Alghadeer TV Alghadeer TV
Lebanese media broadcast interviews with the U.S. ambassador on Sunday, ignoring a ruling by a judge who banned the diplomat from television for a year over meddling in Lebanese internal affairs
In an interview with Saudi-owned AlHadath television on Friday, U.S. ambassador Dorothy Shea said Hezbollah’s behavior was preventing Lebanon from properly dealing with a deep economic crisis.
A judge in the southern city of Tyre ruled on Saturday that Shea’s comments had incited sectarian strife, and banned broadcasting interviews with her for a year. State-owned National News Agency (NAA) said media that violate the ban would be fined $200,000.
Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad tweeted that she understood the judge’s concerns about diplomats meddling in Lebanon’s internal affairs.
A Lebanese government official and a Western diplomatic source both said Shea had been summoned to the foreign ministry on Sunday. No further details were given.
