Maysam Ali, NOW Staff , July 3, 2009 Lebanese civil society groups have voiced concern for cultural freedom and individual liberties, after Moroccan-French comedian Gad Elmaleh pulled out of the Beiteddine Festival this week, due to accusations of supporting Israel from Hezbollah’s TV station, Al Manar. Elmaleh, who is Jewish, had been scheduled to perform his latest show, Papa est en haut (“Dad is upstairsâ€_), at Lebanon’s famous summer festival, but after the Beiteddine organizing committee announced this year’s line at the beginning of June, Al Manar broadcasted a report accusing Elmaleh of being a veteran of the Israeli army who acted as Israel’s “Francophone Ambassador.â€_ By way of proof, the report showed a photograph of a soldier that viewers were told was Elmaleh, as well as comments in which the... [read full story]
