Beirut Governor Removes Statue in Heart of City Because It Remotely Resembles Star of David

On December 15, 2019, New Lebanon Online published a report about a statue that was removed from Martyrs’ Square in the heart of Beirut at the behest of Beirut’s governor, Ziad Chbib. The statue, which was made of several large squares of metal, was removed because of a viral photo that showed that it looks like a Star of David when viewed from a specific angle. Expressing his disapproval of the fact that some people do not understand art and culture, the reporter emphasized that Israel is Lebanon’s number one enemy and criticized Lebanon’s media for spreading lies and misinforming the public. The statue, by British artist Nathaniel Rackowe, was installed in Beirut Martyrs' Square in July 2018.