Despite ongoing conflict and accusations of war crimes, Lebanese banker Antoun Sehnaoui received public support from a US envoy for his pro-Israel views, revealing a family history intertwined with controversial alliances.
Antoun Sehnaoui, chairman of Societe Generale de Banque au Liban (SGBL), was lauded for his support of Israel while the country faced attacks and territorial occupation. This praise came from Morgan Ortagus, a US Middle East envoy, at an event at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which Sehnaoui had donated to. Ortagus framed support for Israel as requiring “moral clarity,” emphasizing Sehnaoui’s actions in funding a US-Israeli opera project, which were technically illegal in Lebanon. She described Sehnaoui as originating from generations of “committed Lebanese Christian Zionists,” claiming he was “trained to be a supporter of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.” Adding to the controversy, Ortagus highlighted Sehnaoui's father, Nabil, a financier of the Lebanese Forces, which allied with Israel during the 1982 invasion and participated in the massacres at Shatila and Sabra refugee camps. This revelation occurred at a particularly sensitive time, as Lebanon awaited the benefits of a US-imposed ceasefire. Israel’s actions in southern Lebanon, including accusations of war crimes and displacement of over a million people, were widely condemned. Sehnaoui’s public stance drew widespread condemnation on social media, with calls for his arrest and accusations of betrayal. Lebanese academic Makram Rabah noted the problematic timing of the visit to the Holocaust Museum. DATA: Israel's attacks on Lebanon, territorial occupation, war crimes accusations, displacement of over a million people, support for Israel, criticism on social media, involvement of Lebanese Forces and Nabil Sehnaoui, US-imposed ceasefire wait, pro-Israel stance of Antoun Sehnaoui, donation to US Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Sources: Based on reporting from Al Jazeera
✨ This report was generated by AI News Assistant.
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