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Macron under fire over Iran, Hezbollah policy as Trump admin hosts Israel-Lebanon talks
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France’s President Emmanuel Macron is facing renewed criticism for his lack of support for President Donald Trump’s war against Iran and demands to include Lebanon in the current ceasefire as historic talks between Israel and Lebanon are set to begin Tuesday.
The historic meeting brokered by President Trump between Lebanon, a former French mandate, and Israel will take place at the ambassador level as hopes for an agreement evolve — most noticeably without French involvement. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to host both nations’ ambassadors.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel’s government requested that France be excluded from the talks. An Israeli official told the paper that «France’s conduct over the past year – including initiatives aimed at limiting Israel’s ability to fight in Iran, and a complete lack of willingness to take concrete steps to help Lebanon disarm Hezbollah – has led Israel to view France as an unfair mediator.»
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French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a meeting with President Trump and other world leaders. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
On Monday, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Monday called on the Lebanese government to cancel the Tuesday meeting in Washington, while describing the talks as pointless. In a televised speech, Qassem said the armed group will continue to confront Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
Hezbollah violated a ceasefire to enter the war on its patron, Iran’s side, in March when it launched rockets into Israel after the U.S.-Israel joint attack on the Islamic Republic began, still Macron has demanded Israel stop attacking Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure in Lebanon.
Israeli Brig. General (Res.) Yosef Kuperwasser told Fox News Digital that Macron was «working against the best interests of the Lebanese state and government. This is a very problematic direction.» He accused Macron of «taking the side of Hezbollah and normalizing Hezbollah because he is focused on «narrow interests.»
IRAN THREATENS TO END CEASEFIRE OVER HEZBOLLAH’S EXCLUSION FROM TRUCE DEAL
Hezbollah al-Mahdi scouts parade with big portraits of Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Khomeini, foreground, and Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, background, during an event for Jerusalem day or Al-Quds day, in the southern town of Nabatiyeh, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. The last Friday of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan is observed in many Muslim countries as Al-Quds day, as a way of expressing support to the Palestinians and emphasizing the importance of Jerusalem to Muslims. (Hussein Malla/AP Photo)
The former head of research for the Israel Defense Forces’ Military Intelligence Directorate, Kuperwasser, added that the «Americans want us to engage with the Lebanese along with the military [in Lebanon]. Our expectations are very similar. We want to see Lebanon do something about Hezbollah, something real, not just issue statements and pledges. We believe we have helped them by weakening Hezbollah militarily since they decided to launch missiles on March 2. If there is a breakthrough, Lebanon has a lot to gain,» but said it has to «disarm Hezbollah.»
Macron has faced accusations over the years that he has normalized Hezbollah. His government, in contrast to Germany, the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Austria and many other Western and non-Westen countries, refuses to designate Hezbollah’s entire organization a terrorist entity. France has classified Hezbollah’s «military wing» a terrorist organization but declined to ban its «political wing.» Hezbollah considers itself a unified movement without branches.
The French politician François-Xavier Bellamy, who is a member of the European Parliament for the Republicans Party, said last week on French television that «France must stop normalizing Hezbollah.» Macron sparked outrage in 2020 when he reportedly held a private conversation with a top elected Hezbollah official, according to the Paris-based daily Le Figaro.
Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (Emilio Morenatti/AP)
Edy Cohen, an Israeli security expert on Hezbollah, who was born in Lebanon, told Fox News Digital, «France is forced not to come out against Hezbollah in order to legitimize its involvement in Lebanon.»
A French diplomat told the Times of Israel that «what we are hoping for is not a ticket to the meeting, but that Israel stops its offensive on Lebanon.»
When asked if France would pressure Lebanon to recognize Israel as a state, Pascal Confavreux, a spokesman for France’s Foreign Ministry, told «Fox News Sunday» that, «Iran has to stop terrorizing Israel through Hezbollah because Hezbollah chose to bring Lebanon into a war which is not Lebanon’s war… Lebanon has to be included in the ceasefire, something that we are pushing diplomatically,» He continued that we are in favor of direct talks between Lebanon and Israel.
It is not known if France asked for a seat at the talks. Fox News Digital sent multiple press queries to France’s embassies in Washington D.C. and Tel Aviv.
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Hezbollah launches long-range missiles from Lebanon into northern Israel within 48 hours of strikes on Iran, escalating the widening conflict amid Operation Epic Fury. (Hadi Mizban/AP)
On Saturday, Macron again pushed his desire for a ceasefire and wrote on X that he had discussions with Iran’s President Massoud Pezeshkian on Saturday: «I stressed the importance of full respect for the ceasefire, including in Lebanon. France extends its full support to the actions of the Lebanese authorities, who alone are legitimate to exercise the sovereignty of the State and decide the destiny of Lebanon.»
Walid Phares, an expert on Lebanon and the region, told Fox News Digital that while the talks are important, problems exist. «It is at ambassadors’ level, which means it is not destined to reach a top level of decision-making.»
He added, «Strangely, the Lebanese president and prime minister declined to invite the Lebanese foreign minister to the Washington talks, provoking a representation by Israel, also at ambassadorial level, showing that Hezbollah still has a strong influence on the Lebanese government. The militia is being rejected by the population on the ground and fears a meeting in D.C. would ostracize Hezbollah further.»
Iran rebuilds Hezbollah ties as Trump gives 10-15 day deadline. (Fadel Itani/NurPhoto)
Sethrida Geagea, a member of parliament from the Lebanese Forces party, posted on X ahead of the Israel-Lebanon talks an open letter to Nabih Berri, the powerful speaker of the Lebanese Parliament and leader of the Shiite Amal Movement. She issued indirect criticism of Hezbollah and its terrorist army within the state. Geagea appealed to Berri to unify the Lebanese to be «protected by a single army.»
Without naming Hezbollah, her letter stated that young Shiites have been plunged into war that has nothing to do with them and the conflict is really about an Iranian decision to retaliate for the joint U.S.-Israel war that assassinated the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, on February 28.
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The State Department did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital press query.
Reuters contributed to this report.
france, donald trump, lebanon, war with iran, emmanuel macron, israel
INTERNACIONAL
Francia y Reino Unido desplegarán fuerzas militares para proteger la libre navegación por el estrecho de Ormuz
El presidente de Francia, Emmanuel Macron, y el primer ministro de Reino Unido, Keir Starmer, confirmaron un acuerdo con Omán para garantizar la seguridad de la navegación en el estrecho de Ormuz, tras la reapertura del paso marítimo luego del alto el fuego acordado entre Estados Unidos e Irén. Según un comunicado conjunto, Mascate aceptó colaborar con ambos países europeos para asegurar la protección de sus aguas jurisdiccionales.
El anuncio marca un punto de inflexión tras el conflicto que mantuvo prácticamente cerrado el estrecho, considerado por las autoridades como “una arteria vital para la economía mundial”. De acuerdo con el pronunciamiento recogido en el documento oficial, “restablecer un tránsito seguro para los barcos de todas las naciones por el estrecho es un tema de preocupación mundial”.
Francia y Reino Unido expresaron su disposición a desplegar una misión militar multinacional diseñada para “apoyar la libertad de navegación en el estrecho de Ormuz”, iniciativa que llevan preparando desde hace semanas. La propuesta de la coalición, que contempla operaciones de desminado y garantías de seguridad para la libre circulación de embarcaciones, dependía del consentimiento de las partes involucradas.
Desde el alto el fuego alcanzado el 17 de junio, el tráfico marítimo comenzó a normalizarse, aunque persisten tensiones debido a la voluntad de Irán de mantener cierto nivel de control sobre el paso. En este contexto, se han reportado diferentes incidentes, lo que mantiene la atención internacional sobre la estabilidad de la región.
En el comunicado, Macron y Starmer reiteraron el compromiso de sus países de defender la estabilidad regional, la soberanía de los Estados y la cooperación con todos los socios para preservar la seguridad global, la libertad de navegación y el derecho internacional.
En paralelo, la empresa de seguimiento de buques Kpler reportó que el tráfico marítimo por Ormuz continúa su recuperación, aunque permanece en una situación frágil. Según los datos divulgados por la compañía, el 2 de julio se registraron 38 cruces a través de la vía, cifra que representa un 10% menos respecto al día anterior, aunque se mantiene “dentro del rango emergente de 30 a 60 cruces por día”.
De acuerdo con Kpler, la actividad de buques con bandera de Irán experimentó un aumento drástico en las últimas jornadas. Además, la firma advirtió que varios operadores navieros modificaron sus trayectorias habituales y se desplazaron hacia rutas consideradas “iraníes y oscuras o desconocidas” en el cruce del estrecho.
Un vocero de la empresa señaló: “El patrón sugiere que la confianza sigue siendo incompleta, y que la aprobación está cada vez más condicionada por la aceptación política, la exposición al riesgo de incumplimiento normativo y las negociaciones pendientes sobre las tasas y la gobernanza de la ruta”.
El régimen persa rechazó el lunes pasado la posibilidad de que Francia participe en las operaciones de desminado en Ormuz, luego del anuncio realizado por el presidente francés, Emmanuel Macron, sobre la intervención de su país en esas tareas.
El viceministro de Exteriores para Asuntos Jurídicos e Internacionales de Irán, Kazem Gharibabadi, afirmó en la red social X: “Macron ha afirmado que cooperará en la retirada de minas del estrecho de Ormuz en coordinación con sus socios. Según el memorando de entendimiento de Islamabad, la retirada de minas la lleva a cabo exclusivamente Irán y ningún otro país; en principio, no permitimos una operación de este tipo”.
El funcionario iraní advirtió sobre la complejidad actual en la región y transmitió una amenaza directa al gobierno francés. “La situación es delicada y compleja. Recomendamos encarecidamente a Francia que no la complique aún más con sus provocaciones”, sostuvo Gharibabadi.
El Ejército de Irán advirtió que los buques que no sigan las rutas establecidas por la República Islámica en el estrecho de Ormuz enfrentarán una respuesta inmediata y contundente. El Comando Unificado de Operaciones Khatam al-Anbiya de las Fuerzas Armadas iraníes indicó en un comunicado difundido por medios locales: “Todos los petroleros y buques comerciales están obligados a utilizar la ruta designada por Irán para cualquier tránsito seguro por el estrecho de Ormuz”.
La autoridad militar subrayó que cualquier “desviación de la ruta designada o incumplimiento de los protocolos de navegación de la República Islámica” será motivo de reacción militar. “Recibirá una respuesta inmediata y contundente por parte de las fuerzas armadas, lo que pondrá en peligro la seguridad de los buques infractores”, precisó el comunicado.
El mensaje incluyó una advertencia dirigida a Estados Unidos para evitar cualquier tipo de interferencia en este paso marítimo estratégico.
(Con información de EFE)
International,Relations,Diplomacy / Foreign Policy,Europe
INTERNACIONAL
Massachusetts woman steps in after ‘shameful’ Dem governor boycotts Great American State Fair
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A patriotic woman from Massachusetts took matters into her own hands after leaders in her state decided to boycott the Great American State Fair out of anger at President Donald Trump — and she showed no mercy to those who made that decision.
«I came here to represent Massachusetts because I didn’t want the public to walk into an empty room. I wanted somebody to be there,» said Donna Festinger, who paid her own way from the Bay State to the nation’s capital to celebrate 250 years of American independence.
Festinger is manning her state’s booth at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, part of the Trump-aligned Freedom 250 event that began on June 25 and ends on July 10.
Massachusetts resident Donna Festinger speaks with Fox News Digital at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on July 1, 2026. (Hannah Brennan/Fox News Digital)
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She had a clear message for Massachusetts leadership, along with the leadership of other states who also declined to participate in the celebration.
«I’m very disappointed that Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts decided — their governments decided not to support this effort to celebrate our American heritage,» she said. «It’s actually shameful.»
«It makes me feel like they really don’t love America or Massachusetts — my governor,» she said of Democrat Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, who has had some very public spats with Trump.
Festinger, a former teacher who paid her own way to the event in Washington, D.C., and arrived at the beginning of the celebration, says she plans to stay through the entire 16-day event.
Massachusetts resident Donna Festinger occupies her state’s booth at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on July 1, 2026. (Hannah Brennan/Fox News Digital)
BILL MAHER TELLS LIBERALS TO STOP ‘PARTISAN SULKING’ AND JOIN AMERICA 250 PARTY
She told Fox News Digital that she thinks the state boycotts are actually a point of unity for the American public, «because most people are upset about it and do not understand why a governor would do that.»
«And so that’s actually uniting people, Democrats, Republicans, independents, and agreeing that every state should be proud of our country,» Festinger speculated.
She added: «I think the Trump administration is working hard to bring the country together.»
MIKE MINOGUE HEADS TO MASS GOP CONVENTION READY TO TAKE ON MAURA HEALEY: ‘SHE’S BANKRUPTING OUR STATE’
Meanwhile, Healey, known for her rabid anti-Trump streak, mocked the fair in an interview with Boston Public Radio.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey also hosted a news conference on Thursday, pushing back on the Supreme Court’s decision. (David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Asked whether she would welcome Trump if he visited the state, she reportedly said the president is «too busy with his Great American State Fair down there that everybody’s bailing on.»
She also claimed, without evidence, that Trump is using the fair to «get money into his own pocket,» and falsely claimed that states were being charged to participate in the fair.
Festinger also recently garnered some backup at the Massachusetts booth.
Judith Kalaora, a Boston resident, stood at the state’s stand dressed to the nines in a Revolutionary War uniform to honor Deborah Sampson, a Massachusetts woman who disguised herself as a man to fight the British.
Judith Kalaora of Massachusetts honors female Continental Army soldier Deborah Sampson at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., on July 1, 2026. (Hannah Brennan/Fox News Digital)
«I’m hopeful that my being here will unite folks to realize that Boston and Massachusetts have a great spirit, and that that spirit can unite the United States through our nation’s heritage and through our military history,» said Kalaora.
«I believe that the United States, in 250 years, has accomplished many more achievements than other nations have accomplished in 400 and 500 years,»
Eleven states, all run by Democrats, decided to skip the fair.
Some had explicitly anti-Trump reasons for declining to participate, like Illinois Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker, citing what he said is Trump’s «politicization of America 250 activities.»
Oregon’s leadership expressed a similar sentiment, though did not mention Trump by name.
«The State of Oregon will not be participating in the Great American State Fair due to both the cost of participating in the Fair and growing concerns that the event in Washington, D.C. is shaping up to be a more partisan affair than originally presented,» Democrat Gov. Tina Kotek’s office said in a statement.
People visit «The Great American State Fair» during a heatwave in Washington, D.C., on July 1, 2026. Tens of millions of Americans sweltered under furnace-like temperatures this week as central and eastern cities hunkered down for a heat wave set to last through the July 4 holiday weekend. (Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images)
Kalaora, however, remains optimistic.
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«Times change, and emotions change, and that’s okay, as long as we still remember that we’ve done great things,» she said.
«I’m happy to be here.»
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