"The Lebanese star and artistic personality, Nancy Ajram. (Photo taken from her Instagram account.)
BEIRUT — An official complaint against Lebanese singer and television personality Nancy Ajram has been filed with the military prosecutor following her encounter with an Israeli blogger during a concert in Cyprus, several media outlets reported on Thursday. In this complaint, Lebanese lawyer Charbel Arab accuses Ajram of violating the Israeli boycott law.
"It was established through social media that the artist Nancy Ajram met an Israeli blogger, while our territory is being bombarded by the enemy ... This situation constitutes a clear violation of the Israeli boycott law, which prohibits any exchange with the Israeli enemy," the document reads, filed under number 4115/2024 and dated Feb. 22, 2024.
Lebanon adopted a law in 1955 prohibiting contacts with Israelis or individuals residing in Israel, as well as economic relations with Israeli companies. It also prohibits any kind of transaction, whether commercial, financial, or otherwise with the Israeli state, with violations punishable by three to ten years of forced labor.
Israeli blogger Itzik Balas posted photos of himself with the Lebanese singer on his Instagram account, followed by 200,000 subscribers. "I was excited to meet the world-famous megastar of the Arab world, the Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram," he wrote in English in the caption of the photos, adding in Arabic, "habibt al alb" meaning beloved.
For or against
These images made quick rounds on social media and garnered an enflamed response. Ajram was heavily criticized for being photographed with an Israeli, especially during Israel's war on Gaza and daily clashes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Many others came to Ajram's defense, stating that there is no way for her to know a fan's nationality before taking a photo with them.
This is not the first time Ajram has been at the center of such controversy. "I will not give testimonials about my patriotism to anyone! ... I will no longer comment [on the subject] because my belonging to this land and its roots transcends trivialities and remains above all considerations," the singer wrote on X in 2023 in response to criticism.
She accompanied her message with an Arabic hashtag saying, "I am Lebanese and Arab until the last breath," adding, "Thank you for the love and support."
Such controversies are a common occurrence in Lebanon. In 2015, Miss Lebanon, Sally Jreige, then a candidate for the Miss Universe competition, was photographed with Miss Israel. In 2019, the president of the Lebanese wrestling federation, Omr Eskandarani, refused to allow Lebanon's wrestling champion, Domenic Abounader, to compete against an Israeli at the World Wrestling Championships in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan.
Israel occupied large swaths of Lebanon for more than 20 years following the Civil War, withdrawing troops in 2000. In 2006, the war between Israel and Hezbollah resulted in over 1,200 deaths in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and about 160 Israelis, primarily soldiers.