Lebanese activist sentenced to prison for collaborating with Israel
Kinda El-Khatib, a critic of Hezbollah on social media, was sentenced to three years in prison by a military court.
A Lebanese activist was sentenced to prison this week on charges of working with Israel. The activist, who has been a critic of Hezbollah, denied the allegations in court.
Kinda El-Khatib was given a three-year sentence by a Lebanese military court for communicating with Israeli operatives, entering an enemy state and attempting to give Israel security information, the state-run National News Agency reported Monday. Khatib was arrested in June.
Khatib said an Israeli journalist contacted her via Twitter, and when she realized the journalist was Israeli, she notified the authorities. Khatib said she was able to be contacted because her social media accounts were open. Khatib also denied traveling to Israel as well as meeting with or passing information to any Israeli, the National News Agency said in a report on her trial.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a sensitive issue in Lebanon. Israel and the Lebanese military group Hezbollah frequently clash. Israel and Hezbollah fought a bloody war in 2006 that resulted in significant casualties and damage in southern Lebanon. Israel also occupied parts of southern Lebanon from 1985 to 2000 during and after the Lebanese civil war.
