Macron urges full withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon

French President Emmanuel Macron, on his account on X (formerly Twitter), welcomed the renewal of the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, reaffirming France’s demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from the area. He stressed that restoring Lebanese sovereignty requires an end to all violations of its territory.

Macron said he had discussed the situation with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. He noted that “the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon and an end to violations of Lebanese sovereignty are essential conditions for implementing the plan to restore the state’s monopoly on the use of force.”

His call echoes remarks he made in January 2025 during a visit to Beirut, where he emphasized the need for Lebanon’s security and sovereignty to be guaranteed by its institutions. Together with President Aoun he said: “We need a complete Israeli withdrawal.”