Macron pledges $108 million at Lebanon aid confab, slams Israel for ‘sowing barbarism’

PARIS — France pledged to provide a 100-million euro ($108-million) package to support Lebanon at an international conference Thursday, as President Emmanuel Macron said “massive aid” is needed to support the country where war between the Hezbollah terror group and Israel has displaced a million people and deepened an economic crisis.

“In the immediate term, massive aid is needed for the Lebanese population, both for the hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the war and for the communities hosting them,” Macron said in his opening speech at the conference.

French organizers hope participants’ financial pledges of humanitarian aid will meet the $426 million the United Nations says is urgently needed.

Italy this week announced new aid of 10 million euros ($10.8 million) and Germany on Wednesday pledged an additional 60 million euros ($64.7 million) for people in Lebanon.

Macron condemned Israel for continuing its military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah, “in the south, in Beirut, elsewhere, and that the number of civilian victims continues to rise,” and reiterated his call for a ceasefire.

Hezbollah must “stop its provocations… and indiscriminate strikes” against Israel, Macron said.

But Israel “knows from experience that its military successes do not necessarily represent victory in Lebanon,” Macron said.

“I’m not sure that you can defend a civilization by sowing barbarism yourself,” he added.

Paris also seeks to help restore Lebanon’s sovereignty and strengthen its institutions.

The country, where Hezbollah effectively operates as a state within a state, has been without a president for two years while political factions fail to agree on a new one.

However, hopes for diplomatic progress in Paris may be stymied by the absence of Iran and Israel, who were not among the 70 countries and 15 international organizations invited, while the US was represented only by a deputy to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The international conference comes as critics say Macron’s diplomatic approach in the Middle East has been blurred by his apparent evolving approach and sometimes chaotic communication.

Still, France’s historic links with Lebanon, a former colony, and its influential diplomacy give Paris momentum to coordinate “a proper response to the massive challenge that the war in Lebanon now poses,” said Middle East expert Rym Montaz, editor in chief of Carnegie Europe’s blog Strategic Europe.

The French “are trying to make sure that international donors get to hear firsthand from the actors on the ground in Lebanon who can best describe the most immediate needs caused by the Israeli aggression that has forcibly displaced 20% of the Lebanese population over the course of two weeks,” she said.

Hezbollah began near-daily attacks on Israel on October 8, 2023 the day after Hamas launched its devastating attack which sparked the war in Gaza.

Israel in the past month launched a major aerial bombardment and ground invasion of Lebanon as it targets Hezbollah with the aim of moving the terror group away from its northern border, to allow the tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis to return home after more than a year.

Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration has said about 800,000 people are displaced in Lebanon, with many now in overcrowded shelters, while others have fled across the border into Syria.

The cash-strapped Lebanese government is ill-prepared to deal with the crisis or the increased demands on its health system. A number of hospitals have been evacuated because of nearby airstrikes and fears that they might be targeted. Israel has accused Hezbollah of using civilians as human shields, including at hospitals.

In recent weeks, Macron appeared to toughen his stance against Israel while repeatedly calling for a ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza, condemning the “unbearable human toll.” He reiterated his call on Monday while speaking by phone with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his office said.

There have been recent tensions between the French and Israeli leaders, especially after Macron called for a halt to arms exports for use in Gaza.

Macron has also strongly condemned what he says is the “deliberate” targeting by Israel of UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, which Israel has denied.

Thursday’s conference involves ministers and officials from over 70 countries and international organizations, including the European Union and regional partners, Macron’s office said.

Acting Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who met with Macron on Wednesday, was in attendance.

France also aims at coordinating international support to strengthen Lebanon’s armed forces so they can “deploy more broadly and efficiently” in the country’s south as part of a potential deal to end the war. Such a deal could see Hezbollah withdraw its forces from the border.

International support may include equipment, training and financial aid to hire troops and ensure the army’s daily needs, Macron’s office said.

Lebanon’s army has been hit hard by five years of economic crisis. It has an aging arsenal and no air defenses.

The Lebanese army has about 80,000 troops, around 5,000 of them deployed in the south. Hezbollah has more than 100,000 fighters, according to the terror group’s late leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah’s arsenal — built with support from Iran — is more advanced.

The Lebanese army’s deployment is a key part of UN Security Council resolution 1701 that ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, and requires that the Lebanese Armed Forces be the only force with arms in southern Lebanon.

The resolution has gone largely unenforced since it was passed in 2006, allowing Hezbollah to build up a formidable arms cache and defensive capabilities, with neither UNIFIL peacekeepers nor the LAF willing to challenge the Iran-backed terror group.

Israel has repeatedly portrayed its offensive in southern Lebanon as essentially stepping in and doing UNIFIL’s job for it.

Conference participants also are to discuss how to support the 10,500-soldier-strong UNIFIL peacekeeping mission. European nations including France, Italy and Spain provide a third of its troops.

Italy, which has over 1,000 troops in the UNIFIL, is notably pushing for the peacekeeping force to be strengthened to “be able to face the new situation” on the ground, an Italian diplomat said, speaking anonymously to discuss ongoing talks.

“What we do know is that without a strengthened Lebanese armed forces and UNIFIL, there can be no sustainable peace and stability at the border between Lebanon and Israel,” Montaz said. “As such, the French efforts are important and crucial for the way forward.”