INTERNACIONAL
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.
IDF UNCOVERS HEZBOLLAH WEAPONS STASH INSIDE HOSPITAL IN LEBANON
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
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Democrats’ Hasan Piker Problem
Democrats rally around Hasan Piker as the emerging thought leader of the party. Senate candidate Adam Schwarze joins the progrum to make his case for Minnesota. #hasanpiker #MinnesotaPolitics #2026Election
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Marxist political influencer Hasan Piker is lashing out over a federal inquiry into his recent trip to communist Cuba, calling it an «intimidation tactic» prompted by his harsh stance on Israel and the U.S.
The response by Piker — echoed by other leaders from Democratic Socialists of America and pro-communist and anti-Israel leaders — illustrates how quickly the Cuba «solidarity» movement, pro-communist influencers and anti-Israel activist networks converged online to frame the federal inquiry not as a sanctions or foreign influence investigation, but as political repression aimed at broader anti-capitalist, anti-Western, anti-Israel activist movements.
Piker told followers during a livestream on Twitch Sunday afternoon that he is being targeted for being a «loudmouth» and «rabble-rouser,» criticizing Israel and the «fascist» United States.
Fox News Digital reported Saturday that the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has sent administrative subpoenas to Piker and leftist CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin to get documents about the financial, logistical and communications details of their March trips to Cuba, in possible violation of laws and regulations about doing business with the government of Cuba.
«It’s not great,» Piker told his followers in the early minutes of his livestream on Sunday afternoon. «The news is not great, okay? Um, I mean, it’s bulls—. But still not great…I mean it’s bulls— but still not great that they’re after your boy. They’re up my a–.»
Piker didn’t respond to requests for comment, although he acknowledged receiving the queries as he spoke to his followers during his livestream. He said that he got his trip cleared by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, saying, «Everything we did was cleared by Treasury.»
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control didn’t respond to a request for comment.
By the end of his segment on the federal inquiry, Piker pivoted from the Cuba sanctions inquiry to argue that the scrutiny was really driven by backlash to his comments on Israel.
«A lot of this, by the way, does still have a lot to do with Israel,» he said, charging that his critics «don’t like that I talk s— about Israel» and «don’t like that I am a loudmouth, a rabble-rouser.»
He claimed the investigation was not «just about Cuba» but also about his role in boosting anti-Israel voters and candidates.
«They recognize that Democrats and young people are against Israel» and see him «campaigning with candidates who are anti-Israel, and they are winning their races,» he said.
FEDS SUBPOENA HASAN PIKER, MEDEA BENJAMIN OVER CUBA TRIPS
Marxist political influencer Hasan Piker stands outside his home in West Hollywood, Calif., on May 12, 2026, pointing silently to his dog Kaya to direct her back into his home. (MB/Splash for Fox News Digital)
Piker’s response followed a pattern that has become common among online activist influencers under scrutiny: reframing a legal or regulatory inquiry as political persecution while broadening the issue into a sweeping ideological struggle. Rather than focus narrowly on the sanctions questions surrounding the Cuba trip, Piker repeatedly cast himself as the victim of a coordinated campaign by «Israel first» Democrats, pro-Israel activists, mainstream media figures and the «fascist» Trump administration.
He frequently shifted the conversation away from the specifics of Treasury’s inquiry and toward a larger narrative in which the federal government is allegedly criminalizing anti-Israel activism, anti-capitalist politics and opposition to U.S. foreign policy. He sought to portray the investigation as evidence that powerful political and media institutions are targeting dissenting voices who challenge establishment positions on Israel, Cuba and American foreign policy.
At one point, Piker said he created a mini-documentary about life in Cuba during his March trip, saying he was serving as a journalist. In other moments, he has described the mission as a «humanitarian» effort, framing his trip as providing «humanitarian aid» to the people of Cuba.
Piker also characterized the controversy using language increasingly emerging from socialist, communist and anti-capitalist movements online, where activists have used the phrase «Epstein class» as shorthand for wealthy elites and the supposed moral corruption of American capitalism. The rhetoric repeats the propaganda of U.S. adversaries, including Cuba, China, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia.
He read a comment from a fan, who wrote, «We’ll free you, my brother.»
POWER COUPLE OF CHAOS: HOW A TYCOON AND ACTIVIST BUILT A ‘REVOLUTIONARY BASE’ AT THE HOUSE OF SINGHAM
Hasan Piker, a Democratic Socialists of America member, and CodePink co-founder Jodie Evans meet in Havana, Cuba, as part of a «United Front» supporting the communist regime. (CodePink via Storyful)
Piker responded, «I’m seemingly going to be made an example of…in America’s galloping toward fascism.»
He batted away suspicions that Elon Musk made a «boss call» to subpoena Piker after he did an interview yesterday with Ashley St. Clair, the mother of a baby with Musk. The two are going through a custody dispute.
«I haven’t gotten anything yet,» said Piker.
«Yes, I’ll get lawyered up,» he said, in response to a follower.
He said he needed a lawyer with expertise on the First Amendment and «knowledgeable on OFAC.»
«I haven’t had anything happen to me yet,» he said. «And it’s not like anything I’ve done.»
Saturday evening, Piker posted on X that «the American govt would rather try to criminalize delivering aid to a country we’d starved, than punish the Epstein class.»
MEDIA TAPS TWITCH STAR WHO TOLD VIEWERS TO ‘KILL’ REPUBLICANS FOR COMMENT ON CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION
CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin arrives home in Washington, D.C., on May 11, 2026, with her partner TIghe Barry. (LG for Fox News Digital)
At 10:51 p.m., CodePink’s Benjamin posted: «Taking medical supplies to pediatric hospitals in Cuba is now a crime? Saving the lives of babies is a crime? The administration is beyond grotesque.»
Benjamin repeated the movement’s broader framing of the Cuba trips as «humanitarian» missions, even as organizers and participants repeatedly paired the aid campaigns with overt political rhetoric condemning the Trump administration, U.S. sanctions policy and what activists described as «imperialism» and «settler colonialism» in Cuba and Latin America.
Piker’s uncle, far-left commentator Cenk Ugyur, the co-founder of Justice Democrats, a socialist organization that helped elect Ilhan Omar, Rashida Talib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Congress in 2018, defended him online Saturday night.
«Government apparently sent some bullshit subpoena to Hasan,» Ugyur wrote. «They’re tightening the noose on speech. Remember, they’ll always have an excuse or some technicality. It’s not like they’re going to tell you, ‘We did it because we don’t like what you’re saying.’»
Uygur then linked the investigation to broader left-wing claims about suppression of pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel speech, arguing the government was using legal and procedural mechanisms to target political dissent rather than directly censoring viewpoints.
WHO IS HASAN PIKER? MEET THE FAR-LEFT STREAMER WHO IS STIRRING UP CONTROVERSY ONLINE AND DIVIDING DEMOCRATS
Piker called CodePink co-founder Jodie Evans a «wonderful person.» He took a photo in Havana with Evans, which she shared on her Instagram account from Cuba.
A little after 3 p.m., one hour and 12 minutes into his livestream, Piker acknowledged, «I would much rather not have to deal with this.»
Half an hour later, he insisted that he was being targeted for his strong opposition to the existence of the state of Israel, playing a clip of Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., as they spoke about the growing tide of anti-semitism, including from Piker.
At one point, Piker scoffed as the two lawmakers discussed increasing reports of antisemitism in the U.S.
Piker later moved on to a segment supporting the the Islamic Republic of Iran in its talks with the U.S. and Israel to end the war in Iran, mocking the Israel delegation’s «chirping,» critiquing U.S. foreign policy for allegedly letting «Israel take control over our entire Middle East policy» and moving the focus of his monologue to a critique of the «Zionist» state of Israel and the «rogue» United States.
Fox News Digital’s Sophia Compton contributed to this report.
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cuba, fox news, investigations, fox news investigates, sanctions
INTERNACIONAL
‘Bibi’s hair on fire’: Trump-Netanyahu public ‘rift’ masked unified front against Iran, analyst says
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Intensifying leaks and tense phone calls between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting a relationship breakdown over Iran were part of a calculated strategic effort to keep Tehran guessing, a leading defense analyst told Fox News Digital on Sunday.
The public display, which projected American diplomatic patience while shutting out Jerusalem, covertly laid the groundwork for a unified front, he said.
The strategy culminated in a weekend synchronization phase, with Trump and Netanyahu showcasing total alignment by Sunday, suggested Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and the Misgav Institute.
TRUMP, NETANYAHU TO MEET AT WHITE HOUSE IN HIGH-STAKES TALKS ON IRAN, GAZA PLAN
President Donald Trump greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he arrives at the White House on Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Axios had reported Thursday that a difficult call between the leaders focused on a revised U.S. proposal sent to Iran via Pakistan, which Netanyahu reportedly rejected in favor of renewed military action to degrade Tehran’s infrastructure.
One U.S. source told the outlet that «Netanyahu’s hair was on fire» after the exchange.
Separately, weekend reports suggested Israeli leaders were being marginalized from U.S.-Iran negotiations after Netanyahu’s prewar push for a joint campaign to topple the Iranian regime failed to materialize.
Netanyahu broke his silence Sunday, posting on X to declare absolute solidarity with the White House and project a unified stance.
IRAN’S NEW SUPREME LEADER IS ‘HIS FATHER ON STEROIDS,’ EXPERTS WARN OF HARDLINE RULE
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on April 7, 2025. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
«The partnership between us and our two countries has been proven on the battlefield and has never been stronger,» Netanyahu shared on X. «My policy, like President Trump’s, remains unchanged: Iran will not have nuclear weapons.»
Michael viewed the public friction and targeted leaks as a calculated tactical feint designed to keep Tehran blindsided.
«Neither President Trump nor Prime Minister Netanyahu has any interest in any crisis, but by leaking the story of a crisis between Trump and Netanyahu, the Iranians might find themselves surprised by the timing of the next military attack,» Michael said.
«The leak created a sense of disagreement between the two leaders and positions Trump as the leader who gives another chance to the diplomatic path despite the pressures of Prime Minister Netanyahu,» he said.
«Trump understands who the Iranians are.»
The final synchronization followed a weekend phone call in which Trump reassured Netanyahu that any final agreement with Iran would fully dismantle Tehran’s nuclear program.
UN’S NUCLEAR WATCHDOG WARNS ITS UNABLE TO CONFIRM IRAN’S PROGRAM IS ‘ENTIRELY PEACEFUL’
President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Iran following an Israeli strike in Tehran on Feb. 28, 2026, alongside several Cabinet members. (White House)
Netanyahu also said Trump also «reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon.»
Washington has been keeping Jerusalem updated on the negotiations «over a memorandum of understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and enter negotiations toward a final agreement on the points that remain in dispute,» an official statement read.
Following the Sunday call, Netanyahu also thanked Trump for his «exceptional commitment to Israel’s security.»
«Netanyahu’s last post about his last conversation with Trump can be understood as the ultimate closure to this deception and any accusations,» Michael added.
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«This is trying to prepare the Israeli public for the idea that everything was fully coordinated with the U.S., and the diplomatic developments will serve the Israeli interest.»
Michael added, however, that skepticism remained in Jerusalem over whether the gaps between the U.S. and Iran will be bridged, or whether «Trump will accept the Iranian position.»
benjamin netanyahu, nuclear proliferation, war with iran, iran, israel
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