Trump envoy: Lebanon wanted peace. Israel was slow to see the opening – interview

Morgan Ortagus, former lead envoy on Israeli-Lebanese relations for the Trump administration in 2025, believes peace between Israel and Lebanon is a fragile but significant opportunity. She attributes this opening to the weakening of Hezbollah in September 2024 and a shift in regional power dynamics. Ortagus emphasizes that the initiative for peace originated from the Lebanese people, who told her, "We have to go for peace. It's now or never." She highlights the importance of direct, face-to-face meetings between Israeli and Lebanese officers, which she facilitated, to build trust and humanize the "neighbor." Ortagus suggests that addressing Lebanon's economic crisis and convincing the Shi'ite population of the benefits of peace are crucial next steps, noting that Israel was slow to recognize this opening.