Tag Archives: U.S. Diplomacy

Senior Lebanese officials described Saturday’s meetings with U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus as encouraging and productive. Her visit centered around the situation in southern Lebanon, where a fragile truce remains in place between Hezbollah and Israel. President Joseph Aoun and Ortagus reportedly discussed several key issues, including the Israeli military’s partial withdrawal from Lebanese territory, …

During a recent visit to Lebanon, U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, Morgan Ortagus, conveyed a firm message regarding Hezbollah’s involvement in the Lebanese government. In meetings with President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam, Ortagus emphasized that the United States considers Hezbollah’s participation in the new government a “red line.” She expressed gratitude to Israel for …

Arriving in Lebanon Thursday for her maiden visit as the new U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, replacing Amos Hochstein, was Morgan Ortagus. Ortagus commenced a tour of inspections with a visit to the US Embassy, where she received from US Major General Jasper Jeffers, chairman of the ceasefire monitoring committee, briefings about what the committee’s missions were …

U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Beirut on Monday amid a fragile truce between Lebanon and Israel, which began on November 27. On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that no agreement would be reached unless Hezbollah withdrew beyond the Litani River. Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s new leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, expressed concerns that the group’s patience with Israeli violations …

U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein is poised to deliver a firm message to Lebanese officials, asserting that Iran will not be permitted to participate in Lebanon’s reconstruction efforts. This stance aims to prevent Iranian influence from infiltrating the rebuilding process, particularly through financial channels that could potentially support Hezbollah. Hochstein’s upcoming visit underscores the United States’ commitment to ensuring that Lebanon’s …

Efforts to reach a truce and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas have encountered multiple challenges, but recent negotiations have sparked hope for a resolution. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed optimism about achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, following a “cautious optimism” statement from Washington about an “imminent deal.” These hopes arise from reported indirect negotiations in Qatar, …