French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will hold a conference in the coming weeks to support the Lebanese army, saying it would be pointless to organize it before Israel’s elections, scheduled for October 27.
“We will coordinate support for the Lebanese army, and France will hold a conference in the coming weeks,” Macron told reporters in Doha during his Gulf tour. “I think it would be pointless to do so before the Israeli elections.”
“Lebanon remains extremely important to us,” Macron said, adding that the country was facing an “unacceptable” situation, with pressure being exerted on it and its sovereignty being undermined. He said this was the worst possible way to address the issue of Hezbollah.
“Our goal is Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability, and the disarmament of Hezbollah,” Macron said. He stressed that achieving this goal would first require the withdrawal of Israeli forces, accompanied by confidence-building measures and the reactivation of a coordination mechanism to oversee the withdrawal.
Macron said France was ready to contribute to these efforts, as was Qatar, adding that the Lebanese army would bear primary responsibility for restoring the country’s sovereignty.
Macron Announces Qatari LNG Supplies for France
Macron also announced on Wednesday that France had secured supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar as part of his Gulf tour, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“We have secured the equivalent of two terawatt-hours of LNG per month during the winter,” Macron told reporters, describing the agreement as “important for us” and saying it would enable France to move forward.
Macron is on a state visit to Qatar at the invitation of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. The visit began on Tuesday and concludes on Wednesday.
The visit carries particular significance given Qatar’s position in the global LNG market. It also comes at a sensitive time, as escalating military confrontation with Iran has heightened security and economic challenges across the Gulf and beyond, with repercussions for maritime shipping, supply chains, and energy markets.
HH the Amir hosted an official dinner banquet at Lusail Palace in honor of HE President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and his accompanying delegation. #QNA #Qatar #France https://t.co/ZQpOpz9lE1
— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) October 21, 2026
Macron Vows Action to Prevent Violence at Protests in France
On domestic affairs, Macron said French authorities would take all necessary measures to prevent disorder and violence during demonstrations scheduled for Saturday.
Speaking at the news conference in Doha, he said curfews and bans on gatherings had been introduced in several cities. He stressed that the state would use all its legal and executive powers to maintain public order and prevent a recurrence of the serious incidents witnessed recently.
Macron said he would meet on Thursday with intelligence officials and relevant ministers to prepare a detailed report and assess developments on the ground following mass student demonstrations that began in several cities on October 17 and led to clashes with police.
Macron and his foreign minister criticized foreign leaders whom they accused of exploiting the unrest in France for their election campaigns. The president described the violence that erupted in several cities last Saturday as “unacceptable, shocking, and painful.”
“There is no violence that can be considered legitimate in a democracy, whether physical or non-physical, and nothing justifies violence,” Macron said.
He added that there was, so far, no evidence of direct foreign interference, although authorities had detected information manipulation and fabricated images generated using artificial intelligence.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)