Antoun Al-Sahnaoui: Money from Lebanon and "Heart in Zion"
A photo posted by Axios International correspondent, Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, on the X platform, has sparked widespread controversy regarding “informal normalization” and potential legal repercussions in Lebanon. The image shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sarah, seated at the same table as Lebanese banker Anton Sahraoui, former US diplomat Morgan Ortagus, and several other American political figures during Netanyahu’s visit to Washington.
Ravid stated that Sahraoui and Ortagus co-hosted the dinner held on the evening of Monday, July 27, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, to commemorate the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the Prime Minister delivered a speech at the event, which was attended by members of Graham’s family, including his sister Darlene, who was appointed to fill his Senate seat, as well as members of Congress from both the Republican and Democratic parties.
Available information does not indicate that the dinner was an official Lebanese-Israeli meeting, secret negotiations, or a special occasion for Netanyahu; rather, it was a high-level American political gathering hosted by a Lebanese citizen, which lends it exceptional significance. So, who is the Lebanese host?
Anton Sahraoui was born in Lebanon in 1972. He is a banker, businessman, and film producer. Since 2007, he has served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Société Générale in Lebanon (SGBL). He also chairs the Richelieu banking group, which includes financial institutions in France and Monaco, and holds investments in media, real estate, and tourism. In the film industry, he has produced movies including “Case 23,” which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018. That same year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invited him to join its Producer’s Branch.
However, Sahraoui’s name is also linked in Lebanon to the controversy surrounding the banking sector since the collapse of the financial system in 2019, which restricted depositors’ access to their funds. In February 2023, then-Lebanon Appellate Public Prosecutor, Judge Ghada Aoun, filed charges against Sahraoui and the bank on suspicion of money laundering, following a dispute over the handover of account statements related to banking investigations. The bank denied committing any violations, stating it complies with anti-money laundering laws, and described the judge’s actions as invalid and politically motivated. No final conviction against Sahraoui in this case has been made public.
The Washington dinner was not Sahraoui’s first appearance in activities promoting rapprochement with Israel. In April, he appeared with Ortagus at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, where their names were unveiled on the donors’ wall. During the event, Ortagus stated that Sahraoui’s family belongs to generations of “Lebanese Christian Zionists” and that he was raised to support Israel and the Jewish people. She also praised his funding of an American-Israeli artistic initiative, noting that some of his activities might be considered “technically illegal” under Lebanese law. Sahraoui said his support for the museum aims to ensure future generations do not forget the Jewish Holocaust.
In late June, Sahraoui and Ortagus hosted an event in New York to launch the book “The Arab Case for Israel” by American researcher of Iraqi and Lebanese descent Hussein Abdul-Hussein, which calls on Arabs to reconsider their stance toward Israel and establish peace relations. Reports have also linked Sahraoui and Ortagus through a personal relationship, raising questions in Lebanon because Ortagus handled Lebanese affairs within the Trump administration and participated in ceasefire efforts and negotiations with Israel. An analysis published by the Carnegie Endowment noted potential conflicts of interest but found no evidence that Sahraoui intervened in official negotiations or influenced US decisions regarding Lebanon.
Supporters of Sahraoui argue that his participation in hosting the dinner falls within efforts to promote peace and reflects his ability to access US decision-making circles. Opponents, however, believe his role in hosting the dinner goes beyond social attendance and carries legal and political implications.
Legally, Lebanon and Israel remain in a state of war, despite entering direct negotiations mediated by the US in recent months. Lebanon’s Chief Justice, Judge Ahmad Rami Al-Hajj, has ordered the Information Department to investigate the circulating photo attributed to Sahraoui to verify its authenticity and determine whether it is genuine or fabricated, paving the way for appropriate legal action.
