Jews worldwide invented a narrative of love with #TelavivlovesBeirut after a Beirut information site, Beirutcityguide.com, site expressed hostility on Twitter about a as great tourist destinations on Friday. The online controversy started when Israeli investment manager Marc Leibowitz tweeted an article from Forbes featuring the two cities as great travel destinations. Leibowitz tagged two accounts in the tweet, @Beirutcityguide and Tel Aviv's official tourism account. But the Lebanese organization, did not appreciate being mentioned in the same category as the 'White City,' as Tel Aviv is known. The @Beirutcityguide sent out a tweet asking to be disassociated with the article. Can we be excluded from this narrative? https://t.co/DDNTxQVbpD — Beirut.com (@BeirutCityGuide) October 27, 2017 What followed was an impromptu viral campaign by Israelis and Jews expressing warm sentiments towards the 'Paris of the Middle East.' Because #TelAvivLovesBeirut ❤️ @BeirutCityGuide pic.twitter.com/laa3LPqffY — StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) October 27, 2017 As an Israeli, I have no problem with my Lebanese neighbors! I wish to visit Beirut one day!! #TelAvivLovesBeirut #Peace — Yahya Mahamid محاميد (@3moYahya) October 27, 2017 That feeling however, was not reciprocated. Multiple posts on the the social media site followed @Beirutcityguide's lead and expressed distaste, to put it mildly, at the comparison. #TelAvivLovesBeirut Me: Beirut: Hezbollah : Iranian ballistic missiles : — Dima Salloum (@DimaSalloumm) October 29, 2017 #TelAvivLovesBeirut They send their aircrafts over our country, they claim more land, threat, kidnapp, kill, bomb it.#TelAvivLeaveBeirut — ولاء مراد (@WalaaMrad) October 29, 2017 Shove this hashtag #TelAvivLovesBeirut up your asses — ولاء مراد (@WalaaMrad) October 29, 2017 @Beirutcityguide's hostility on social media towards Israel is not surprising considering the reaction the Lebanese government has had when Lebanese citizens associate with Israeli on social media. In 2017 Swedish-Lebanese beauty pageant winner of the Miss Lebanon Emigrant contestant, Amanda Hanna, had her title removed after a Facebook photo of her visiting Israel surfaced. In 2015 Miss Lebanon Sally Greige at the Miss Universe contest was threatened to have her title removed when a photo on Facebook surfaced of her standing next to Miss Israel. A survey of conducted by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitude in 2010 surveyed Muslim majority nations' attitude towards Jews. An overwhelming 98% of Lebanese views Jews negatively.
