Ortagus departure: Bad news for Israel, good news for Berri

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said that Israel's discontent about the replacement of U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus is "pleasing to the heart."

In remarks published Thurday in local al-Joumhouria newspaper, Berri said that the Israeli discontent is more than enough reason for him to be pleased by the replacement of Morgan Ortagus.

Apparently Berri is a strong believer of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" proverb. The Speaker used the same logic when he voiced support for United Nations peacekeepers after clashes between the peacekeepers and locals in south Lebanon. "We know that Israel is against the UNIFIL's presence in south Lebanon and has targeted them many times. This alone is enough for us to support their presence," he said.

Ortagus is reportedly leaving her position soon and will be reassigned to another role in the Trump administration.

An Israeli media report said Ortagus' departure was "not good for Israel" as she is an avid supporter of Israel and has "firmly worked on the file of disarming Hezbollah."

Al-Akhbar newspaper meanwhile reported that President Joseph Aoun had expressed to U.S. officials "his unease" over Ortagus' approach.

In her first visit to war-hit Lebanon in February, Ortagus voiced from the presidential palace in Baabda pro-Israel statements. "We are grateful to our ally Israel for defeating Hezbollah," Ortagus said, adding that the United States has set a "red line" that Hezbollah should not be a member of Lebanon's next government.

The Lebanese Presidency’s press office later announced that "what Ortagus said from Baabda reflects her viewpoint and the Presidency is not concerned with it.”

Later on the X platform, Ortagus mocked Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem with a "Yawn" as she reposted some of his words and insulted former PSP leader Walid Jumblat. "Crack is whack, Walid," Ortagus wrote after Jumblat described her conditions as "unrealistic."

Sources close to Aoun meanwhile told al-Akhbar earlier this week that Ortagus’ replacement could be Joel Rayburn, an anti-Iran hawk and one of the most prominent U.S. officials who followed up on the Syrian file throughout the past decade.