The Council of Ministers gathered on Sep. 5 in Baabda under the leadership of President Joseph Aoun. (Credt: Mohammad Yassine/L’OLJ)
On Saturday, France welcomed “the approval by the Lebanese government of the plan proposed by the army to restore the state’s monopoly on weapons across its territory,” and said it was ready to hold two conferences to support the military institution and work toward Lebanon’s recovery once “conditions allow.”
In a statement, the French Embassy in Beirut said this represents “a positive new step following the Lebanese government’s Aug. 5 decision,” which formalized the disarmament of armed militias in Lebanon, including Hezbollah. The embassy added that French Foreign Minister Jean-Noë Barrot spoke Friday with his Lebanese counterpart Joe Raggi “to reaffirm France’s support for the efforts of the Lebanese government.”
‘Immediate implementation’ of the army plan
“France calls on all Lebanese actors to support the peaceful and immediate implementation of this plan, in order to move toward a stable, sovereign, rebuilt and prosperous Lebanon, with guaranteed territorial integrity within borders agreed with its neighbors, and at peace with them,” the statement said. France added that “in coordination with its European, American and regional partners, it will continue to stand alongside the Lebanese authorities in implementing their commitments, through its participation in the November 2024 cease-fire monitoring mechanism, its support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, and its involvement with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).” According to the statement, Paris “is ready to organize two conferences in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces, as well as Lebanon’s recovery and reconstruction, once conditions allow.”
France also reiterated its call for Israel to fully respect the commitments made under the Nov. 26, 2024, cease-fire and to withdraw from southern Lebanon.
On Friday, the Council of Ministers said it had “welcomed” the army’s plan to dismantle militia arsenals, starting with Hezbollah. The government opted for a carefully measured compromise, using nuanced wording to avoid formally adopting the army’s plan, so as not to alienate the Amal-Hezbollah duo, whose four ministers withdrew from the session. The duo bloc welcomed the government’s decision cautiously, which was also praised across the political spectrum.
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