support for its armed forces and working to avoid a security vacuum in the south, following the UN Security Council&#8217;s decision to end the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL\u2019s) on 31 December 2026, followed by a year-long drawdown and withdrawal \u2014 a move supported by the United States. At present, it has around 7,500 peacekeepers from nearly 50 countries.<\/p>\n<p>Thursday\u2019s meeting will focus on \u201cdirect operational matters\u201d as France and its partners seek to assess how to assist the Lebanese Army with financial aid, equipment, intelligence and, if needed, operational guidance, according to an Elys\u00e9e source.<\/p>\n<p>UNIFIL was established in 1978 to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon and assist the government in restoring its control of the area. At the time, Israel&#8217;s three-month long occupation was sparked by the March 1978 &#8220;Coastal Road Massacre&#8221; \u2014 a deadly hijacking carried out by militants from the Palestinian Fatah group, which killed more than 30 Israelis.<\/p>\n<p>In 2006, following the war between Israel and Hezbollah, UNIFIL&#8217;s mandate was expanded to help prevent Hezbollah and other armed groups from maintaining a military presence in southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n<h2>European efforts to establish a post-<strong>UNIFI<\/strong>L<\/h2>\n<p>In June, France and Italy announced they would lead efforts to establish a post-UNIFIL international coalition in support of Lebanon during the autumn of 2026, at a Franco-Italian summit.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said on 1 September that more than 10 EU member states were willing to provide personnel and resources for a new civilian and military mission to support Lebanese forces, stressing that the EU was not seeking to \u201creplace\u201d UNIFIL, but instead to invest in \u201cLebanon&#8217;s capacity to provide security for itself.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Ahead of his France trip, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told Agence France-Presse (AFP), Aoun stressed the importance of a new force for Lebanon \u2014 whether it be European or not.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhatever the nature of this force, that poses no problem for me: European, non-European, American, another United Nations force, Asian, or even a mix of European, Arab and Asian forces,\u201d he stated, adding that \u201cthe best and most optimal option remains extending UNIFIL&#8217;s mandate\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Aoun said that any new force in southern Lebanon, part of which is occupied by Israel, would be \u201ctemporary until the (Lebanese) army can deploy\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Although he stressed that the goal was to strike a security agreement with Israel \u201cprimarily to end the state of hostility and the deployment of the army on the border\u201d, he cautioned \u201cwe cannot jump directly to a peace agreement\u201d.<\/p>\n<h2>The ongoing conflict<\/h2>\n<p>Lebanon was drawn into the wider regional Middle Eastern conflict after Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shiite militia, launched rockets at Israel in early March in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on Iran \u2014 prompting an Israeli military response across the country. <\/p>\n<p>More than six months after the conflict erupted, and despite a ceasefire agreed in June, Israeli airstrikes, military operations and demolitions have continued in southern Lebanon, leaving villages abandoned and residents displaced.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Hezbollah has continued to attack communities in the north of Israel, causing civilian and military casualties, as well as leading to the displacement of residents from communities along the Lebanese border. <\/p>\n<p>Multiple rounds of US-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon have yet to resolve the conflict. Hezbollah has rejected calls for its disarmament, while Israel has linked its full withdrawal from southern Lebanon to the group\u2019s disarmament and the removal of its military infrastructure. <\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, hardline right-wing politicians, such as Israel&#8217;s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have called for Israel to annex southern Lebanon up to the Litani River. Israel and Lebanon have experienced repeated periods of armed conflict and renewed hostilities since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to AFP ahead of his Paris trip, Aoun said that Lebanon remained determined to disarm Hezbollah, describing the issue as \u201cneither negotiable nor open to discussion.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Despite this, Lebanon\u2019s armed forces have struggled to enforce the government\u2019s decision to establish a state monopoly on weapons, amid Hezbollah\u2019s refusal to disarm. <\/p>\n<p>Hezbollah has long maintained a substantial arsenal, which it has used to fight repeated wars with Israel, while also playing a major role in Lebanese politics. It operates both as an armed group and as a political party, with members in parliament and ministers serving in the government cabinet. <\/p>\n<h2>France&#8217;s role in the process<\/h2>\n<p>Karim \u00c9mile Bitar, associate research fellow at the Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS) said that in his view, Hezbollah&#8217;s disarmament campaign was an &#8220;impossible&#8221; task.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe army is a cross-community institution in Lebanon and it faces an impossible mission. It is being asked to disarm, within a few weeks, a militia that has been more powerful than the state for decades. This army lacks everything, from logistical resources and financial means. Politically, it is also not easy to confront Hezbollah, which continues to enjoy significant support from the Lebanese Shia community&#8221;, he told Euronews.<\/p>\n<p>Bitar said Thursday&#8217;s meeting serves as an example of France\u2019s longstanding role in Lebanese affairs (from 1920 to 1943, Lebanon was governed under a French mandate).<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Today, France views itself and has often been viewed, as the guarantor of unity, of sovereignty, of territorial integrity for Lebanon. These three things are now threatened: territorial integrity is absent as Israel occupies 6% of Lebanon&#8217;s territory, sovereignty is because Hezbollah is refusing to hand over its military arsenal to the army and unity is being challenged in light of rising extremism, polarisation and fragmentation&#8221;, Bitar told Euronews.<\/p>\n<p>The US and Israel&#8217;s decision to exclude France from ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Lebanon earlier this year left Beirut in a difficult situation, stressed Bitar. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;For Lebanon, this posed a problem because the United States is not perceived as an &#8216;honest broker.&#8217; The Lebanese would have liked countries such as France, Italy and Saudi Arabia to have been involved in these negotiations, so that they would not have found themselves confronted with Israeli intransigence, supported by the United States&#8221;, he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Shadow network of brokers and fixers exploits Syrians at Lebanon border<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Three killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, health ministry says<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Macron in Sweden to sign multi-billion euro frigate deal and strengthen strategic partnership<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Middle East<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  France<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Emmanuel Macron<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Hezbollah<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Jordan<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Lebanon<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tp-vuukle\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__header\"><span class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__title\">Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" 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Carney waves as he arrives in the Hemicycle of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Carney hails EU-Canada alliance but draws lines on membership<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2926409-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926409\" data-cid=\"9916786\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926409-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/67\/86\/320x180_cmsv2_d4f7983c-fa4d-5db3-871a-92f3800496f7-9916786.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attends a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel 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o-article-newsy__aside__content-3\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926487-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926487\" 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src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/74\/27\/320x180_cmsv2_087e26e5-346d-528e-86a7-54736dc46bfb-9917427.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi fans his face during the Forum of Kings, Princes, Sultans, Sheikhs and Mayors of Africa in Tripoli, 8 September 2010\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Tripoli busts Gaddafi-shaped pills as captagon appears in Libya&#8217;s east<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926482-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926482\" data-cid=\"9917286\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926482-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" 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of the EU<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926342-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926342\" data-cid=\"9916506\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Trump threatens EU over &#8216;hostile&#8217; plan to make Canada associate member<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926138-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926138\" data-cid=\"9915433\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    State of the Union: Five takeaways from Ursula von der Leyen&#8217;s speech<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926250-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926250\" data-cid=\"9916047\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    German AI start-up spends millions to move parent company from the US<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926242-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926242\" data-cid=\"9915979\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Canada in talks to join EU&#8217;s Erasmus+ exchanges programme<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">French President Emmanuel Macron is set to host Jordan\u2019s King Abdullah II and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Paris on Thursday, ahead of an international summit, aimed at mobilising support for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).According to an Elys\u00e9e source, the talks \u2014 which are part of the Aqaba Process launched by Jordan in 2015 \u2014 will bring together senior officials and military experts from France, Britain, Jordan, Lebanon and the US to discuss plans for deploying the LAF, as well as wider efforts to stabilise the region.At present, Lebanon is seeking international support for its armed forces and working to avoid a security vacuum in the south, following the UN Security Council&#8217;s decision to end the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL\u2019s) on 31 December 2026, followed\u00a0by a year-long drawdown and\u00a0withdrawal \u2014 a move supported by the United States. At present, it has around 7,500 peacekeepers from nearly 50 countries.Thursday\u2019s meeting will\u00a0focus on \u201cdirect\u00a0operational matters\u201d as France and\u00a0its partners seek\u00a0to assess how to assist the\u00a0Lebanese Army with\u00a0financial aid, equipment, intelligence and, if needed, operational\u00a0guidance, according to\u00a0an Elys\u00e9e source.UNIFIL was established in 1978 to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon and assist the government in restoring its control of the area. At the time, Israel&#8217;s three-month long occupation was sparked by the March 1978 &#8220;Coastal Road Massacre&#8221; \u2014 a deadly hijacking carried out by militants from the Palestinian Fatah group, which killed more than 30 Israelis.In 2006, following the\u00a0war between Israel\u00a0and Hezbollah, UNIFIL&#8217;s\u00a0mandate was expanded\u00a0to help prevent\u00a0Hezbollah and other\u00a0armed groups from maintaining a military\u00a0presence in southern Lebanon.European efforts to establish a post-UNIFILIn June, France and Italy announced they would lead efforts to establish a post-UNIFIL international coalition in support of Lebanon during the autumn of 2026, at a Franco-Italian summit.Meanwhile, EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said on 1 September that more than 10 EU member states were willing to provide personnel and resources for a new civilian and military mission to support Lebanese forces, stressing that the EU was not seeking to \u201creplace\u201d UNIFIL, but instead to invest in \u201cLebanon&#8217;s capacity to provide security for itself.&#8221;Ahead of his France trip, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told Agence France-Presse (AFP), Aoun stressed the importance of a new force for Lebanon \u2014 whether it be European or not.\u201cWhatever the nature of this force, that poses no problem for me: European, non-European, American, another United Nations force, Asian, or even a mix of European, Arab and Asian forces,\u201d he stated, adding that \u201cthe best and most optimal option remains extending UNIFIL&#8217;s mandate\u201d.Aoun said that any new force in southern Lebanon, part of which is occupied by Israel, would be \u201ctemporary until the (Lebanese) army can deploy\u201d.Although he stressed that the goal was to strike a security agreement with Israel \u201cprimarily to end the state of hostility and the deployment of the army on the border\u201d, he cautioned \u201cwe cannot jump directly to a peace agreement\u201d.The ongoing conflictLebanon was drawn into the wider regional Middle Eastern conflict after Hezbollah, the Iran-backed\u00a0Shiite\u00a0militia, launched rockets at Israel in early March in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on Iran \u2014 prompting an Israeli military response across the country.More than six months after the conflict erupted, and despite a ceasefire agreed in June, Israeli airstrikes, military operations and demolitions have continued in southern Lebanon, leaving villages abandoned and residents displaced.Meanwhile, Hezbollah has continued to attack communities in the north of Israel, causing civilian and military casualties, as well as leading to the displacement of residents from communities along the Lebanese border.\u00a0Multiple rounds of\u00a0US-mediated talks\u00a0between Israel and\u00a0Lebanon have yet to resolve the conflict. Hezbollah has\u00a0rejected calls for\u00a0its disarmament, while\u00a0Israel has linked\u00a0its full withdrawal\u00a0from southern Lebanon\u00a0to the group\u2019s\u00a0disarmament and the\u00a0removal of its\u00a0military infrastructure.Meanwhile, hardline right-wing politicians, such as Israel&#8217;s Finance Minister\u00a0Bezalel Smotrich, have\u00a0called for Israel\u00a0to annex southern Lebanon up to\u00a0the Litani River. Israel and Lebanon\u00a0have experienced repeated\u00a0periods of armed\u00a0conflict\u00a0and renewed hostilities\u00a0since\u00a0the 1948 Arab-Israeli\u00a0War.Speaking to AFP ahead of his Paris trip, Aoun said that Lebanon remained determined to disarm Hezbollah, describing the issue as \u201cneither negotiable nor open to discussion.&#8221;Despite this, Lebanon\u2019s armed forces have struggled to enforce the government\u2019s decision to establish a state monopoly on weapons, amid Hezbollah\u2019s refusal to disarm.Hezbollah has long maintained a substantial arsenal, which it has used to fight repeated wars with Israel, while also playing a major role in Lebanese politics. It operates both as an armed group and as a political party, with members\u00a0in parliament and\u00a0ministers serving in\u00a0the government cabinet.France&#8217;s role in the processKarim \u00c9mile Bitar, associate research fellow at the Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS) said that in his view, Hezbollah&#8217;s disarmament campaign was an &#8220;impossible&#8221; task.\u201cThe army is a cross-community institution in Lebanon and it faces an impossible mission. It is being asked to disarm, within a few weeks, a militia that has been more powerful than the state for decades. This army lacks everything, from logistical resources and financial means. Politically, it is also not easy to confront Hezbollah, which continues to enjoy significant support from the Lebanese Shia community&#8221;, he told Euronews.Bitar said Thursday&#8217;s meeting serves as an example of France\u2019s longstanding role in Lebanese affairs (from 1920 to 1943, Lebanon was governed under a French mandate).&#8221;Today, France views itself and has often been viewed, as the guarantor of unity, of sovereignty, of territorial integrity for Lebanon. These three things are now threatened: territorial integrity is absent as Israel occupies 6% of Lebanon&#8217;s territory, sovereignty is because Hezbollah is refusing to hand over its military arsenal to the army and unity is being challenged in light of rising extremism, polarisation and fragmentation&#8221;, Bitar told Euronews.The US and Israel&#8217;s decision to exclude France from ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Lebanon earlier this year left Beirut in a difficult situation, stressed Bitar.&#8221;For Lebanon, this posed a problem because the United States is not perceived as an &#8216;honest broker.&#8217; The Lebanese would have liked countries such as France, Italy and Saudi Arabia to have been involved in these negotiations, so that they would not have found themselves confronted with Israeli intransigence, supported by the United States&#8221;, he said.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/09\/17\/macron-to-host-king-abdullah-ii-and-lebanons-aoun-to-discuss-support-for-lebanese-armed-fo&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/56\/31\/1200x675_cmsv2_dca950dd-c2ab-5835-96f7-da65bc7e4661-9915631.jpg&#8221;] No Comment From horse-drawn ploughs to autonomous tractors at Ireland\u2019s ploughing show Top News Stories Today Latest news bulletin | September 17th, 2026 \u2013 Evening United Arab Emirates UAE&#8217;s Gargash says trust with Iran will take years to rebuild Europe News Brussels seeks &#8216;credible&#8217; outcome in EU-China talks No Comment From horse-drawn [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2149971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2149971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2149971"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2149971\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2149971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2149971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2149971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}