Lebanese Lawyers Seek Legal Action Against Banker Antoun Sehnaoui Over Meeting With Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Beirut, July 29, 2026: More than a dozen Lebanese lawyers on Wednesday filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office in Beirut against prominent banker Antoun Sehnaoui, alleging that he violated Lebanese law by meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington earlier this week.

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The complaint accuses Sehnaoui of committing "the crimes of contacting and dealing with the Israeli enemy, violating the Israel boycott law, the crime of treason and state security crimes."

Lebanese law prohibits citizens from having contact with Israelis, as Lebanon and Israel have remained in a state of war since Israel's establishment in 1948. Violators can face prison terms.

The complaint follows a photograph posted on X by Axios reporter Barak Ravid, showing Sehnaoui dining with Netanyahu and his wife, Sara. Ravid said Sehnaoui and former US envoy Morgan Ortagus hosted a dinner on Monday in memory of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, attended by Netanyahu and US officials.

A Sehnaoui-linked website, This is Beirut, also reported details of what it described as the "special dinner". Sehnaoui's lawyer in Beirut did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Lawyers Cite Ongoing Conflict

Two of the lawyers behind the complaint told The Associated Press that the meeting took place while Israel continues military operations in Lebanon.

One of the lawyers, Hassan Bazzi, said Sehnaoui had violated the law and offended national sentiments. He added that the lawyers hope the prosecutor's office performs its duties "effectively and swiftly".

Another lawyer, Mohammed Hajj Hassan, described the meeting as "a public offence" and said the judiciary is now expected to investigate the case, which could lead to the issuance of arrest warrants.

It remains unclear how prosecutors will proceed. In previous similar cases involving Lebanese citizens outside the country, authorities have issued arrest warrants. A Lebanese Foreign Ministry official declined to comment.

Lebanon and Israel have held US-backed direct talks over the past three months in an effort to end the latest fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in southern Lebanon.

The conflict resumed two days after Israel and the US attacked Iran, when Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel and Israel responded with airstrikes and ground operations. More than 4,000 people have been killed in Lebanon, while Israel continues to occupy dozens of villages and towns. The two countries have recently reached a framework agreement.

Debate Over Boycott Law Revived

Sehnaoui, who has largely been based in the US in recent years, has business interests in Lebanon and abroad spanning banking, media and the film industry.

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Like several senior bankers, he faced widespread criticism following Lebanon's economic collapse in 2019, which left most depositors unable to access their savings. The World Bank described the crisis as among the worst globally since the 1850s.

The meeting with Netanyahu has also revived debate over Lebanon's 1955 law that bans contact and dealings with Israelis. Some in the country have called for repealing the law, which carries penalties of up to 10 years in prison for offenders.

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