A trial in Lebanon has begun for a Canadian missionary accused of spying for Israel. Bruce Balfour, 52, who was jailed upon his July 10 arrival in Beirut after being charged in absentia, says his visits to Lebanon are part of a project to replant the country’s cedar forests. The hearing on Wednesday included testimony from an Agriculture Ministry official and the head of an environmental group in southern Lebanon, Reuters reported. The next hearing, scheduled for Aug. 27, is expected to include additional witness testimony and a trial verdict. Canadian authorities are following the case closely.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.