Macron reportedly calls off Christmas visit to Lebanon

A Dec. 21 visit that French President Emmanuel Macron had been scheduled to make to Lebanon has been called off, French diplomatic sources told the Saudi Okaz newspaper.

The visit has been canceled for reasons that are still unknown and officials in Lebanon have been informed of this, the sources added.

The French leader had intended to inspect his country’s peacekeepers that are operating in south Lebanon as part of the UNIFIL force, on the occasion of Christmas.

French political and security officials will meanwhile visit UNIFIL’s command to discuss “means to implement a French scheme for establishing a buffer zone in the south Litani area and forcing Hezbollah to withdraw to the area north of the river,” a media report has said.