Tag Archive for sanctions

REPORT: Trump and the battle to end Iran’s cash flow to Hezbollah

With Hezbollah’s annual budget of nearly $1 billion, the sanctions that the Trump administration issued this year against the Shite organization’s money men, as well as Iran, have caused such a devastating economic crisis it forced Nasrallah to declare “economic jihad” about six months ago.
– Since Hezbollah is the 2nd-largest employer in Lebanon, after the government, can Hezbollah’s funds be cut off without affecting the entire Lebanese economy?

By Yoav Limor

 

In a picture that could have been taken from a PR notice for the series “Narcos,” a man who knows the good life is sitting on a pile of dollar bills, a cigar in hand, looking like he’s enjoying himself. Continue Reading »

Lebanese Shiites scramble as US gov’t targets Hezbollah & Iran, Banks worried

 

US gov’t agencies threatening wider sanctions against anyone who finances Iranian-backed Hezbollah, prompted lobbying trips to Washington by worried Shiite bankers and politicians from Lebanon.

By Reuters

 

BEIRUT—Moves in Washington to widen financial sanctions on the powerful Shiite Hezbollah political group have triggered alarm in Beirut where the government fears major damage to the banking sector that underpins Lebanon’s stability.

Lebanon’s Olympic delegation hails crowd with Hezbollah’s Nazi-like salute

Not yet proposed as law, draft amendments to an existing law threatening sanctions against anyone who finances the heavily-armed Iranian-backed Hezbollah in a significant way prompted lobbying trips to Washington in May by worried Lebanese bankers and politicians. Continue Reading »

Secret Document Revealed to Foreign Ministry Proves EU Sanctions Policy Against Israel

Israeli diplomats learned the EU has secretly distributed a document to member-states outlining harsh restrictions against Israel for ‘red lines’ – like new home construction for Jews in Jerusalem.

By Ari Yashar

 

The European Union (EU) has sent a secret document to its 28 member states detailing sanctions to be taken against Israel, if it takes moves the EU feels compromises the creation of an Arab state of ‘Palestine’ inside Israel.

The paper, drafted by the European External Action Service (EEAS), was distributed to European diplomats who were told not to show it to Israel yet, according to Haaretz. Continue Reading »

EU Hypocrisy: Financial Assistance to Abbas’ PA Violate Oslo Accords

NGO finds European Union funding illegal Palestinian Authority settlements in Israeli territory as breach of Oslo Accords, especially as EU makes new push for sanctions on Israel.

By Ari Soffer

 

An Israeli NGO is set to release a report it says shows tens of cases in which the European Union has actively worked to breach the Oslo Accords signed between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, by changing the facts on the ground in Area C to unilaterally harm Israel in final status talks with the Palestinians.

Illegal Palestinian building in Area C

Illegal Palestinian building in Area C – Regavim

The report is significant as it comes at the same time as the EU has made a renewed push to threaten Jerusalem with sanctions if Israel makes “unilateral moves” which European states deem to be harmful to their vision of a “two-state solution.” Continue Reading »

Jerusalem to begin sanctions against Palestinian intransigence

In response of Fatah-Hamas unity deal and bid to join UN organizations, Israel confirmed list of additional sanctions against Palestinian Authority to begin day before ‘peace-talks’ set to reach deadline.

By Elior Levy

 

Israel has begun implementing economic sanctions against the Palestinians, after threatening to do so in wake of their new bid to join some UN organizations and recently announced unity deal between rival Fatah and Hamas, a senior Palestinian told Ynet Monday evening, a mere day before peace talks reach their deadline.

Mahmoud Abbas and Ismail Haniyeh - Photo: REUTERS

Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh – Photo: REUTERS

Israel confirmed additional sanctions Monday, saying has frozen plans to build housing for Palestinians in Area C of the West Bank, which is under full Israeli control. Continue Reading »

EU threatens Israel not to make further settlement construction announcements

 

EU dictates to Jerusalem: No gov’t announcements on new settlement construction after Palestinian prisoner release at end of month.

European delegation tells Israeli officials: There will be dire consequences if current round of peace talks collapses.

By The Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff

The European Union yesterday said it had asked Israel not to announce any new West Bank settlement construction following an expected Palestinian prisoner release, warning it would be blamed for any resulting failure in the Mideast peace talks.

A construction worker working on a new housing unit in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa, which the EU considers illegal [Archive] – Photo: AP

In further pressure on Israel, a European delegation told Israeli officials there could be dire consequences if the current round of peace talks collapsed, including economic sanctions against the settlements, an EU official said. Continue Reading »

EU has no intention of boycotting settlement products

EU Official says bloc “continues to oppose boycotts, including boycotts of settlement products” besides, there has to be action at the level of the UN Security Council before the EU places boycotts on countries.

Boycotting products from the settlements is not a sanction the EU is considering to demonstrate its displeasure with Israel’s recent decision to construct 3,000 new units in the settlement and push forward planning in E1, the EU’s delegation in Tel Aviv clarified Thursday.

Euro symbol near European flags - Photo: REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

Euro symbol near European flags – Photo: REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

A spokesman at the EU delegation was responding to an article in Ma’ariv that said EU ministers scheduled to meet Monday to discuss Israel’s recently announced settlement plans were considering “accelerating, in a full and effective measure, the implementation of legislation on labeling and boycotting settlement products.”

Continue Reading »