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The Wall Street Journal revealed that the US administration is heading today to announce new sanctions against former Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil for aiding his main ally, Hezbollah loyal to Iran, sparking an uproar in the Lebanese and Arab streets, especially as The target of the sanctions is a controversial figure seeking to gain access to the presidential seat, according to supporters.
These alleged sanctions coincide with the Lebanese government’s training course and the inclusion by the Treasury Department of the two former ministers, Yusef Fenianos and Ali Hassan Khalil, on its sanctions list, in a move that appeared to be “an opening for names balanced “.
Shankar Warns Hezbollah Allies: They Must Know They Will Be Responsible
US Under Secretary of State for Near East Affairs David Schenker confirmed that sanctions were imposed on the two former Lebanese ministers, Yusef Fenianos and Ali Hassan Khalil, for providing terrorist support to Hezbollah, warning the party’s political allies that they would be “held accountable”.
For almost a year, Lebanon has been suffering from the devaluation of the local currency against the dollar as it lost 80 percent of its value, causing large numbers of Lebanese to lose most of their savings in lira, in addition to keep their deposits in banks, in light of the high rates of unemployment and poverty.
Faced with the difficult economic crisis and alive, Lebanon is stuck in taking serious measures to confront corruption, starting with the formation of a government of specialists, to open the door to international aid, despite the French initiative that prompted the French president , Emmanuel Macron, to visit Lebanon twice in less than a month, to reconcile the blocks. The politician to date a rescue government.
Significant confusion in the ranks of the stream
The newspaper leaks generated confusion among the Free Patriotic Movement, whose most prominent deputies and ministers did not respond to communications they received to comment on the movement’s next move if sanctions were imposed.
The Vice President of the Free Patriotic Movement, lawyer Mai Khreish, known for her pro-Bassil stance, spoke with Al-Hurra and said that “there are no official US confirmations so far, and we will not comment before that happens.”
In turn, Representative Simon Abi Ramia reiterated Khreish’s words, but in a brusque tone, telling the Al-Hurra website: “We have no position”, then realizing, “Everyone knows that sanctions will be imposed. to Basil “, highlighting that” there is nothing serious so far “. .
Gebran Bassil, former Foreign Minister and Minister of Energy, is the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, son-in-law of President Michel Aoun and owner of the largest Christian bloc in the Lebanese Parliament.
Direct fault of the party
For his part, a member of the political council of the Free Patriotic Movement, Walid Al-Ashqar, said that “any external position will not affect our position on Hezbollah, with which we meet in strategic archives, and we do not agree with it in archives internal and others related to corruption cases “. But he insisted that “The Free Patriotic Movement is not in the arms of Hezbollah.”
Regarding internal files, Al-Ashqar explained that “Hezbollah does not support its current ally in the lawsuits filed regarding corruption files and bills in the drawers of parliament because the party’s representatives refused to approve them.” He complained about “the political performance of the Shiite duo Hezbollah and Amal, especially when they impose Their ministerial nominations are half an hour before the formation of the government without discussion.
Al-Ashqar stressed that “Basil and President Aoun insist on a government of specialists, rejecting the quota system to which the designated prime minister, Saad al-Hariri, agreed under pressure from Hezbollah, which wants to appoint the Shiite ministers, sticking to some ministerial portfolios and not others “.
Why did Washington impose sanctions on the two former Lebanese ministers?
On Tuesday, the US Treasury Department announced the imposition of sanctions against former Lebanese ministers, Ali Hassan Khalil and Youssef Fenianos.
“Close cooperation between Basil and the party”
In this context, Asaad Bishara, a political analyst and journalist, said in an interview with Al-Hurra that, “if sanctions are imposed on Bassil, Hezbollah’s most prominent ally, it is a message to all of Hezbollah’s allies that whoever cooperates with him he will be blacklisted. It leads to his exit from the global financial system. “
Bishara stated that “the sanctions have not only financial impacts, but political vacillations, and this is an expected step that was taken based on US investigations, indicating that there is close cooperation between Bassil and Hezbollah at all levels.”
And he considered that “the message has already arrived and all the allies of the party are waiting for the next one, and the perseverance in saying that the sanctions have no effect is mere evasion.”
As for the former Minister for the Displaced, Ghassan Atallah, he said on his Twitter account, “… we are from a school that the world can crush me, but it will not bear my signature # Gibran.”
We hear about possible sanctions against Minister Bassil, but if you believe that with penalties, he makes concessions on the wealth of our country and an inch of land and our conviction to reach out to any component of the Lebanese components, then what would it be to follow a Bedouin who degrades the sorrows we know … We are from a school that the world can Crush me but he won’t take my signature # Compensation pic.twitter.com/pSx4z23lOo
– Ghassan Atallah (@ghassan_atallah) November 6, 2020
Economic impact
Economically, the economic expert and researcher, Azza Hajj Hassan, indicated in an interview with Al-Hurra that, “The process of imposing US sanctions, if carried out formally against Bassil, will not have a negative impact on the economy. Lebanese, but undermines the formation of the government, with which Bassil plays. Leading role outside. “
He noted that “faltering government formation is what affects the Lebanese economy, which is collapsing in a completely dramatic way, and the country is in dire need of forming a government, as it causes every 24 hours of delay, an increase in social crises and live in it “.
The Wall Street Journal
The American Wall Street Journal cited two informed sources that they expected the Trump administration to impose sanctions on one of Hezbollah’s Christian allies in Lebanon on Friday in a bid to ease the party’s grip on power.
The decision was approved in principle by Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is expected to unveil the sanctions, before noon Friday, one of the two told the newspaper.
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