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On Tuesday, the US Treasury Department announced the imposition of sanctions against former Lebanese ministers, Ali Hassan Khalil and Youssef Fenianos.
The two ministers were sanctioned for their involvement in acts of corruption and their cooperation with Hezbollah, which Washington classifies as a terrorist organization.
The former minister, Ali Hassan Khalil, is considered very close to the Speaker of Parliament and leader of the Amal Movement, Nabih Berri, while Fenianus is considered one of the closest collaborators of Suleiman Franjieh, the leader of the Marada movement.
Al-Marada and Amal are among the most prominent allies of Hezbollah militias linked to the Iranian regime.
US Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin said in a statement that corruption is rampant in Lebanon and that “Hezbollah has exploited the political system to spread its evil influence.”
Mnuchin stressed that “the United States supports the people of Lebanon in their calls for reform” and Washington “will continue to target those who oppress and exploit the Lebanese people.”
For its part, the US State Department said that “the August explosion in the port of Beirut is the latest and tragic evidence of the dysfunctional Lebanese political system, which also allowed a terrorist group to make the country’s government hostage. of your own agenda. “
In a press release, he added that former ministers Khalil and Fenianus, while holding positions in previous Lebanese ministries, had “political and economic advantages for Hezbollah, including ensuring that party-owned companies win government contracts worth millions of dollars. and the transfer of money from government ministries to institutions linked to Hezbollah. “
The statement from the Foreign Ministry noted that Hizbullah depends “on the corrupt Lebanese political system to survive,” and emphasized that “anyone who helps advance Hezbollah’s political or economic interests increases the erosion of what remains of effective government and facilitates the financing of terrorism “.
The statement concluded that “the Lebanese people deserve the best” and that “the United States will continue to support Lebanese demands” to end corruption and political stalemate.
These sanctions freeze any assets in the United States that belong to the two ministers and prevent Americans from dealing with them, and whoever does so is also at risk of secondary sanctions.
Ali Hassan Khalil
Washington accuses Khalil of making financial gains from his relationship with Hezbollah and of working to transfer funds, “in a way that avoids US sanctions,” according to a statement from the Treasury Department.
Khalil used his position as finance minister to lower sanctions against Hezbollah, in exchange for “personal commissions” he received directly from government contracts.
Khalil, close to Berri, served in the Finance Ministry from 2014 to 2019, previously serving as Minister of Agriculture during 2003 and 2004, and then Minister of Health between 2011 and 2014.
He was a member of the Lebanese Parliament and was elected in the 1996, 2000, 2005 and 2009 elections.
He has a law degree from the Lebanese University.
Youssef Fenianos
Washington accuses Yusef Fenianos of accepting “hundreds of thousands of dollars” from Hezbollah in exchange for political services. He was also among those who used Hezbollah to steal money from government budgets, in exchange for “ensuring that party-affiliated companies win government contracts without rights.”
It also helped Hezbollah to gain access to “sensitive legal documents related to the Special Court in Lebanon,” and Finianus sought to play the role of mediator between Hezbollah and other political mediators, according to the Treasury Department statement.
Fenianos took over the Ministry of Public Works and Transport in the first Saad Hariri government under President Michel Aoun in 2016.
Fenianus was an advisor to former MP Suleiman Franjieh and played an important role in the Marada movement headed by Franjieh.
He has a law degree from the Lebanese University and two degrees in international arbitration.
