Social media uproar after Israeli actress Gal Gadot wears Lebanese brand

Israeli actress Gal Gadot has caused a social media storm for attending the National Board of Review awards Tuesday night in a dress by Lebanese designer Elie Saab.

Elie Saab shared a photograph of the ‘Wonder Woman’ actress wearing a dress from its collection and social media lost its cool. Gadot wore the one-shoulder blue dress with a thigh-high slit to collect the organization’s Spotlight award

Since there are tensions between Israel and Lebanon, the post immediately sparked a backlash online, before being removed altogether. A Lebanese journalist Heba Bitar commented on social media, “I love and respect Saab, but is he really happy an Israeli actress wore a dress he designed?”.

Saab captained the photo as, “A flawless Gal Gadot in Elie Saab ready-to-wear spring summer 2018 at the national board of review annual gala in New York”. Many Lebanese were unhappy with Saab’s praise of the Israeli star.

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The deleting of Saab's picture has also drawn a mixed reaction on social media. While one user praised the decision to remove the post, another called the whole debacle shameful.

In 2014, Gadot faced backlash for her support of the Israeli armed forces during the Gaza War – which she posted on Instagram and Facebook. Lebanon is officially at war with Israel and has a decades-old law that boycotts Israeli products and bars Lebanese citizens from travelling or having contacts with Israelis Last year, Gadot's superhero film was also banned from Lebanese cinemas.