Will ‘Wonder Woman’ Be Defeated In Lebanon?
A Lebanese security official confirmed Tuesday that the Ministry of Economics has proposed a ban of the upcoming film “Wonder Woman.” The reason? It’s star, Gal Gadot, is Israeli.
While any official ban would have to come down from a Ministry of Economics advisory committee, pressure has been mounting from anti-Israeli boycott groups. One such group, “Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel-Lebanon,” has over 6,000 likes on their Facebook page. The group posted a picture Monday morning of Gadot in her Wonder Woman garb with the message “Playing a film in which [Gal Gadot] is featured (as the main actress) is against Lebanese law. In addition, she supported the Israeli army during its attack on Gaza, served in the Israeli army for two years, and boasted about the army training her for Hollywood.”
The group is referring to an old Lebanese law that mandates the boycott of Israeli products and forbids Lebanese citizens from having contact with Israelis.
As of now, the premiere of the film will go forward as scheduled, with an opening night in at least one theater in Beirut.
Previously, Gadot has appeared in two of the “Fast and Furious” franchise films, neither of which were banned in Lebanon. The same boycott group, however, did mount an ultimately failed campaign to ban “Batman vs. Superman” in which Gadot first appeared as Wonder Woman.
Becky Scott is the editor of The Schmooze. Follow her on Twitter at @arr_scott
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
