In Beirut, the censors have banned “The Da Vinci Code†as anti-Christian and the TV series “The West Wing†as anti-Arab. The security directorate has broad powers in other areas, too, refusing permission, for instance, for the director Francis Ford Coppola to land his private jet in Beirut in 2009 because the engine included parts made in Israel; he had to land in Damascus, Syria, instead, and travel overland.
As Lebanese filmmaker Danielle Arbid nicely puts it, “Nothing works in this country except the censorship bureau,â€.
Read the full article [Here].
censorship is a huge embarrassment for Lebanon..
We are supposed to be a beacon of Freedoms and liberties in the middle east
“because the engine included parts made in Israel”… seriously?!?!
What about US censorship of anything related to Iran? have you heard of the US resolutions concerning prohibition on dealing or having transactions with Iran and other states considered as the Evil? Do you know Americans cannot buy Cuban cigars or import it or smoke it in public in the US?
It’s either you are convinced that Israel is an enemy and then you should not be embarrassed, or you don’t think it is an enemy, then it’s another question. the problem is that those who consider themselves as liberal intellectuals did not set the premises for their Israel boycotting, maybe because it was in the past years the activity of non-liberal or fanatic organizations. There is no contradiction between being liberal and boycotting Israel
Censorship and rating exists in all countries including US and Europe, but the problem in Lebanon is that there is no criteria for rating or censorship.
Are you honestly comparing censorship in USA to Lebanon??
There is no logic to your comparison because even though it may exist in both countries, the degrees of Censorship in Lebanon is in a league of its own.
In regards to Israel..
I would much rather live in Telaviv then Tehran any day if I had the choice between the two.