Lebanon is reportedly seeking to ban Wonder Woman, mostly owing to its lead actress, Gal Gadot, who is Israeli. Lebanon’s National News Agency reports that the Economy of Ministry and Trade was adopting measures necessary to ban the film.
Israel and Lebanon have been sharing a volatile relationship since Israel’s independence in 1948, especially since Lebanon still abides by the Arab League boycott of Israel adopted in 1945. By virtue, Lebanon does not recognise the State of Israel and does not accept Israeli passports or passports that indicate a person has entered Israel. With Gal Gadot belonging to Israel, the ban comes as no surprise.
A security official, speaking anonymously because he is not authorised to speak to reporters, told the Associated Press that a formal request for a ban has not yet been received. A ban would require a recommendation from a six-member committee from the Ministry of Economy.
A premiere for Wonder Woman was scheduled for Wednesday in at least one cinema in Beirut. Incidentally, a group called ‘Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel-Lebanon‘ is against the movie. On its Facebook page, the campaign said Gadot was a soldier in the Israeli army and has expressed support for Israel’s military policies against the Gaza Strip, a coastal Palestinian territory run by the militant group Hamas.
A former Miss Israel, Gadot did her mandatory two-year military service in Israel before starting her acting career. On her Facebook page, Gadot had praised Israel’s military during the 2014 Gaza-Israel war, sending prayers to soldiers “who are risking their lives protecting my country against the horrific acts conducted by Hamas.”
Gadot has been a part of other Hollywood movies before, appearing as Wonder Woman in last year’s Batman vs. Superman.
Feature Image: Screen Rant
