Supermarket products with Hebrew labels seized by State Security

BEIRUT — State Security announced Tuesday it had seized products with labels written in Hebrew from the shelves and warehouses of a major supermarket chain in Lebanon.

According to a high-ranking source within the security service contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour, these products are of Turkish origin but bear inscriptions in Hebrew.

In a press release, State Security claimed to have "obtained information concerning the presence of products manufactured by Israeli companies in numerous shopping malls in Lebanon."

"State Security patrols searched several warehouses and stores in the various governorates and seized these products," the statement said, adding that the "persons concerned have been summoned and an investigation has been opened to determine the origin" of the suspect products.

These products are "Turkish-made cloth towels, originally intended for the Israeli market," hence the fact that their labels include Hebrew inscriptions, the source at State Security said. "There was a surplus of these products, which was sent to Lebanon to be sold in a chain of department stores operating in different parts of the country," they added.

Lebanon passed a law in 1955 prohibiting contact with Israelis or economic relations with Israeli companies. This law prohibits any person or entity from having contact with Israelis or persons residing in Israel.

It also prohibits any type of commercial, financial or other transaction with Israel. Violation of this law is punishable by three to 10 years hard labor. In addition, Article 285 of the Penal Code punishes commercial transactions between a Lebanese citizen or resident and a national or resident of an enemy country.