In a victorious move for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, authorities have decided to ban the all-new DC Comics movie Wonder Woman from screening in Lebanese theaters.
The ban, which was issued by the minister of interior based on the recommendation of a six-member Ministry of Economy committee, went into effect hours before the movie was due to premiere on Wednesday night.
The reason behind the ban is Wonder Woman's lead actress, Gal Gadot, who is not only Israeli, but also a former Israeli army soldier.
The Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel-Lebanon led the campaign that put pressure on the government to block Wonder Woman, which had already passed Lebanon's standard security screening procedures and was promoted in theaters across the country.
Earlier this week, Lebanon's Ministry of Economy and Trade announced that measures were underway to ban the movie, demanding that the General Directorate of Public Security withdraw the film from theaters.
Movie theaters have pulled the movie from theaters, as a security official told the Associated Press that violators of the ban will face legal consequences.
The lead actress Gal Gadot had served in the Israeli army for two years and has previously voiced her support for the Israeli military forces on her official Facebook page.
"I am sending my love and prayers to my fellow Israeli citizens. Especially to all the boys and girls who are risking their lives protecting my country against the horrific acts conducted by Hamas," Gadot wrote during the 2014 Gaza War, also known as Operation Protective Edge, which saw Israeli forces kill more than 2,100 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in less than two months.
Gadot has also boasted about how her military training has helped train her for acting.
Wonder Woman has caused quite the controversy in Lebanon, with many speaking out against the ban and saying that the movie has nothing to do with Israel.
Others, however, hailed the ban as a victory, condemning the normalization of ties with Israel and refusing to allow a supporter of oppression to hit the big screens.
"Thank God the film was banned, and we pledge to work on banning any similar films," Samah Idriss, a founder of the Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel-Lebanon, told Reuters.
