Morgan Ortagus: Lebanon and Israel are halfway to peace

Former U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus stated that Lebanon and Israel have reached the “halfway point” toward a potential peace agreement. In an interview with the Jerusalem Post, Ortagus, who managed Israeli-Lebanese relations during the Trump administration in 2025, noted that the momentum for peace originated from Lebanese officials who expressed that a unique opportunity to pursue peace had emerged.

She identified the military weakening of Hezbollah since September 2024, including the assassination of Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, as the critical turning point. This shift has created a historical opportunity to empower the Lebanese state to reclaim its political, economic, and security roles from the group.

However, Ortagus highlighted significant obstacles, specifically the reconstruction of South Lebanon. She noted a dilemma where the Lebanese state requires massive financial resources to establish a presence in areas previously held by Hezbollah, while international donors require guarantees that the group will not regain influence in those reconstructed zones.

Additionally, Ortagus detailed efforts to build trust through direct military-to-military meetings between Lebanese and Israeli officers following the cessation of hostilities in November 2024. She remarked that while they did not “make peace,” these interactions helped remove the stigma of direct communication between the two parties.