By David Brunstrom
Washington (Reuters) -M American families on October 7, 2023, attacks against Israel filed a case on Monday against a prominent Palestinian-American businessman Bashar Masri, accusing hers of the construction of infrastructure, which allows for the masters to make their transfers. Expansion.
The lawsuit brought to the US District Court for Washington, Colombia District, is considered the first case that the US citizen is accused of providing great support for attacks that have caused a broader conflict in the Middle East and has increased the region.
Masri’s service called the case “unfounded”.
According to a statement that reported the case, Properties Masri possesses, developed and controls, including two luxury hotels and the leading industrial zone in Gaza – the Gaza Industrial estate – “hidden tunnels beneath them, and there were tunnel entrances available from the properties that Hamas used in terrorist operations before
“The defendants facilitate the construction and concealment of these tunnels and even built the above -ground solar panel installations, which they then used to supply Hamas with tunnel electricity,” the message said.
The attacks on October 7 were killed about 1,200 Israelis, including more than 40 Americans, and caused Israel’s avenge against Gaza, which has since killed over 50,000 Palestinians.
The lawsuit, which is aimed at Masri and its companies, was filed on behalf of nearly 200 plaintiffs, including survivors and relatives of victims.
“Our goal is to expose those who have helped and support Hamas and try to bring accountability to persons and companies who have presented a legitimate and moderate image of the Western world, but actively and deliberately helped Hamas,” says Lee Woloski of the Willkie FaRr & Gallrr’s law firm.
It states that GIE was originally created using US taxpayers financing through the US Agency for International Development to Promotion of Economic Growth in the Region.
It states that “as a result of the defendants’ fraud,” Hamas’s tunnel network was built with the help of infrastructure and energy projects funded by international institutions, including the World Bank’s International Financial Corporation.
A statement from Masri’s cabinet called out allegations against him and his businesses false and is said to seek their dismissal in court. It says that Masri has been involved in the development and humanitarian work in recent decades and “unequivocally opposed violence of all kinds.”
“Neither he nor these entities have never engaged in illegal activity or provided support for violence and militancy,” the statement said.
An article on March 10 at the Jerusalem Post quoted unnamed diplomatic sources, saying that Masri served as a close advisor to Adam Bol, US President Donald Trump’s envoy, who wants the release of hostages in the Gaza and flying to the private jet of Boller, while he was transferred to Boller, while he was transferred, while he was transferred to Boller, while he was transferred, while he was transferred, he was transferred to Boller’s private jet, while he was transferred, while he was transferred to the private jet, while he was transferred to Boller’s private jet, while he was transferred to Boller’s
He called Masri an “experienced entrepreneur” who “shares a business conscious approach with Trump, which makes it a natural fit in the economic vision of the administration for the region.”
The State Department and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment when they asked about the newspaper report.
In an interview with Reuters in October 2020, when he was 59, Masri spoke in favor of Arabic Bay of Persian Gulf with Israel, condemned by Palestinian leaders, saying that they could be an opportunity to put new pressure to stop Jewish settlement in occupied soil.
When talking to Reuters in 2020, Masri said that the Palestinians should not give up hope. “Our enemies want us to give up hope. If we give up hope, they have exactly what they want and there will be no Palestine and there is no Palestinian people,” he said.
(Report from David Brunstrom in Washington; Additional Reporting Ali Savafta in Ramala and Emily Rose in Tel Aviv; Editing by Don Drafi and Matthew Lewis)