Israeli victims of rocket attacks during the 2006 summer war have filed a lawsuit in the United States blaming some Lebanese banks for helping fund Hizbullah.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Thursday, seeks at least $100 million in damages on behalf of 57 victims. It notes that the Lebanese banks maintained relationships with various U.S. banks.

It said the Lebanese banks used those and other relationships to provide Hizbullah with "regular, systemic and unfettered access to U.S. currency," enabling it to buy missiles and other weapons to terrorize civilians.

The banks were identified as Fransabank Sal, Banque Libanese Pour Le Commerce, Bank of Beirut Sal, Banque Libano-Francaise Sal and the Middle East Africa Bank.

It said Fransabank, BLC Bank and the Bank of Beirut also provided services to Hizbullah's al-Manar TV network.

The lawsuit said the plaintiffs were victims of missile attacks launched by Hizbullah against civilian targets in Israel between July 12, 2006, and Aug. 30, 2006.

It said it based its conclusions on an analysis of publicly available U.S., Israeli and United Nations reports, news articles, academic journals, public policy center publications, and police and medical reports.

The lawsuit said a decision by Hizbullah to bombard Israeli civilians with missiles fired from southern Lebanon in the summer of 2006 came even though the Shiite group knew it would result in the killing of Israeli civilians.

The lawsuit said the banks violated international law by providing financial services to Hizbullah, including its military fundraising arm, the Islamic Resistance Support Organization.

The lawsuit said a fundraising form of the organization asks donors whether they wish to fund specific items such as missiles or small arms.(AP-Naharnet)