France’s recent hostility towards the Jewish state may be motivated by an additional layer of corruption, a respected French journalist has revealed.
Renowned journalist at Le Figaro and Middle East expert, Georges Malbrunot, made waves after he brought attention to the secret deal allegedly made in 2020 between French President Emmanuel Macron and Hezbollah in Lebanon — reported both in his book and in Le Figaro.
Malbrunot reported that the deal allegedly ensured Rodolphe Saadé, owner of BFM TV and the French maritime transport company CMA-CGM, received the contract to rebuild the market of the port of Beirut after the deadly Beirut Blast in 2020, in exchange for Macron’s silence when it comes to Hezbollah’s weapons. This was a deal worth billions of dollars and one that also allowed Saadé to avoid French taxes on much of the deal.
In his book, Malbrunot quotes Hezbollah’s Mohammed Raad who met with Macron during his visit to Lebanon in 2020 in a then unprecedented meeting between a Western democratic state and a terrorist organization: "Emmanuel Macron recognizes the existence of Hezbollah in the region and its importance, which is very important to us…”
Malbrunot further quotes a Lebanese source close to Hezbollah who stated, “The French had told us that Emmanuel Macron would not address the issue of our weapons…”
Malbrunot notes that Saadé, who traveled to Lebanon with Macron during that same time period, also offered to send his private plane to Hezbollah backed Lebanese Minister of Transportation Ali Hamieh, to bring him to Marseille to close the contract. In the end, CMA-CGM did win the contract, and according to Mabrunot citing Lebanese sources this week, Hamieh was indeed sent Saadé’s plane following the completion of the lucrative business deal.
If confirmed, which appears likely given Malbrunot’s sources, the secret pact demonstrates profound corruption at the highest levels in France and can explain France’s recent hostility towards Israel’s actions in Lebanon — including the condemnation of Israel’s operations in Gaza and Lebanon, the call for of an arms embargo of Israel, accusations that Israel is “intentionally” targeting UNIFIL troops, and the exclusion of Israel from the recent Euronaval defense show conference in France.
This week France also pledged to provide $100 million in aid to Lebanon after Prime Minister Netanyahu and French President Macron exchanged tense words regarding Israeli military actions in Lebanon, in which Macron accused Israel of “sowing barbarism.”
Macron’s increased hostility to Israel was also met with harsh condemnation from Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant who wrote on X, “Macron's actions are a disgrace to the French nation and the values of the free world, which he claims to uphold…”
In response to the publication of the discrete pact back in 2020, Macron had a public altercation with Malbrunot in which he harshly criticized the journalist calling his report “irresponsible for France, irresponsible for those concerned here, and serious from an ethical point of view.” However several years later, it seems Malbrunot’s report proved accurate based on the evidence thus far.
It appears that the French President has put the corporate profits of CGM-CMA above the security of Lebanon and Israel alike — and in doing so has legitimized the Iranian backed terror group Hezbollah, despite their hijacking of the Lebanese government and terrorist activities. As such, it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone to see Macron making the kind of biased and unfounded accusations he has made in recent months against Israel.
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