The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Wednesday said it was sanctioning Green Without Borders, a Lebanese group linked to the Hezbollah terror organization.
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“The United States rejects Hizballah’s cynical efforts to cloak its destabilizing terrorist activities with false environmentalism,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. The group had been providing support to and cover for Hizballah’s operations in southern Lebanon along the “Blue Line” between Lebanon and Israel, under the guise of environmental activism, according to the U.S. government.
“We will continue to support the many Lebanese civil society groups protecting Lebanon’s unique and sensitive natural environment while also relentlessly pursuing Hizballah and their support networks,” a statement read.
Israel had accused the GWB of being funded by Hezbollah. "The organization has established several outposts used by Hezbollah in the Western sector of the Israel-Lebanon border," the IDF said.
The group's leader Zouher Nahli, who was also sanctioned, told the Associated Press last January that his non-governmental organization was not political and worked for all people.
"Under Nahla’s leadership, GWB has functioned as a cover for Hizballah’s terrorist activities. GWB sites have been used to conduct Hizballah’s weapons training, to provide support for Hizballah’s activities along the Blue Line in southern Lebanon, and to impede the freedom of movement of the UN Security Council-mandated United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the state department said.
"We are taking this action as part of our efforts to prevent and disrupt financial and other support for terrorist attacks in Lebanon, Israel, and around the world. The United States is committed to denying funding and resources to these terrorist support networks and will continue countering the threats they pose both locally and internationally."