Hezbollah’s Financial Crisis Restrains its Social Media Allocations

Hezbollah’s Financial Crisis Restrains its Social Media Allocations
Thaer Abbas Asharq Al Awsat 26 February 2017

http://english.aawsat.com/2017/02/article55368182/hezbollahs-financial-crisis-restrains-social-media-allocations

Beirut – News of halt of financial allocations for some of Hezbollah’s
allies and journalists, and closing of Iran-financed television al-Alam,
come to assure the news of the party’s financial crisis which clearly
reflected on its society.

Al-Alam had called upon its employees to attend sessions of liquefying its
assets due to the current situation, and following the request it had
presented to the Ministry of Labor.

“Lebanon 24” News site reported sources saying that Hezbollah’s circle of
allies began lessening expenses of all committees, conventions, and
study-centers.

Sources indicated that projects executed by president of al-Tawhid movement
Wiam Wahhab and financed by Iran had stopped because the funding ceased
during this time.

Political researcher Ali al-Amin said that anyone who enters the southern
suburb of Beirut, which is considered Hezbollah’s stronghold, can sense the
social and economic cries suffered by the party’s society.

Amin said that in addition to that, number of “mafias”, gangs, and theft
increased which reflects the deterioration of Hezbollah’s public and private
situations. He added, the party became incapable of financing a lot of
social causes.

“The party is now unable to support and finance the close circuits within
its organizations,” Amin told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He pointed out that Iran’s financial support receded, adding that the U.S.
sanctions posed on the party was clearly reflected on its surrounding
environment.

However, Amin said, that Hezbollah is Iran’s strong arm in Lebanon and thus
a priority. War in Syria takes a lot of this funding despite that fighters’
allocations were decreased to a 50% in some cases.

Amin doesn’t rule out that this will affect Hezbollah during the
parliamentary elections.

“I believe that Hezbollah wishes to postpone the elections, because it is
unable, during this crisis, to meet the political and funding needs,” he
concluded.

It is worth mentioning, that U.S. imposed sanctions on banks and financial
institutions that deal with Hezbollah or contribute with its money laundry
and institutions.

The U.S. even added more sanctions since President Trump took office. They
even made a list of names of Lebanese personnel and companies that work for
Hezbollah.