Hizbullah ministers, MPs could be hit by US law

BEIRUT: Ministers and members of parliament belonging to Lebanon’s Hizbullah could be sanctioned under a new US law targeting the group’s finances, a US Treasury official said late on Friday.

The US Hizbullah International Financing Prevention Act (HIFPA) passed in December threatens sanctions against anyone who finances Hizbullah in a significant way.

It has ignited an unprecedented dispute between Lebanon’s most powerful group - the heavily armed Hizbullah - and a central bank widely seen as a pillar of the otherwise weak and dysfunctional Lebanese state.

When asked in an interview with television channel LBC if the law could be applied to Hizbullah ministers and MPs in Lebanon, the US Teasury’s Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Daniel Glaser said: “We don“t make a distinction among Hezbollah members."

Iran-backed Hizbullah, whose fighters played a major role in forcing Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon in 2000, enjoys strong support in the Lebanese community. Its members include government ministers, MPs, and local councillors.

Classified as a terrorist group by the United States, Hizbullah wields enormous political influence in Lebanon and its powerful military wing is playing a major role in the Syrian conflict. The Lebanese central bank and US

officials have repeatedly said the law does not target ordinary Lebanese citizens, or the community in particular, and will not adversely affect the country’s financial sector.

“We understand the difference between Hezbollah and the broader community," Glaser said.

“We are implementing this law world wide. Obviously it has specific impact here in Lebanon because Hizbullah has a big presence here in Lebanon. But Hizbullah is the target of this legislation. And I can“t say that strongly enough," he said.