Leiter to Lebanon: Disarm Hezbollah, seek peace

Leiter emphasized that Israel is not interested in Lebanese territory but is solely concerned with its own security and responding to threats to its citizens emanating from the Land of the Cedars.

By Joshua Marks, JNS

In a rare public message to Lebanon, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter on Friday urged Beirut to pursue peace and help disarm Hezbollah, speaking in a video interview with the English‑language outlet This Is Beirut.

“It’s very important for me to reach out to the people of Lebanon and let you know that we very much want to pursue peace with you. We want to live together in peace and harmony,” Jerusalem’s envoy said in a recorded address.

The interview came as the Lebanese government vowed to disarm Hezbollah and other armed groups south of the Litani River by year’s end.

U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly given Beirut a Dec. 31 deadline to dismantle the Shi’ite Muslim terrorist group’s arsenal. Leiter also spoke shortly after U.S.‑initiated economic talks took place in Naqoura, Southern Lebanon.

Leiter emphasized that Israel is not interested in Lebanese territory but is solely concerned with its own security and responding to threats to its citizens emanating from the Land of the Cedars.

He outlined the basis for Israeli military actions against Hezbollah, questioning why Iranian financial support for its terrorist proxy should be allowed to destabilize Lebanon and enable missile attacks on Israeli civilians.

He argued that Israeli operations against Hezbollah enhance Lebanon’s long‑term security as well as Israel’s.

Leiter stressed that Hezbollah must be disarmed, citing Beirut’s commitment under the ceasefire agreement to bring the group’s weapons under state control.

“We are not going back to a situation where we have reckless actors firing missiles across our border—not in the south with Hamas, not in Lebanon, not with the Houthis and their ballistic missiles. We just can’t have that anymore,” the ambassador said.

He addressed the importance of dismantling Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure and ending the flow of Iranian funds to the group.

Leiter reaffirmed Jerusalem’s stance that neutralizing Hezbollah’s capability to harm Israel runs parallel to the Naqoura direct talks on joint economic advancement.

He mentioned maritime trade and gas exploration as possible areas for cooperation and described how when visiting Lebanon, viewing Beirut from the Shouf Mountains overlooking the Mediterranean, he thought, “This really is the Switzerland of the Middle East—it could be so calm, so beautiful.”

Leiter concluded by saying: “Let’s pray that 2026 becomes the year of Abraham Accords 2.0, when we live together in peace and harmony.”