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And US government sources say they have a “clear message, which is that Washington will go after bad players and all those who support Hezbollah, including those who provide political support.”
The persecution of Hezbollah
These clarifications are of particular importance. For many years, the US government has deliberately persecuted the Hezbollah network in Lebanon and outside Lebanon, and has targeted its financial networks, in the hope that funding from Iran will be cut off. Therefore, especially in the last three years, we have witnessed an escalation of prosecutions in Africa and South America. We have also witnessed successive efforts by the United States to persuade countries in South America and Europe to place Hezbollah on the list of terrorist organizations.
The United States managed to some extent to contain these vast and old networks, but two years ago, it went on to threaten to impose sanctions on the Lebanese outside the Hezbollah system, and it did not. It was delayed until early this month to take a concrete step in this direction, when the US government revealed that former Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, a member of the Amal Movement, and former Minister of Public Works Yusef Fenianos, who is from the bloc Suleiman Franjieh, had exploited the funds of the general budget of the Lebanese state, They facilitated direct financing and sanctions against Hezbollah.
financial support
Last week, the US government reimposed sanctions on companies and individuals affiliated with Hezbollah, while rumors spread in Lebanon about long lists of Lebanese personalities that “the Americans will impose the sanctions.”
US government sources refuse to disclose any details in this context, and employees working in the Ministries of Finance and State consider that the issue of imposing sanctions is purely technical and time-consuming to verify the facts and financial support provided by personalities or institutions to Hezbollah.
“Political” sanctions
The most important thing is that the United States government does not want to comply by saying that sanctions will only be imposed on those who provide financing and those who provide material support to Hezbollah, but rather leave the matter open to options, which are many, such as applying sanctions according to the Magnitsky Law, which relates to human rights violations, and has a choice. Impose sanctions for political decision or executive order.
Undoubtedly, the Americans want to send a message, according to US government sources, and tell the Lebanese that the situation will not continue as it was, and that the United States is serious in its dealings with the Lebanese issue, and it is serious in the fight against the influence of Hezbollah, and that all persons or parties provide assistance to Hezbollah, regardless. Regardless of the nature and quality of this assistance, it will be subject to penalties.
Constant pressure
US government sources say that the pressure will continue, and that the US government wants reforms in Lebanon and that the next government should focus its attention on these reforms, and that what is required is a compromise With the reforms and the implementation of these reforms, not just words but concrete steps, as US Under Secretary of State David said. Schenker more than once.
What is also striking about the messages from the United States government is that it is now looking at Hezbollah, not just as a terrorist organization, and has classified it for more than twenty years. Rather, it has come to view Hezbollah as a problem that prevents the Lebanese state from moving forward, and Washington wants to confirm that Hezbollah prevents reform. And everyone who supports Hezbollah is part of the problem, while the US government wants to tell the Lebanese that it supports them. ”
