Under the direction of Prime Minister Netanyahu, and as part of the ongoing security dialogue between the US, Israel, and Lebanon, the Deputy Head of the National Security Council’s Foreign Policy Division held a meeting this morning in Naqoura, Lebanon, with President Trump’s advisor on the Lebanon file, Ms. Morgan Ortagus, along with relevant Lebanese civilian representatives.
The meeting was described as positive in tone, with all sides agreeing to develop ideas for potential economic cooperation between Israel and Lebanon. According to Israeli officials, the purpose of the dialogue is to explore practical avenues that could improve regional stability while opening the door to mutually beneficial economic initiatives — should Lebanon choose to pursue them.
During the discussion, Israel made its position unmistakably clear: the disarmament of Hezbollah is an absolute necessity, entirely unrelated to any potential economic cooperation. Israeli representatives stressed that no economic incentives, proposals, or discussions can override the fundamental requirement that Hezbollah — an Iranian-backed terrorist organization responsible for decades of aggression — must be stripped of its arsenal.
Participants concluded by agreeing to maintain ongoing dialogue and continue the talks in future meetings.