Lebanon announced on Wednesday that a conference will be held in Paris on March 5 in support of the Lebanese army, which is trying to disarm the militant group Hezbollah. This information follows recent promises of support to the army, which lacks funds, equipment and technical know-how, TASR writes, according to a report by AFP.
- A conference for the Lebanese army will take place in Paris on March 5.
- The aim of the conference is to support the Lebanese army and security.
- Lebanon is trying to disarm the militant group Hezbollah.
- Israel has described Lebanon’s efforts as insufficient and continues its attacks.
- Hezbollah warned that disarmament could lead to chaos and war.
The conference will take place in Paris on March 5 and will be opened by Emmanuel Macron
A spokeswoman for the Lebanese presidency said President Joseph Awn met with French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian, Saudi envoy Yazid bin Farhan and ambassadors including the ambassadors of the US, Egypt and Qatar, with whom he discussed preparations for a “conference to support the Lebanese army and internal security forces”.
“It has been decided that the conference will take place in Paris on March 5 and will be opened by French President Emmanuel Macron,” the spokeswoman said.
Under US pressure and fearing widespread Israeli attacks, Lebanon has pledged to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has suffered heavy losses in the more than year-long conflict with Israel that largely ended in late 2024.
Israel described Lebanon’s efforts as insufficient
The Lebanese army announced last week that it had taken operational control of the area between the Lítani River and the Israeli border. However, Israel described these efforts as insufficient. At the same time, the Lebanese government asked the army to report to it at the beginning of February on how it will proceed with disarmament in other parts of the country.
In recent months, despite its limited capabilities, the Lebanese army has destroyed tunnels and other military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah near the Israeli border, and has also seized the militant group’s weapons and ammunition.
Hezbollah has warned Lebanon that further disarmament could lead to chaos and war
Meanwhile, a senior Hezbollah official warned the Lebanese government on Wednesday that continuing efforts to disarm the Lebanese militant group across the country would lead to chaos and possibly civil war. The group insists that the deal only covers the southernmost area of Lebanon, which borders Israel, and continues to refuse to give up its arsenal in other parts of the country.
Despite the cease-fire, Israel continues to carry out regular attacks on Lebanon, usually claiming to target Hezbollah. It also continues to maintain troops in five areas of southern Lebanon that it considers strategic.
