An international conference on Lebanon gets underway in Paris this Thursday, amid hopes it will address the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah conflict, but its potential impact remains uncertain without key players like Israel, Iran, and the United States.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s international conference on Lebanon – scheduled for this Thursday in Paris – represents another attempt by France to influence Lebanon’s future amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
However, there are doubts about the conference's ability to yield any significant outcome – particularly as key players like Israel, Iran, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken are not expected to attend.
While progress on the peace front seems unlikely, there may be some movement towards improving humanitarian efforts.
This follows an earlier initiative by France and the US in September, which proposed a temporary ceasefire, although that effort ultimately failed.
Support for Lebanon's armed forces
France has continued to push for a resolution based on UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for peacekeepers and the Lebanese army to control the southern region of Lebanon, bordering Israel.
The need to strengthen the Lebanese armed forces is expected to be a central topic at the Paris conference.
France has consistently advocated for providing Lebanon’s army with necessary resources, as the Lebanese army remains one of the few functional institutions in the country.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has also expressed hopes for support for both Lebanon’s people and military.
He intends to request humanitarian assistance and security-related aid – particularly to bolster the army and internal security forces.
Mikati also indicated that Lebanon is prepared to increase army personnel in southern Lebanon if a ceasefire is achieved.
However, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not disclosed details regarding the conference participants or the scale of aid to be provided.
Hundreds of thousands displaced
On 27 September, Israeli airstrikes killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut.
Shortly after, Israel launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon, claiming its goal was to push Hezbollah away from the border and halt rocket attacks to allow around 60,000 displaced Israelis to return to their homes.
According to official UN reports, the conflict in Lebanon has killed at least 1,470 people and displaced nearly 700,000 in the space of one month.
