Against the backdrop of one of the most perilous moments in Lebanon’s recent history, former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace to weigh the country's fragile future and pressing security concerns along its southern border.
The high-stakes meeting underscores Jumblatt’s enduring clout in major foreign capitals at a time when Beirut desperately needs international leverage. Lebanese officials are pressing for a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied southern territories, a step widely seen as essential for the Lebanese Armed Forces to fully secure the nation's borders, disarm non-state actors, and unlock much-needed foreign aid for reconstruction.
Discussions centered heavily on the fallout from the June 26 framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, as well as broader stability across Lebanon and neighboring Syria, according to local news outlet Al-Anbaa Electronic.
During the talks, Jumblatt expressed dismay over France’s exclusion from recent diplomatic tracks, citing Paris's long-standing historical commitment to Lebanese sovereignty. He urged that France be reinstated as a core stakeholder in any future security arrangements for Southern Lebanon, particularly regarding international troop presence and the upcoming mandate debate over the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The high-stakes meeting underscores Jumblatt’s enduring clout in major foreign capitals at a time when Beirut desperately needs international leverage. Lebanese officials are pressing for a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied southern territories, a step widely seen as essential for the Lebanese Armed Forces to fully secure the nation's borders, disarm non-state actors, and unlock much-needed foreign aid for reconstruction.
Discussions centered heavily on the fallout from the June 26 framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, as well as broader stability across Lebanon and neighboring Syria, according to local news outlet Al-Anbaa Electronic.
During the talks, Jumblatt expressed dismay over France’s exclusion from recent diplomatic tracks, citing Paris's long-standing historical commitment to Lebanese sovereignty. He urged that France be reinstated as a core stakeholder in any future security arrangements for Southern Lebanon, particularly regarding international troop presence and the upcoming mandate debate over the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
