via NowLebanon
As you all know, relations between Israel and Lebanon are governed by two laws, the 1943 Lebanese Criminal Code and the 1955 Lebanese Anti-Israeli Boycott Law which forbids any interaction with nationals of enemy states. Since the topic was brought up again after Miss Lebanon’s infamous selfie, I remembered an old article that NowLebanon had posted with the help of Salim El Meouchi, senior partner and chairman of the Beirut-based law firm Badri and Salim El Meouchi, on this matter.
To sum things up:
– You can’t be friends with an Israeli on Facebook.
– You can’t buy an Israeli publication or product.
– You can’t engage in a conversation with an Israeli outside Lebanon (except maybe when discussing non-threatening issues or a spontaneous talk)
– You can participate in a conference or event where Israelis are present as long as there’s no direct communication.
– You can publish in a journal where an Israeli writes as long as the paper is not Israeli and you don’t engage directly with him/her.
narrow minded are those who make these laws. israel is considered our only enemy??
throughout history several nations have occupied or gone to war with us.
why is it that israel is the only nation thats considered an enemy?
we are a backward country
The Lebanese people are missing out.
Can they argue online about Gaza? Through a blog or another app?
u should have told this to Ceds
What about running into an Israeli on chatroulette.com?
Shit! I’ve been 4 times to Asaf Avidan’s concerts and i am going to another one in a few weeks!
Does that mean that I am a traitor ?
Am I a criminal?? More than any of our politicians ?
okay so no facebook friends, no buying products, yes to phone conversation?
here goes logic… RIP
Can we cavort with Jews who are not Israeli?
Of course you can !!
The same way you interact with a Christian / Muslim / Atheist or persons with whatever belief (or disbelief) they have.
But the thing is most Jews support Israel, but don’t take that as a prejudice the next time you see one.
And IMO, you should interact with him normally until he signals that he is pro-israel.
I am pro Israel too Ahmed. Live and let live!
“Cavort”? Knock yourself out.
Someone who doesn’t care how complicated your life is made will eventually get around to inferring that since “any Jew may, by right, become an Israeli citizen, then….” but they aren’t being even the slightest bit rational.
looool,i’ve broken all the rules hahaha ,how outdated are these ,but heyy that doesn’t i like them,they’re still enemy and on the same line as Syria ,both filthier from each other and my opinion isn’t based on the same basis as the illegal party of God
Screw that. I’ve met many Israeli tourists on my trips abroad, most of them are nice and really don’t know or care what is happening on their northern borders.
This became a mental complex for some Lebanese.
Whether they are a friend or enemy, there is no right that any government has by right to tell you who you can or can’t talk to. It’s absurd beyond belief.
Moreover, does not one talk to ones’ enemies?
After all someone is doing it, even under the strictures of the law having to do with third party intermediaries. Hizballah has done it many times trading prisoners and human remains with the Israelis. Are they operating within the law that they make the rest of us operate under?
A good argument can be made within the law that ther can be a border crossing for use of 3rd party nationals who are not barred from either Israel or Lebanon.
It has a specific and reasonable purpose to us: a land route for trucking freight to or through Egypt.
I study and live in Europe and my building has several Israeli tenants, also Arabs and arab-israelis!
We all live in peace and we help each other all the time! In fact I invite my door-to-door jewish israeli neighbour to my apartment very often and sometimes he brings along more israelis!
This experience totally changed my mentality towards israel! We cannot blame or hate the people and public, they did not choose where to be born or what their identity to be! But we can choose to open our minds and accept nothing but love and peace from each other!
I am very proud that I live among them now, I feel a sense of accomplishment! For sure you are familiar with the saying “Theres bread and salt between us”, and what is more important in life than to share the basic necessities in life? Stop reading and listening to the Television and media, make up your friends and enemies by your own experience! Don’t get into other people’s war!
I am in no way defending Israel, I am just drawing a line between the government and the public! I am knowledgable enough to know who is a threat to me and who should be my real enemy!
I study medicine and I have a degree in Business, and this led me into reading a lot of books and watch much less television! I reached into the conclusion that I should not make any enemies and we are all humans before we became to be labeled by religion or citizenship!
Well Said !
I would consider a few other countries in the Middle East as enemies.
ok now here is the embarrassing question, can you call or chat with a Lebanese living in Israel ? (let’s say Lebanese in Israel, those who left in 2000)
In the country I live now Lebanese and Israelis cooperate a lot. Lebanese restaurants buy many things from the Kosher for example…
Regardless of the intent, I cannot imagine a government that respects its’ people telling them whom they can’t talk to. No matter who they are.
Notably, the validity of the use of the term “within the limits established by law” makes one un-free. The use of the most extreme example needs to be tested, just as the ACLU did traditionaly in the United States with “abhorrent speech”. Like it or not, speech is speech, freedom of association is freedom of association. You can’t have it at all if you make exceptions.
Article 13 from the constitution of The Lebanon:
The freedom to express one’s opinion orally or in writing, the freedom of the press, the freedom of assembly, and the freedom of association shall be guaranteed within the limits established by law.
If you try to quibble that it’s synonymous with treasonous action, you’re being paranoid. Harm has to be proven first.