France, Jordan and Lebanon will discuss ways to support a plan to strengthen the Lebanese army’s deployment in the south at a meeting scheduled in Paris on Thursday, amid continuing security tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border. French President Emmanuel Macron, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun are expected to attend the meeting.
Paris discusses strengthening Lebanese army deployment
A source in the French presidency said the meeting would support a plan described as “clear, realistic and credible,” helping the Lebanese army expand its deployment in the south. The source added that the discussions would focus on supporting Lebanese state institutions, particularly the army, with the aim of consolidating state authority across the country.
According to the source, Macron will receive King Abdullah II and Joseph Aoun on Thursday morning before the three leaders open the meeting dedicated to discussing the situation in Lebanon. The French source warned of the repercussions of the Israeli army’s daily movements in southern Lebanon, saying they were displacing people and affecting Lebanon’s fragile balance.
The source also warned of the consequences of the continuing situation for the country’s stability. Aoun had received an invitation from Macron to participate in the preparatory meeting, which is part of preparations for an international conference to support the Lebanese army. The meeting comes after the international conference scheduled to take place in Paris on March 5 could not be held amid the outbreak of the war against Iran, the ensuing regional escalation and the return of war in Lebanon.
