US sanctions Lebanese officials and companies

On the 18th of June, the United States issued sanctions on two Lebanese officials who have allegedly delayed the disarmament of Hezbollah, as reported by The New Arab plus agencies.

Alongside Sleiman Frangieh, the leader of the Maruda movement, and Mahmud Qamati, a Hezbollah political bureau member, the US also sanctioned companies associated with a business magnate due to allegations of obstructing Lebanon’s peace process.

Frangieh has been accused of exploiting his political alliance with Hezbollah to push his party’s parliamentary objectives by the US government.

A Lebanese Christain politician, former minister, and long-time ally of Hezbollah, Frangieh was endorsed by the group for presidency, and had close ties with the family of Bashar al-Assad, the former president of Syria, as his childhood friend.

Qamati was sanctioned for allegations from the US Treasury of coordinating “cash smuggling from Iran” for Hezbollah, as reported by New Arab.

The Treasury also issued sanctions against associates of Alaa Hamieh, the Lebanese business magnate who was sanctioned on 20th of March.

In their statement, the Treasury accuses Hamieh’s Lebanon-based Globe Technology Providers of being the “technical arm” for Al-Ahd Company for Trade and Investment, a Syrian-based company that has links to Hezbollah.

Along with several other associated positions, both these companies were sanctioned in this recent move from Washington.

Both the US and Israel have demanded the disarmament of Hezbollah, and the Lebanese government followed in suit as they ordered the group to lay down its weapons.

Hezbollah has rejected these demands, instead calling for Lebanese authorities to abandon their direct talks with Israel in Washington.

Since the invasion of southern Lebanon by Israeli forces in early March, Hezbollah have been battling against them, and the conflict has led to over 3000 Lebanese deaths at the hands of Israel.

New Arab, Maghrebi.org