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Macron Determined to Help Lebanon

French President Emmanuel Macron receives caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. (Dalati & Nohra)
French President Emmanuel Macron receives caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. (Dalati & Nohra)
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Macron Determined to Help Lebanon

French President Emmanuel Macron receives caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. (Dalati & Nohra)
French President Emmanuel Macron receives caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. (Dalati & Nohra)

French President Emmanuel Macron has returned to taking a personal and direct interest in the Lebanese file, despite the many disappointments that his efforts have faced since 2020, following the August 2020 port explosion and the two successive visits he made to Lebanon, to try to put the country on the path to political and economic recovery.
During the extraordinary European summit that took place in Brussels earlier this week, Macron took advantage of a press conference to convey a set of messages and draw a “road map” for his new efforts towards Lebanon.
The talks that took place at the Elysée Palace on Friday, with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and with the Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, followed by an expanded meeting attended by advisors from both sides, came to complete an understanding on the four files that the French president had raised from Brussels.
Those include the means to ensure security and stability in Lebanon, by finding a settlement to the ongoing “skirmish war” between Hezbollah and Israel in the South.
The second file deals with support for the Lebanese army. Macron said from Brussels that the European Council decided to provide enhanced assistance to the Lebanese army, which is intended to play a pivotal role, in cooperation with UNIFIL forces, in cooling the southern front and implementing the content of UNSC Resolution 1701 of 2006, which stipulates a zone free of weapons and militants between the Litani River and the international border.
The third file focuses on the means to support the Lebanese economy. The French president had previously presented an economic road map in 2020, and linked it to the reforms required by Lebanon to obtain international aid that was approved at the CEDRE conference in 2018. The pledges reached a record of $11 billion at the time, distributed between donations, loans and investments.
The last file revolved around the continued failure to elect a new president for the country. However, a source in the Elysee Palace said that the subject was “not the primary goal” of the discussions that took place on Friday, despite a French warning that the presidential vacuum exposes the country to dangers.

 

 

 

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.