French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, attends a roundtable entitled "Increasingly Important Issues: Should We Fear Europe?" at the Warsaw Security Forum (WSF) in Warsaw, on Sept. 29, 2025. (Credit: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP)
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Monday called for the disarmament of Hezbollah and the withdrawal of Israel from southern Lebanon, as the risk of Israeli escalation looms over the country and U.S. pressure mounts on the Beirut government to disarm the party and engage in negotiations with Israel.
"We call for the disarmament of Hezbollah and the withdrawal of Israel from the five points" it still occupies in southern Lebanon, the French top diplomat told Saudi channel Al-Hadath.
He also said he "supports the president of the republic and the Lebanese government in achieving all objectives of the cease-fire agreement."
Barrot also emphasized that France is "ready to host a conference for the reconstruction of Lebanon," as previously announced by French President Emmanuel Macron.
"Our diplomatic efforts aim to provide every opportunity for Lebanon’s recovery, which must continue reforms to finance reconstruction and encourage donors," Barrot concluded.
In mid-October, Emmanuel Macron indeed declared he was "determined" to organize, by the end of 2025, a support conference for the Lebanese armed forces and another focused on Lebanon's reconstruction, as the country continues to be bombarded daily by the Israeli army despite the cease-fire reached last November.
While Israel threatens to launch large-scale military operations, President Joseph Aoun said Monday that Lebanon had no choice but to negotiate, in a clear allusion to Israel, while U.S. and Israeli pressure for direct talks is becoming increasingly insistent.
Hezbollah, for its part, accused by Israel of rebuilding its military capabilities, refuses to give up its weapons as long as the truce is not respected.
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