Jordan screens “Wonder Woman” despite calls for ban

CAIRO - 16 June 2017: Jordan screened “Wonder Woman” in cinemas Wednesday despite widespread demand from Jordanians to ban the film because it’s star, Israeli Gal Gadot, once served as an officer in the Israeli Defense Forces.

The film ended up in theaters because Jordanian laws regarding films “only work on paper and not in practice,” according to Jordanian newspaper Al Bawaba.

Director General of the Media Commission Mohammed Qtaishat stated said in a Monday interview with the newspaper that the film was screened because there was a “lack of legal precedent” to ban it.

“Wonder Woman” has received wide criticism in the Middle East because its leading lady, Gadot, served in the Israeli army in the 2006 Lebanese war, during which 1,200 civilians were killed, including many children.

The movie has thus been controversial across the Middle East. In Jordan, parliamentarian Dima Tahbob has even sent a letter to Jordanian Minister of Communication Mohamed El Mawmeny denouncing the decision to show the film, according to a Tuesday report by Jordanian news agency Ammon News.

Tahbob said screening the film in Jordanian cinemas will “normalize” affairs with Israel. She added that Jordanians “will not be culturally educated” by the film, and that it is more important to be consistent with their stance on the Palestinian case against Israel.