Lebanese media deletes animated Angry Birds caricature of Hezbollah leader after judicial order

Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI) has been compelled to take down an animated video that humorously depicted Hezbollah figures, including Secretary-General Naim Qassem, as characters from the popular game Angry Birds. The order came from Ahmad Rami al-Hajj, the public prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, following a complaint from Hezbollah, which deemed the video "offensive and cheap insults that degrade political discourse to a repulsive level."

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

Interestingly, the video was not entirely one-sided, as it also portrayed Israeli soldiers as the green pigs, the antagonists in the Angry Birds narrative. Despite this, Hezbollah's supporters reacted strongly, reportedly directing insults at Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, the highest Christian authority in Lebanon. This reaction highlights the delicate sectarian balance in Lebanon and the potential for even lighthearted content to ignite tensions.

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the targeting of the heads of Christian and Islamic sects and spiritual authorities in Lebanon to be a condemned and rejected act, given the values that spiritual leaders represent, which transcend the religious dimension to touch the national dimension.

In response to the controversy and the sectarian backlash, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun issued a statement urging citizens to reject sectarian divisions and uphold national unity. He condemned the targeting of religious and spiritual leaders, emphasizing that their values transcend religious boundaries to touch upon the national dimension. President Aoun called for differences in viewpoints to remain within a political framework, advising against personal insults, especially given the country's current challenging circumstances that necessitate broad national solidarity. This incident underscores the ongoing efforts to navigate complex political and sectarian landscapes within Lebanon.

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Therefore, it is incumbent upon all to refrain from undermining these values that embody the unity of Lebanon and its people, in addition to the fact that applicable laws prohibit such offenses and punish their perpetrators.