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Lebanon·Israel·United States·Diplomacy·Armed Conflicts

Lebanese banker praised by Trump envoy for backing Israel amid ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon

Friday, 17 April 2026, 16:15 · 1 min read

Antoun Sehnaoui, chairman of Societe Generale de Banque au Liban (SGBL, one of Lebanon's largest banks), sparked widespread condemnation in Lebanon after he was publicly praised for his support of Israel at a Washington event hosted by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, even as Israel continued military operations inside Lebanese territory. Morgan Ortagus, a US Middle East envoy and Sehnaoui's reported romantic partner, described him at the event as coming from generations of "committed Lebanese Christian Zionists" and said his funding of a US-Israeli opera project was "technically illegal" under Lebanese law, which bans dealings with Israeli institutions. The episode has intensified questions about Ortagus's suitability as a neutral broker in the region, while Sehnaoui himself faces separate legal challenges in Lebanon over alleged money laundering and a civil lawsuit in the US alleging his bank provided material support to Hezbollah — claims his bank denies.

Sources
Al Jazeera EnglishControversy as Lebanese banker Sehnaoui is praised for supporting Israel ↗︎
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