C/CT5/01536: HIZBALLAH'S CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 BEIRUT 000421 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WERNER/SINGH E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/20/2016 TAGS: EFIN IR KISL LE PTER SOCI SUBJECT: C/CT5/01536: HIZBALLAH'S CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR FUNDING REF: A. STATE 6636 ¶B. 05 BEIRUT 1054 BEIRUT 00000421 001.2 OF 004 Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman. Reason: Section 1.4 (d). INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Post appreciates comments in ref A regarding Hizballah funding and in this cable provides initial answers to the follow-on questions. We will send additional information as it becomes available. According to a Shia journalist who covers Hizballah professionally, as well as other informed sources, Hizballah has four main charitable organizations: Jihad al-Binaa, the Iranian Institute for Martyrs, the Islamic Health Association, and the Women's Islamic Movement. Other social services include running schools and awarding scholarships; distributing food, medical supplies, and diesel fuel to rural communities; offering micro-loans; and operating supermarkets in underserved areas. The Shia journalist estimates that Iranian funding accounts for the majority of Hizballah's revenues, but also listed several smaller, profitable enterprises. He speculated that Hizballah also records revenue from remittances, domestic fund-raising, and service fees. Municipal construction contracts for Jihad al-Binaa also provide an important source of income. It is unclear how Iran transfers its funding to Hizballah. Bank Saderat Iran operates five branches in Lebanon, but a reliable banking source does not think Hizballah banks there. End introduction and summary. HIZBALLAH CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS -------------- ¶2. (C) On January 19, Econoff met with Shia journalist Abbas Sabbagh who covers Shia politics for the Arabic daily newspaper "An Nahar" and has extensive contacts in Hizballah. Sabbagh provided a list of all the social services Hizballah provides. Hizballah's main charitable organizations are Jihad al-Binaa, the Iranian Institute for Martyrs, the Islamic Health Association, and the Women's Islamic Movement. ¶3. (C) Jihad al-Binaa (in Arabic, "Struggle of Construction") provides free construction services for the residents of southern Lebanon, according to Sabbagh. Its primary function is to repair any Lebanese buildings or homes damaged by Israeli military strikes, usually within 24 to 48 hours. Jihad al-Binaa supports other public service work such as constructing tennis courts and summer camps for youth in southern Lebanon. According to Sabbagh, Jihad al-Binaa is especially quick and attentive when repairing homes damaged as a result of Israeli retaliation for Hizballah attacks on the Shebaa Farms. ¶4. (C) The Iranian Institute for Martyrs provides benefits to Hizballah members killed in party service, according to Sabbagh. Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah has publicly credited Iran with funding this program. The Iranian Institute for Martyrs provides families of "martyrs" with an apartment in south Beirut worth approximately USD 35,000; a monthly stipend; and a free Hajj trip to Mecca. This is by far the most generous benefits package of any Lebanese party, according to Sabbagh. Amal, at most, offers employment opportunities for families of "martyrs." According to Sabbagh, Hizballah counts more than 1,080 "martyrs" over its history as an organization. ¶5. (U) Hizballah's main health care organization is the Islamic Health Association (IHA). According to a brochure (printed in Arabic and English) obtained by econoff, the IHA was founded in 1984 to serve "oppressed and deprived" people, especially in rural areas. IHA offers its medical services free of charge or for nominal fees. It runs three hospitals, 12 health clinics, 20 infirmaries, 20 dental clinics, 10 civil defense (fire and rescue) departments, and various health awareness programs. The brochure claims that IHA served 743,434 patients in 2004. The three IHA hospitals are located in Hermal, Bint Jbeil, and Nabatiyeh, and offer out-patient services, surgery, delivery, emergency treatment, X-rays, echography, and CT scans. The IHA brochure states that its health clinics provide many of these same services. They also run health awareness campaigns, promoting student check-ups, non-smoking, and early detection of diabetes, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and osteoporosis. The infirmaries provide pediatric, gynecological, and vaccination services, as well as general medicine. The civil defense units clear roads during winter storms, fight fires, provide BEIRUT 00000421 002 OF 004 ambulance transportation, and administer first aid (see ref B). ¶6. (C) Hizballah aims to create an "environment for the righteous" through the Women's Islamic Movement. A member of the Women's Islamic Movement receives USD 100 per month, plus an additional USD 100 per month if she wears the hejab everyday. The total USD 200 subsidy is equal to the minimum wage in Lebanon. It is not known how many women participate in this subsidy. The Women's Islamic Movement also provides help to divorced women who have children through a monthly stipend of USD 60-70, according to independent Shia politician Ahmad el-Assaad, with the expectation that the children will later join the Mahdi Boy Scouts. ADDITIONAL SERVICES -------------- ¶7. (C) Hizballah runs schools and scholarships through Atabia Taabia (in Arabic, "Educational Mobilization"), according to Sabbagh. It is not an organization, but rather a department within Hizballah. As many as 6,000 students benefit from Hizballah primary and secondary school scholarships, according to former UNIFIL spokesman Timur Goksel. Embassy contacts have told us that Hizballah schools are perceived to provide a better education than public schools, and that non-Shia students are welcomed. ¶8. (U) In mid-January, Hizballah distributed medical supplies and 4,000 food rations to 11 villages in southeastern Lebanon. The villages were mostly Sunni, with minority populations of Christian and Druze: Kfar Shouba, Halta, Wazzani (the Lebanese side of Ghajar),Mari, Freidis, Rashaya Fakhar, Hebarieh, Shebaa, Ain Arab, Kfar Hammam, and Wadi Khansa. Hizballah also distributed diesel fuel for home heating in the winter. ¶9. (C) Hizballah provides micro-loans in southern Lebanon to the local population at little to no interest, according to Ali Jammal, the General Manager of Jammal Trust Bank and a Shia, and Kamal Abou Zahr, a Sunni attorney in Sidon. Jammal and Zahr estimated that 90 percent of the residents in southern Lebanon own land, but many need capital to develop it for agriculture. The Hizballah micro-loans are usually no more than USD 400. Jammal, who operates ten bank branches in southern Lebanon, said that legitimate banks and charities cannot compete with Hizballah for micro-loan borrowers given the low or nonexistent interest rate. ¶10. (SBU) Hizballah operates supermarkets and small shops in underserved rural areas, according to business contacts in southern Lebanon. These shops are located in poor, rural areas where it would be unprofitable to run a grocery store. The businessmen estimate that Hizballah probably does not make a profit on these stores as their prices are too low. However, Hizballah provides a service to the community in that residents do not have to travel far nor pay high prices for their groceries. ¶11. (U) It should be noted the Al Mabarrat Charity Association, under the leadership of Director General Mohammad Baqer Fadlallah, is not a Hizballah charity as commonly thought. Al Mabarrat (in Arabic, "good deeds") was founded by prominent Shia cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, who is not a member of Hizballah, but is named on Treasury's SBN list. According to Lebanese press, Al Mabarrat operates Bahman Hospital in Beirut's southern suburbs. It also operates schools for orphans. Al-Mabarrat raises money from eight Orphanage Gas Stations in Lebanon and from donations. HIZBALLAH FUNDING -------------- ¶12. (C) According to Sabbagh, Hizballah does not try to hide the fact that Iran provides much of its funding. Sources in the Shia community have told us that Iranian aid is not a political liability for Hizballah. Sabbagh said that no political party in Lebanon, including Hizballah, is required to release its financial records and budget. Therefore, reliable data on Hizballah's revenues and expenditures are not available. Sabbagh could only comment on the figures anecdotally, explaining that the amount of Iranian funding must be very high given the diversity and scale of Hizballah's political, social, and military activities. He also noted that senior Hizballah officials live comfortable lifestyles and can be seen driving expensive BEIRUT 00000421 003 OF 004 cars (including American SUVs) and residing in impressive homes. (Note: Emboffs have been told anecdotally that Hizballah spent tens of millions of U.S. dollars in the May-June parliamentary elections, as demonstrated by elaborate rallies and by the presence of Hizballah supporters at nearly every polling station in Shia areas. End note.) ¶13. (C) Sabbagh said that while it is clear that most of Hizballah's money comes from Iran, Hizballah has many other, smaller sources of revenue. Hizballah receives remittance-style donations from Lebanese Shia living overseas. Sabbagh could not cite an amount, but believed that Hizballah's income from remittances was significant for several reasons. First, Shia living overseas, mostly in West Africa, have shifted their donations from Amal to Hizballah as the former declined in importance and the latter's influence increased. Second, there has never been as much sympathy for Hizballah in the Shia expatriate community as now. Third, the remittances are usually sent in the form of the Islamic requirement to give 1/5 of one's income to charity. Therefore, Sabbagh noted, Hizballah not only enjoys funding from the remittances, but also can expect a steady cash flow each month. ¶14. (C) Domestic fund-raising is another source of Hizballah income, according to Sabbagh. Hizballah fundraising "checkpoints" abound throughout the Shia areas of Lebanon. A typical checkpoint will consist of several Hizballah Mahdi Boy Scouts with an adult to supervise. (Econoffs witnessed a Hizballah fundraising checkpoint in Nabatiyeh in September.) According to Sabbagh, Hizballah's Gameat Imdad (in Arabic, "Group of Offering") places collection boxes in Shia stores. Those who donate know their donation is going to Hizballah but believe it is going to the specific charity listed on the box. Sabbagh added that some of the more superstitious Shia drop money in the collection boxes if they had a bad dream or if they had just avoided an accident. The Committee to Support the Resistance holds iftar dinners each year. At the dinners, envelopes are openly passed around. Guests would feel embarrassed if they did not give at least 15,000 Lebanese pounds (ten dollars). Those who sit in the front tables are expected to donate more. ¶15. (C) Sabbagh said that two of Hizballah's biggest charities, Jihad al-Binaa and the Islamic Health Association, appear to cover at least some of their operating costs. Jihad al-Binaa competes for municipal construction contracts in the south just like any other construction company. Municipal boards dominated by Hizballah members (of which there are many in southern Lebanon) are more likely to choose Jihad al-Binaa as a contractor to perform city work. Sabbagh said that there does not appear to be any corruption or overbilling involved in Jihad al-Binaa projects, as would be expected in contracts brokered by Amal members, but Jihad al-Binaa still makes a profit. Sabbagh commented that the municipal elections in the south are not just vital to Hizballah's political strategy, but also help secure profitable municipal contracts for Jihad al-Binaa. Regarding the IHA, Sabbagh said that while it is true IHA hospitals and clinics generally charge less for their services than other health care providers, they still charge approximately the cost of the procedure. Patients patronize IHA not only for the low cost, but also because they perceive IHA doctors to be more honest. Sabbagh speculated that IHA brings in enough revenue to at least partially cover its costs. ¶16. (C) Other likely sources of revenue include travel agent fees, real estate transactions, and advertising on the Hizballah-operated "Al Manar" television station, according to Sabbagh. One Hizballah side venture is arranging Hajj vacations for around USD 2,000 to 3,000, with Hizballah earning a profit. Last year, Sabbagh, who lives in south Beirut, said that Hizballah was making some profit in the hot Beirut real estate market. Regarding "Al Manar," Sabbagh said that the television station does not release its earnings statements. However, Sabbagh suspected that "Al Manar" must turn at least a small profit selling advertising spots because a survey showed that it was the third most watched channel in Lebanon behind LBC and New TV. ¶17. (C) In a separate meeting on January 19, MP Ali Osseiran, a Shia parliamentarian in Speaker Nabih Berri's bloc, also said that while the majority of Hizballah's funding obviously comes from Iran, Hizballah seems to make a small profit from its other enterprises. He confirmed that Jihad al-Binaa performs contract work for southern municipalities. Jihad al-Binaa is preferred because it has a BEIRUT 00000421 004 OF 004 reputation for completing the contract honestly unlike contractors associated with Amal and Berri, according to Osseiran. MODE OF IRANIAN TRANSFERS -------------- ¶18. (C) Sabbagh and Osseiran were uncertain about the method of transfer of Iranian funds to Hizballah. Post notes that Bank Saderat Iran operates five branches in Lebanon. However, a reliable source in Lebanese banking told us that Bank Saderat had no links to Hizballah. Secretary General of the Association of Banks in Lebanon Dr. Makram Sadr told econstaff on January 20 that Bank Saderat operates like any other commercial bank in Lebanon. According to Sadr, most of Bank Saderat's clients are Lebanese merchants doing business in Iran. He confirmed that Bank Saderat had branches in the mostly Shia southern suburbs of Beirut, but pointed out that other major banks, such as BLOM, Audi, Byblos, and Credit Libanais, also operate branches there due to the high population density of the area. Sadr dismissed links to Hizballah saying that no political party in Lebanon relies on direct links to banks because they do not trust the banks. ¶19. (U) According to the Association of Banks in Lebanon 2004 almanac, Bank Saderat operates five branches in Lebanon: three in Beirut, one in Baalbeck, and one in Sidon. As of December 31, 2003, Bank Saderat reported that it employed 72 people, had assets totaling 131,905,000,000 Lebanese pounds, and held 113,473,000,000 Lebanese pounds worth of customer deposits. Bank Saderat provided ATM, deposit account, loan, retail banking, and trade services. COMMENT -------------- ¶20. (C) Exact figures on Hizballah expenditures and revenues are difficult to obtain. Hizballah, already a secretive, well-disciplined organization, is not required by SIPDIS law to make its budget public. Estimates from respected sources can vary from ten to fifty million dollars per month in Iranian support to Hizballah, with most guesses at the higher end of that range. We would also note that other sources, including UNIFIL officers and credible Shia politicians, have in the past corroborated for us various elements of Sabbagh's information as reported above. End comment. FELTMAN