French President Emmanuel Macron has become the focus of international criticism due to his policy on Iran and Hezbollah. France's exclusion from the historic talks held in Washington between Israel and Lebanon, mediated by US President Donald Trump, drew attention. The Israeli government stated that it does not see France as a neutral mediator because France has not taken concrete steps recently in the fight against Iran and the disarmament of Hezbollah. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem described the talks as meaningless and called on the Lebanese government to cancel the meeting.
While Macron demanded that Israel stop its attacks on Hezbollah, Israeli security experts criticized Macron for normalizing Hezbollah and harming the interests of the Lebanese state. France recognizes Hezbollah's military wing as a terrorist organization but continues not to list its political wing as a terrorist group. This contradicts many Western countries that consider Hezbollah entirely a terrorist organization.
A spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Iran must end terrorist activities targeting Israel through Hezbollah and that Lebanon should be included in the ceasefire process. However, it is unclear whether France requested to participate in the talks. Regional experts note that the talks largely taking place at the embassy level limits the decision-making process. The political balances in Lebanon and Hezbollah's influence are seen as significant obstacles to the peace process.
