‘Wonder Woman’: Lebanon Wants to Ban Movie Because Gal Gadot Is Israeli

Actress was a soldier in the Israeli army

Wonder Woman

Lebanon is seeking to ban “Wonder Woman” because its lead actress, Gal Gadot, is an Israeli.

According to Al Jazeera, Lebanon’s economy ministry is asking the country’s security agency to ban the film, although no formal request has been received yet. The ban would require a recommendation from a six-ministry-member committee.

The publication reported that posters for “Wonder Woman” have appeared on the streets of Beirut and at least one movie theater will have an advance screening on Wednesday.

A boycott group called Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel-Lebanon has campaigned against showing the movie in Lebanon, according to the Associated Press. The campaign praised the ministry’s call on its Facebook page, advocating a ban because 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 Hamas group.

In a popular post on her Facebook page, Gadot had praised Israel’s military during the Gaza-Israel 2014 war, sending prayers to Israeli soldiers “who are risking their lives protecting my country against the horrific acts conducted by Hamas.”

Lebanon is at war with Israel and has a law that spans over decades, boycotting Israeli products and barring Lebanese citizens from traveling or having contact with Israelis.

Supporters of the boycott took to Twitter to campaign against “Wonder Woman.”

https://twitter.com/boyzinthehoood/status/869278599781724160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com%2Fnews%2F2017%2F05%2Flebanon-calls-ban-woman-2017-movie-170530112058681.html

 

https://twitter.com/nickmlittlejohn/status/719035077926084608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com%2Fnews%2F2017%2F05%2Flebanon-calls-ban-woman-2017-movie-170530112058681.html

The AP also notes that the Israeli actress appeared in “Fast & Furious” films, none of which were banned in Lebanon. She was crowned Miss Israel and went on to serve the mandatory two-year military service before starting her acting career.

“Wonder Woman” opens in the United States this Friday and also stars Chris Pine and Robin Wright. It was directed by Patty Jenkins.

Warner Bros. had no comment. Lebanon’s ministry of economy has not yet responded to TheWrap’s request for comment.

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