On Sunday, the French Embassy in Lebanon distributed a congratulatory message from Ambassador Anne Grillo to the Lebanese on the occasion of the New Year, assuring them that "France will remain here despite the challenges. France will remain here because it has not lost hope in the renewal of Lebanon, and because the collapse of institutions does not make us forget that you are here, you, and that you do not surrender." She added, "France will defend you and will tirelessly remind, whether in international institutions or to regional and international partners, of the importance of Lebanon's stability and prosperity in the East, as a strategic gateway in the eastern Mediterranean. A year of renewal, for those who will take charge of your future to finally recognize the existential challenges facing Lebanon, reject the demise of the state, and also reject the pervasive culture surrounding it that is based on impunity, and commit seriously to restoring Lebanon to the fold of the international community and conducting the necessary reforms to revive the country and establish the foundations of the rule of law and justice. France will remain vigilant in this regard and will accompany these essential steps you are looking forward to."
These statements from the French ambassador came while Lebanon is engulfed in endless political, economic, and financial tragedies. While it is true that Paris stood by Lebanon and did not abandon it, it has been unable since it strongly engaged locally following the port explosion to achieve even a singular breakthrough in the wall of recurring crises. According to diplomatic sources to "Al Markazia," President Emmanuel Macron’s efforts are undoubtedly commendable. Without them, the case of this “small country” would not have appeared in the discussions of major capitals or on their agenda. Macron is credited with managing to bring up the issue of Lebanon in his meetings with world leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman... However, unfortunately, the impact of the French movement has stopped at this point, and today it remains ineffective with zero practical results, whether politically or economically and financially. In fact, the situation is deteriorating day by day.
The reasons for this failure are many, most notably Iran's tight grip on the Lebanese file through Hezbollah, against the backdrop of international impotence or general international, particularly French, reluctance to confront Tehran in order to save Lebanon... Another factor in the failure is Paris's choice to negotiate with the Islamic Republic and extend a hand to Hezbollah and the political class as a whole, instead of confronting or "punishing" them, knowing that a popular uprising had been raging against them since October 17, 2019. Thus, this lenient stance from the Élysée produced counterproductive results and reaffirmed the "feet" of the system in the political ground, with Macron seemingly acknowledging the unsoundness of this choice when he recently criticized officials in Beirut!
From this point, sources indicate that if the French approach remains as it is, and if Riyadh and Washington continue to be in a "spectator" position regarding what is happening in Lebanon, content with humanitarian aid and support for the Lebanese army, the bet on Paris's role and on the meetings it hosts to break the negative stagnation will be disappointed once again...
