A young TikToker of Israeli origin taking a photo in downtown Beirut. Photo taken from the account miquel_otin.gom.
BEIRUT — A Spanish TikToker, identified by Internet users as being Israeli, and whose profile, with his name written in Arabic and Hebrew regularly includes the Israeli flag, this week published videos on Instagram and TikTok of a trip he took to Lebanon, in particular Beirut and Jbeil, and then to Israel, which provoked divided reactions among Lebanese Internet users. Although the man never introduced himself as Israeli, and information brought to L'Orient-Le Jour specified that he does not have Israeli nationality, he interacts with people commenting on his posts without denying their allegations concerning his nationality.
Under Lebanese law, citizens of Israel, including those holding dual nationality, are prohibited from entering Lebanon, and Lebanese citizens are barred from entering Israel. The two countries are technically still at war, as no armistice has ever been signed following multiple conflicts.
Lebanon considers any form of contact with Israel — whether travel, business, or otherwise — as a serious offense. Israelis with an Israeli stamp or visa in their passport can face denial of entry or detention.
While some Israelis have entered Lebanon by concealing their Israeli nationality through a second passport, this remains illegal and carries the risk of arrest, detention or expulsion.
In response to a comment on one of his posts, he stated that he had traveled to Lebanon using his American and Spanish passports.
His posts, which began on April 15, show him in various locations around Beirut, including Achrafieh, Hamra and Mar Mikhael. He also shared footage from Martyrs' Square in downtown Beirut, with the Mohammad al-Amine Mosque and the Lebanese flag in the background.
In one post, Gomez invites followers to guess his location, adding in the caption, “Lebanon welcomes all faiths, including Muslims, Christians and Armenians.” Other clips depict him walking near Pigeon Rock in Raouche and visiting Jbeil. His final post, uploaded last Monday, shows him at an airport in Cyprus, following a stopover before continuing his journey to Israel.
The Lebanese General Security, responsible for overseeing entry and exit from Lebanon, had not responded to inquiries from L'Orient-Le Jour regarding Gomez’s visit at the time of publication.
Mixed reactions among Lebanese
Lebanese social media users, particularly young adults, have reacted strongly to Gomez's "trip" to Lebanon, with divided opinions emerging online. Whole some called for "Lebanese and Israelis to move past the conflict," others expressed outrage, even issuing threats.
One user, Lyn, commented under Gomez's video in Beirut: "Come to the South, believe me, we will welcome you well," accompanied by emojis of a bomb and flames. Another, Ali Jaber, wrote: "Let's meet, and we will remind you how we treated your ancestors."
Conversely, a user under the pseudonym Yano wrote: "Come visit Bikfaya [Metn district] and let me know when you arrive, so I can show you around," with a heart emoji. Another, Hamza, wrote: "Lebanon unites everyone: Muslims, Christians, Jews and Druze. Everyone is welcome," followed by the Lebanese flag.
This incident comes amid increasing international pressure from Tel Aviv and Washington on Lebanon to normalize its relations with Israel, a move that Beirut has firmly rejected. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated in April that Israel sought to "normalize its relations with Lebanon," although he recognized this seems "premature from a Lebanese perspective."
U.S. deputy envoy to the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus, had previously called for open dialogue between Lebanon and Israel, stating that the Lebanese president supported diplomatic negotiations. However, in early February, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun rejected the idea of normalization, though he expressed openness to involving "civil experts" in working groups with Israel.
Not the first time
In October 2024, amid the raging war between Israel and Hezbollah, an Israeli national, who entered Lebanon using a British passport, was arrested in Beirut's southern suburbs. Israeli media outlet Ynet News identified the person as Joshua Tartakovsky, a former ultra-Orthodox Jew from Jerusalem. Tartakovsky had entered Lebanon posing as an "investigative journalist."
In 2021, Alyne Tamir, an American-Israeli video blogger with millions of subscribers, participated in the Beirut marathon. After her departure from Lebanon, she posted on her Instagram account (Dear Alyne) a photo with a caption claiming she had undertaken a "secret trip" in Beirut.
In March last year, a group of Israeli ultra-Orthodox entered southern Lebanon near Houla (Marjayoun) for a "religious visit" organized by the Israeli army along the border, inside Lebanese territory.
This article was modified on April 30 at 8 p.m. with information concerning the nationality of Gomez, following information received by L'Orient-Le Jour.
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