Hezbollah slams Lebanese TV for ‘Angry Birds’ clip mocking leader

Hezbollah has issued a strong rebuke against Lebanese broadcaster LBCI for a video that depicted its leaders and fighters as characters from the popular "Angry Birds" mobile game. The group labeled the clip as "offensive and cheap insults that degrade political discourse to a repulsive level," asserting that it was orchestrated by "enemies of the resistance."

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offensive and cheap insults that degrade political discourse to a repulsive level.

The video, which aired on LBCI, portrayed Hezbollah's deputy leader, Naim Qassem, a Shia cleric, addressing his fighters, all animated as birds from the game, engaged in combat against the Israeli army, depicted as the game's green pigs. This satirical portrayal has ignited a firestorm among Hezbollah loyalists, who have retaliated by sharing images insulting Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai, the highest Christian authority in Lebanon.

In response to the escalating sectarian rhetoric, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun intervened, condemning and rejecting any attacks on religious leaders from both Christian and Muslim communities. He urged the public to refrain from personal insults, emphasizing the need for national solidarity, particularly given the country's current challenging circumstances. Despite Lebanon's relatively open media environment compared to some Arab nations, artists and media figures often face harassment for content deemed offensive to political or religious figures.

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condemned and rejected any attacks on the heads of Christian and Muslim religious communities and spiritual figures in Lebanon.

This incident highlights the volatile intersection of media, politics, and religion in Lebanon. While LBCI has since distanced itself from its founding political party and aims for a more independent image, the controversy underscores the sensitivity surrounding depictions of religious and political figures. The ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, marked by significant casualties and displacement in Lebanon, adds a layer of tension to such domestic disputes, making calls for national solidarity particularly pertinent.

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Before our holy symbols and our sheikh (Qassem), all holy symbols fall