Sometimes it doesn’t only take money to forge an international arts partnership. It takes courage. The recently announced U.S.-Israeli Opera Initiative brings together two acclaimed opera companies — the Washington National Opera, based at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv. And it came to fruition through financial support.
At a moment in the performing arts when dollars are scarce, a surprising benefactor stepped forward to launch this collaboration. Wealthy Lebanese banker and film producer, Antoun Sehnaoui serves as chairman of the board of the SGBL Group, a group of international banks including Fidus Wealth Management. A Lebanese Christian, he also identifies as a staunch Zionist. Hagar Chemali, a former Treasury Department senior policy advisor on Asia and the Middle East and former spokesperson for terrorism and finance intelligence at Treasury, is presently a close advisor to Sehnaoui. In that capacity she shared how he came to Zionism and to his support of this groundbreaking initiative.
How did Antoun Sehnaoui come to identify with and support Zionism?
Hagar Chemali: Mr. Sehnaoui grew up in a Lebanese family that has always felt strongly about Israel and Zionism. This sentiment is really part of his family culture and has spanned generations. Since he was a child, his family had numerous close Israeli and Jewish friends, and he grew up understanding the need for a Jewish state. But more than that, he views Zionism and Israel’s existence as necessary for peace and stability in Lebanon and the Levant more broadly. Additionally, the explosion of antisemitism around the world and attacks against Jews has only reinforced Mr. Sehnaoui’s conviction that a Jewish state is needed more than ever.
Does he still return to Lebanon, or is it dangerous for him due to his position and identification with Zionism?
H.C.: As far as I know, for a variety of reasons he has not returned to Lebanon for about 8-10 years.
How did he connect with the U.S.-Israel Opera Initiative?
H.C: Antoun is close friends with and also works closely with Danny Glaser, who is on the board of the Washington National Opera. Together they are co-founders of this initiative.
Why is this initiative important to him, especially during the current heightened period in the Middle East conflict?
H.C.: There are two main reasons Antoun feels strongly about this initiative. The first is that he has long been a supporter of the arts and how film, theater and, in this case, opera can promote international ties and important geopolitical messages. He is proud to support a cause that reinforces the importance of Israel and the U.S.-Israel relationship, while giving the stage to deserving Israeli artists who might not get the opportunity if not for initiatives like this.
The second reason he feels strongly about this initiative has to do with his views on the development and stability of the Levant region over the last several decades, and the current situation in the Middle East only reinforces his perspective. He believes Lebanon and the Levant more broadly has a future because of Zionism, and because of Israel. He argues that when Israel undermines or attacks its enemies in the name of its own security, Israel in fact boosts the security of its neighbors. For example, Israel decapitated Hezbollah last fall because of Israel’s own security objectives — but Lebanon is also currently benefitting enormously from this outcome as it is finally able to chart a path forward for its future without Iran and Hezbollah stepping on its neck. Now Israel has taken on the world’s sworn enemy, Iran, and he believes the world should recognize that and be grateful to Israel for it.
