Lebanese woman gets 3 years hard labor for Israel contacts

The National News Agency said Kinda El-Khatib was sentenced for allegedly visiting Israel, contacting Israeli agents and providing them with security information.Lebanon and Israel are in a state of war and each bans its citizens from visiting the other country.

A military court in Lebanon on Monday sentenced a political activist to three years of hard labour for collaborating with Israel, Lebanon's state-run news agency reported. The National News Agency said Kinda El-Khatib was sentenced for allegedly visiting Israel, contacting Israeli agents and providing them with security information.

Lebanon and Israel are in a state of war and each bans its citizens from visiting the other country. El-Khatib was detained in June with her brother, who was later released. According to local media reports, she had visited Israel by crossing from Jordan.

El-Khatib had been active on social media, where she harshly criticised Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group and its strong ally, President Michel Aoun. Hezbollah and Israel fought a monthlong war in 2006.