Lebanese lawyers sue banker over Netanyahu dinner in Washington

Lebanese lawyers have sued banker Antoun Sehnaoui after he hosted a Washington dinner attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing Lebanon’s anti-normalization laws.

WEBDESK – MEDIABITES

A lawsuit against Lebanese banker Antoun Sehnaoui has reignited debate over Lebanon’s strict anti-Israel laws after he hosted a Washington dinner attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

BEIRUT: A group of Lebanese lawyers has filed a lawsuit against prominent banker Antoun Sehnaoui, accusing him of violating Lebanon’s anti-normalization laws after hosting a dinner in Washington attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The complaint was submitted to Lebanon’s Court of Cassation, with the legal team arguing that Sehnaoui breached a 1955 law that prohibits Lebanese citizens and residents from engaging in direct or indirect contact with Israeli nationals or institutions. Violations of the law can carry prison sentences.

Lawyer Maan Alasaad, who is leading the legal action, said the lawsuit seeks to enforce Lebanon’s legal framework banning contact with Israelis.

“By law, any communication of any kind, any meeting directly or indirectly with any person who has an Israeli passport, is illegal,” Alasaad said.

He added that the case aims to challenge what the plaintiffs describe as a violation of Lebanon’s constitution and anti-normalization legislation.

Washington dinner sparks backlash

The controversy stems from a memorial dinner held in Washington on July 27 in honor of the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. According to media reports, the event was hosted by Sehnaoui and his partner, former U.S. diplomat Morgan Ortagus, and was attended by Netanyahu and his wife.

Photos and reports from the gathering quickly spread across social media, triggering widespread criticism in Lebanon, where Israel is officially considered an enemy state, and the two countries have no diplomatic relations.

Alasaad described Sehnaoui’s actions as “highly disgraceful,” arguing that hosting Netanyahu was particularly controversial while hostilities continue along the Lebanon-Israel border and Israeli forces remain active in parts of southern Lebanon.

Political and legal pressure grows

The controversy has also prompted political reactions inside Lebanon.

A Hezbollah official alleged that Sehnaoui maintains close ties with Israeli figures and claimed he represents Israeli interests in Lebanon. The allegations have not been independently verified, and Sehnaoui has not publicly responded to either the lawsuit or the accusations.

Sehnaoui, chairman of Societe Generale de Banque au Liban (SGBL), has lived outside Lebanon for several years. He has previously voiced support for establishing diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Israel, a position that remains deeply divisive in the country.

Separate financial investigations continue

The lawsuit comes as Sehnaoui and SGBL continue to face separate legal scrutiny linked to Lebanon’s financial crisis.

Lebanese prosecutors have previously filed charges against the banker and the bank over alleged money laundering related to currency trading during the country’s economic collapse. Both Sehnaoui and SGBL have denied the allegations.

Lebanon’s economic crisis, which began in 2019, has been described by the World Bank as one of the world’s worst economic collapses in modern history, leaving millions of people struggling with soaring inflation, banking restrictions and widespread financial hardship.

The latest lawsuit adds to the legal and political challenges surrounding one of Lebanon’s best-known bankers while underscoring the country’s strict stance against normalization with Israel.