Israel expected to oppose Macron plan for European force to replace UNIFIL, source tells 'Post'

French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing for a new European military presence in southern Lebanon, but Israel is expected to oppose the initiative.Italy is reportedly reluctant to contribute troops, while Washington is exploring a civilian alternative. The proposal comes as Macron faces mounting unrest and political turmoil at home.Israel is expected to oppose initiatives promoted by French President Emmanuel Macron to establish a new European military force in southern Lebanon to replace the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), a diplomatic source told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday evening.The anticipated Israeli opposition comes as Paris seeks to establish a new security framework along the Israel-Lebanon border, while the Trump administration is exploring alternatives that may not require deploying additional military forces to the region.According to a report published Tuesday by Fox News, Macron is pressing ahead with a proposal for a multinational force potentially involving thousands of European troops to support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) following the expiration of UNIFIL's mandate.However, the French initiative is already encountering resistance from one of Paris's key European partners: Italy.Three sources familiar with the discussions told Fox News Digital that Italy, which previously joined France in supporting the creation of an international coalition after UNIFIL's withdrawal, does not support deploying its troops under the proposal Paris has advanced.The Italian government has not…