Macron spoke alongside Lebanon's Culture Minister Ghassan Salamé at the inauguration of 'Byblos: The Millennial City of Lebanon'. He said that some people want to believe security can only be achieved by invading a scary neighbour, and that Lebanon reminds us of the force of universalism. Byblos, a UNESCO-listed site on Lebanon's Mediterranean coast, has been inhabited since around 6900 BC and is widely considered the world's oldest port city.
The exhibition brings together nearly 400 artefacts, from prehistoric tools to funerary objects. It was originally scheduled for 2024 but was delayed due to conflict. Insurance costs surged, routes became unstable, and several key pieces never made it to Paris. A shipment of large stone artefacts was cancelled after renewed military escalation, and a third-millennium BCE obelisk was deemed too valuable to risk and remained in Lebanon. Some display cases stand empty to mark the absences. Curator Tania Zaven said the exhibition is 'a form of cultural resistance'.
At a time that certain people want to have us believe that security can only be achieved by invading a scary neighbour, Lebanon reminds us of just one thing: the force of universalism.
Israel's ongoing offensive in Lebanon includes airstrikes and a ground incursion in the south. According to Lebanese officials, more than 1,000 people have been killed and up to a million displaced. There has been widespread damage to civilian infrastructure. The escalation follows a broader regional conflict tied to the US-Israeli war on Iran, with Hezbollah launching rockets in retaliation. According to local authorities, more than 83,000 people have been displaced from their homes across Lebanon since renewed exchanges of fire began this weekend. The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings to residents of dozens of villages in southern Lebanon. Airstrikes on suburbs of Beirut intensified and Hezbollah claimed more attacks. Lebanon was drawn into the US-Israeli war with Tehran after Hezbollah attacked Israel following the death of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.
Macron will host Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Tuesday evening. New talks between Israel and Lebanon are expected to take place in Washington on Thursday. The Élysée Palace said France intends to reaffirm its commitment to the strict respect of the ceasefire, support for Lebanon's territorial integrity, and steps taken by the Lebanese state to guarantee its sovereignty and arms monopoly. Macron urged Netanyahu to preserve Lebanon's territorial integrity and refrain from a ground offensive. He advocated a return to the ceasefire agreement and urged them to press Hezbollah to cease its attacks on Israel and beyond. Macron said France will continue to support the efforts of the Lebanese Armed Forces to carry out their missions and end the threat posed by Hezbollah. Macron condemned the US-Israeli strikes against Iran, saying they were carried out outside international law. He attributed primary responsibility for the situation to the Islamic Republic.
This is a form of cultural resistance.
A French soldier serving with UNIFIL was killed on Saturday. All 15 members of the UN Security Council condemned the attack and called for those responsible to be brought to justice. Macron accused Hezbollah of killing Staff Sergeant Florian Montorio in an ambush targeting UN peacekeepers on Saturday. He said Hezbollah targeted the soldiers because they were carrying out their mission, not because they were French. Macron said the Lebanese authorities have condemned the attack and will take steps to arrest those responsible. UNIFIL is due to start withdrawing its peacekeepers at the end of the year.
Macron announced France would deploy additional air defence capabilities to allied countries, including Cyprus. He ordered the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle to be sent to the Mediterranean. Paris announced the upcoming delivery of military equipment, including armored vehicles, to strengthen the Lebanese national army. Former French President François Hollande described these measures as arriving with considerable delay, as requests for equipment from the Lebanese army were old and had remained unanswered for too long.
Hezbollah did indeed target our soldiers (...) They didn't target them because they were French. They targeted them because they were carrying out their mission.
Discussions are underway with European countries already involved in the UN mission, including Spain, Italy and Germany. An Élysée Palace adviser said these actors are making a direct contribution to discussions on what an international force might look like. Israeli officials have insisted that France is not involved in the negotiations. Israeli ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter said officials do not want the French anywhere near these negotiations.
François Hollande called for an immediate halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon, describing the situation as potentially catastrophic for civilian populations. He urged France to honor its alliance with Beirut and work for de-escalation. Hollande noted that a de-escalation agreement concluded less than a year ago was supposed to bring stability but has been broken repeatedly. He insisted on the absolute necessity of de-escalation to prevent a spiral of violence with unpredictable consequences.
The Lebanese authorities have condemned this attack and will take the necessary steps to arrest those responsible and ensure that they are punished.
I urged the Israeli Prime Minister to preserve Lebanon’s territorial integrity and to refrain from a ground offensive.
France will continue, together with its partners, to support the efforts of the Lebanese Armed Forces so that they can fully carry out their missions of sovereignty and put an end to the threat posed by Hezbollah.
Our solidarity with the Lebanese people and our commitment to regional stability remain at the heart of our action.