Southern European leaders want Lebanon’s army to reassert itself in the country’s south

Associated Press

PAPHOS, Cyprus (AP) — The leaders of nine southern European Union countries on Friday pledged support for Lebanon’s armed forces to reassert control over the country’s southern territory in hopes of bringing peace to an area plagued by fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. In a joint declaration Friday, the leaders of the so-called MED9 — Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Malta, Slovenia, Portugal and Croatia — said they would “continue advocating for further support to Lebanon and its people, including to the Lebanese Armed Forces which are called to play a critical stabilizing role.” French President Emmanuel Macron said the Lebanese army’s return south would be “essential to peace and stability.”