Lebanese Banker Faces Israel Probe

A group of Lebanese lawyers has asked the attorney general's office to investigate banker Antoun Sehnaoui over suspected ties to Israel. They allege that he co-organized a dinner in Washington attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

One of the lawyers said the complaint concerns alleged “communication with the Israeli enemy”. The case underscores the sensitivity of any move toward normalizing ties in Lebanon, which remains officially in a state of war with Israel. Lebanese law prohibits citizens from engaging in any transactions with Israeli citizens or institutions.

A statement from Netanyahu's office said the prime minister attended a dinner on 27 July honoring Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who died on 11 July. The statement did not identify the organizers. However, an Israeli official and a source familiar with the event told Reuters that it was organized by Sehnaoui and Morgan Ortagus, former deputy special envoy for the Middle East under President Donald Trump.

Sehnaoui, who lives in the United States and is chairman of the board of Société Générale de Banque au Liban, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

(Reuters, bak)