Financially-troubled Hezbollah seeks money from wealthy Shia

A Lebanese newspaper said on Sunday that officials in Hezbollah militia started visiting wealthy Shiite families in the villages of al-Beqaa, asking them to adopt the children of Hezbollah terrorist, who were killed during clashes with opposition fighters in Syria.

The officials of Hezbollah brought with them name lists of the children of Hezbollah’s terrorists who were killed in Syria for the purpose of having them adopted financially, al-Mustaqbal newspaper cited some wealthy family members, who have been visited, as saying.

Each one of the would-be financiers was asked to sponsor one child of the killed or injured terrorists education-wise and clothing-wise.

The newspaper added citing members of some wealthy families that officials of Hezbollah told them that “if you have one son, you have two now, and if you have two, they are three now.”

The families highlighted the fact that throughout all the period of the war with Israel, such a request has never been made.

Officials explained to the prospect family financiers that had Hezbollah not needed financial support, it would not have asked them for this.

Families fear being put under pressure in case they refused Hezbollah’s request. However, there are some families that refused to give financial donations to the party during the current year.