UK Imposes Sanctions on Hezbollah Bank and Israeli Settlers Over Human Rights Abuses
The United Kingdom has announced new sanctions targeting Hezbollah's Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH) bank and five Israeli settlers. The AQAH bank has been identified as the financial arm of Hezbollah, responsible for money laundering and financing the terrorist organization. The U.S. previously sanctioned the bank in 2007, and the Lebanese Central Bank issued memos prohibiting financial institutions from dealing with it. Israel has also struck several branches of the bank during its operations against Hezbollah, contributing to a significant financial crisis for the group, which has reportedly led to the suspension of its social welfare programs. The five Israeli settlers sanctioned by the UK are Avichai Suissa, Baruch Marzel, Ben-Zion Gopstein, Eliav Libi, and Meir Ettinger. These individuals were sanctioned for human rights abuses, including leadership of organizations that support illegal outposts, incitement to violence against Palestinians, and involvement in attacks.