The Lebanese have always been known for their charm and beauty with which they can make it to Hollywood! The famous Lebanese ladies are now the main actresses in a lot of Egyptian movies and their presence is strong in the Egyptian cinema. For example; Nicole Saba stood face to face with the biggest comedian in Egypt Adel Imam, and Haifa Wehbe, who is the most famous singer in the Arab world right now, is about to venture in her debut role in an Egyptian movie. The list is long and includes more and more names like Syrine Abdel Nour, Maya Nasri, Nourhan & Nour.
Some people think that this is very normal and it is backed by a lot of history in which a lot of Lebanese were in the Egyptian cinema and were very popular and famous as much as Egyptians, just like Sabah. They also say ‘we are all Arabs and we must be like one country’. Some others don’t really like this “phenomena”, as they call it, because they think it will have a negative influence on other girls in the Arab world by imitating them especially in they way they dress. Anyways, it has been known for decades, that if anyone wants to be famous they just hit the road to Egypt and wait for the first chance to be in a movie & get adopted by any producer.
Whether they are Lebanese or Tunisian or Syrian, we are all Arabs.
By Ghada
Comments
Yeah right "One country"
Soon the Egyptians will be speaking Lebanese, eating Tabbouleh, drinking Arak, and dancing dabkeh.
I don't see why should they mind that.
It is true, if you as an Arab want to become famous,go to Egypt!
They do not call Egypt Balad al Fan for nothing!
Faysal.
I don't get your comment at all ya lebchris, well the first sentence I do. I am sure that there are a lot of egyptians that do these things already, as do many Lebanese eat Egyptian foods and enjoy Egyptian culture. I doubt that all of Egypt will suddenly adopt our way of life, which in many parts of our country is not so different to theirs aside from the food and dancing!!! Also when you go to a certain country, its dialect does take over yours, such as when Lebanese go to Egypt or when we have visitors from other Arab countries to Lebanon.
So we're not really "one country" and we will never be, this does not mean that we do say that once in a while, it is psychologically helpful! These usually empty words can provide you with hope.
Anyway I don't understand the argument that "it will have a negative influence on other girls in the Arab world by imitating them especially in they way they dress"?. I don't see most Egyptian actresses dressing any better. That was one weak argument especially that Arab girls do see these ladies quite often on TV.
I for once never eaten Egyptian food?
Name me some that we do in Lebanon
You see S.M.S concerning the bad "influence" these artists have, its just another exaggeration born out of a traditional vision that the Arab woman (God knows what it is) is virtuous, chaste and supposed to be covered up.
However, we see well that in North African country, the girls dress like Europeans, as for Egypt, since the fourties we saw actresses and dancers on the silver screen in shorts and revealing clothing.
I mean, until recently we barely saw a kiss in a Lebanese movie, while in Egypt, 30 years ago you could see very suggestive sensual scenes by acclaimed actresses such as Nadia Loutfi and Souad Housni, whom where not deemed "a bad influence".
Even in recent times, artists like Dina, Fifi Abdo, Lucy dress way more revealing than any of our actresses.
However, maybe our artists fault is they are way too gorgeous, plastic surgery or not, and unfortunately, either in the east or the west, beauty is fodder for movie viewer and the entertainment industry as a whole.
While many of the Egyptian actresses are turning into veil, the void must be filled by other Arab-speakers. For a while they will have to make do with the Lebanese.
Lebchris, i agree with you to an extent when you reference movies from the 40's, 50's and 60's with actresses wearing bikinis, shorts and barely nothing, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and making out on the screen and no one as much as flinched at the site. For some reason, back then it was accepted because there wasn't much resistence from the Arab world against the Western life. Nowadays, becoming "European" or "American" is a forbidden way of thinking and that's why they're trying to avoid the so-called "bad influence". Furthermore, the names you mentioned "dina, fefe abdou and lucy", those are belly dancers, they're not actresses or singers. And those are only 3 Egyptian women you named that don't fit the discussion. As for Lebanese people adapting to Egytpian culture and vise versa, lets be real...you might not eat the Egyptian food, but you can't make it in the "Arabic hollywood" without speaking the dialect, hence the success of Nancy Agram, Haife Wehbe, Nour, etc. They all sing and speak Egyptian
That was a good read.
BUT, there are some things I don't agree with, like saying a very unapporpiatte singer like Haifa is the no.1 singer in the middle east. I don't then you can even thing to put her in the same category as Amr Diab and many other good arab singers around.
And a great example to show that Egypt produces stars easier than anyone else is Nour, who I bet you five years ago was not even known. She stars in one movie in Egypt with Ahmed El Sakka, and BOOM she's become one of the most seen actors on the screen these days.
But in the end you cant compare any of these actors to the Egyptian ones like, Youssra, Mona Zaki, Faten Hamama (how do you spell that?) Mena Shalabi, all the actors from the "old" days, Somaya el Khashab, or Yasmeen Abel Aziz.
As for the males, there is not even a competition there.
It was still a interesting article to read.
without any questions egypt iz the arab holliwood w mafeesh monaseb w el big artistes in egypt bia5do el lebanese 3shan bas so7abhom 3ady
Yes I agree with your last comment lebchris. It is always a bone of contention with me the way they label the Lebanese dress sense as inappropriate and their behaviour as immoral. I am sorry that while our Lebanese do what they do in public, most of the other Arab girls do under the covers, no pun intended. That is a fact that most will deny, because hypocracy is inbred in each and everyone of us!!
In addition to the three recent ladies you mentioned, Fifi etc..., there are many others Which I completely forgotten their names. I believe the number would triple if they weren't prosecuted by their society and media. So their produces do have to make do with some of our Lebanese girls cast in some of the less desired roles by their "conservative" ladies.
I remember once Lucy on an interview with the LBC, where Tony commented on her short skirt, and she replied "well I am in Beirut after all"!!!, hello!! la2ano smalla she dresses more conservatively in Egypt. Tony answered her along the lines "you always talk as if our women walk naked in the street".
I am not saying anything against the morals of Egyptian women or other Arab ladies, that would be ridiculous of me. However in every society, there is bound to be immorality, just like there is in ours.
They criticize us, and those same arabs on their way over, start throwing their clothes out of the plane (well obviously this was an exaggeration on my point to state a point).
Anyway, Egypt dominates, has always did, and will always do in the area of movies. however it is lately more of the quantity over quality, more like Bollywood than Hollywood. They only make on really decent movies every 2 years, howver Hollywood does still manage a relatively good % of watcheable movies a year.
Quite sad, because Egypt does not lack the talent neither the human resources to produce first class productions.
Anyway hoping I didn't offend anyone, and if I didn't, will come back later to finish the jod :P.
Yalla 3ishtom wa 3ash 2lwatan 2l3araby 7ourran, sayidan, moustaqilan and united. Yeah right!!!
*job
Sorry for any other mistakes.
*on my part
Apparently je suis malade.
Funny but Dalida was really malade, that song was a cry for help from a woman tormented by her own personal demons. allah yer7ama.
sorry if I went offtopic.
Found another one '3oushtom' not 3eishtom...
looooooool .. for sure they have to come to egypt !! 3shan masr om el sonaya w bald el fan !!! da 27na ben3mel lel lebenese 2ema w homa wala 7aga wala kano 7ayet3rafoo 3'eer lama ye3'ano bel masry w yemaslo bel masry !! 3shan egypt betswel lel middle east kolha laken lebanon matwaslesh 7ata le lebanon nafsaha!! el mafrood teshkoro egypt elly 3malt le manzkeroo 7aga!!
''The Lebanese have always been known for their charm and beauty with which they can make it to Hollywood''!!!!!!
Ghada: Name me one Leb star that made it into Hollywood?
''Soon the Egyptians will be speaking Lebanese''!!!!!!
Lebchris: Name me one Egyptian that sang in Lebanese?
No offence but some people talk absolute sh*t. Yekhribeit il 3abat 3ala sineno.
Lebchris again: Tabboulah's main ingredient issss KosKos. Who invented KousKous..... Moroccans did!!! KosKos is the smallest pasta variety in the world created by Moroccans so go and do your homework about what comes from where.
Further more regardless of who is in Egyptian movies now...I would rather eat horse manure mashed together with mouse guts than have to sit through an entire modern Egyptian movie. And for that matter Hollywood movies now are just as pointless.
Unfortunately lebchris does need to let go of his/her overzealous and misplaced nationilistic pride. Nothing wrong with being patriotic, but u go overboard in order to cause offense. A shame given ur obviously an intelligent person whose some comments are quite enjoyable and offer valid arguments. I have been watching too many European movies lately, FAR TOO MANY!!!... And goodness my second comment is riddled with mistakes...
omg 3ala all egyptians here in this site..
We are all one country,, Egypt is hollywood lebanon is paris... WE ARE ONE COUNTRY..
I love eating the tabola and kobeba alot...
When it comes to movies and songs egyptians are the best
When it comes to fashion and style lebanon is the best
End of discussion.
Sorry but Egypt is Egypt & Lebanon is Lebanon. Paris is Paris & Hollywood is Hollywood...these comparisons offer nothing but aggravation. Hollywood is as fake as can be, & Paris is overrated & certainly not as classy as it once was. Oh but the dreamy accent (dribbles).
I think European cinema is the most credible now actually too, even if they do use American actors now & then. It used to be stereotyped as sexual, provocative & too foreign somehow but actually I think it's far more perceptive than the others mentioned. The problem with Hollywood is that it got & is still far too gripped with big budgets, big actors and big effects and so inevitably losing sight of the story. The only working actor who I truly have always appreciated is Mr Depp; pure class. I’ve seen most of his weirdo movies. Sean Penn is another class actor who should have gotten better roles. The old timers are pretty much all good.
By the way Silvana the idea of Egyptian cinema fading is due to the thing u r well aware off; wasta as in they all know somebody who knows somebody…u know the deal. Or an old time actor’s son or daughter squeezes into the industry one way or another. Adel Imam’s son is a director, why? Not talent but coz of blood. And this is pretty much the case with all those losers. In the olden times you had poor people or people from the fala7een getting recognised coz people were quality & wanted quality. The other way of getting into any industry is simply by being wealthy or the kid of someone wealthy orrrrr being an ex-Miss ‘Egypt/Lebanon’ hehe nearly forgot that one…undoubtedly one big mockery.
P.S. Lebchris is FE/MALE
Lebchris is a S/HE
Kidding jusssst kidding take a chill pill but yep Lebchris is of the curvier species 4 sure.
I am proud to say I have never watched a Bollywood movie.
all i wanna say is:
T7YA MASR!!!
w y3eesh gamalha and her thriving entertainment productions ya om el donya!
lol wouldn't be nice if certain chill pills such as Xanax, Valuim etc., would be taken without any side effects such as addiction. You buy them as you would chewing gum to consume whenever you need a high!
the only person that needs a chill pill today is our manager being investigated for inappropriate behaviour, poor dude running around like a headless chook.
I don't assume anything these days, I am leaning towards the female variety myself, but can't be definite.
I spelt nationalistic wrong in my previous comment lol. I really review my comments more carefully.
*should review :P.
Khalass I promise no more commenting or correcting, unless I felt obliged to by law.
WHAT THE HELL ABOUT TABBOULEH??
The Lebanese tabbouleh has nothing to do with the Maghreb.
Our tabbouleh is a salad made of parsley and burgul.
If you mean burgul, then it is an ingredient introduced by the Turkish, of course regardless of the fact that what is known as "Arabic food" is basically Turkish-Greek.
As for the Lebanese women who made it to Hollywood, there are many names of Lebanese parents or descent such as Salma Hayek, Amy Yazbek, Marlo Thomas, Kathy Najimy, Shannon Elizabeth and the lot. Plus there has been talk about Haifa acting in Hollywood, sponsored by Elie Samaha, another Lebanese producer who made it to hollywood.
I know we could do better but not bad for a start.
lebchris, the word "Arab" does not refer to race. We are Persians, Turks, Africans, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Sumerians, Bedouin, Babylonians, and so on. We are Muslim, Christian, Druze, and even Jewish. We are linked by a language and a history of trade and culture. Look at countries like Malaysia or Singapore, they have people of Chinese, Indian, Sri Lankan, Indonesian origins and they all consdier eachother one people! That is like us Arabs. I'm not supporting the enforcement of any religion's culture on any other culture, of course. I really think Arab culture has gone down the drain in terms of open-mindedness, where are the 40's?!
Anyway, I could rant about that for hours...
Although I usually disagree with you lebchris, your last comment brings up a good point. There are a lot of Lebanese stars in Hollywood, you forgot to mention Tony Shalhoub from "Monk", too, who won an Emmy award.
However, what I found disappointing is during Lebanon's struggle, not a single one of them came out and said "Hey, that's my country in trouble." Unlike, so many Lebanese expatriates in the West, the stars stuck to their US, Canadian, and South American nationalities, and forgot their Lebanese and Arab brothers and sisters.
I agree wholeheartedly with the last part of your comment. Some of them do mention their Lebanese ancestary every now and then, but that is about it!
The point you all seem to be ignoring is the fact that Ghada wrote:
"The Lebanese have always been known for their charm and beauty with which they can make it to Hollywood! " CAN make it not actually MADE it, it was an innocent introduction to an article which was laced by a harmless compliment. I meant to ask before, do you Sam doubt that some Lebanese can actually possess the talent or the charm to break into Hollywood???!!! I understand the rest of your comment and I agree with it but that?????
There are plenty of talented people around the world, and some strike it into Hollywood, However the chances of an Arab making it are very slim, not since Omar Elsherif whose origins do hail from Lebanon!. I love the dude from Mash who was Lebanese, his name slipped my mind but he was hilarious, well the show itself was brilliant.
It was my destiny to write that comment :P, so I felt obliged to even though I promised to comment anymore, but then again it is not the first time I break such a promise :).
The guy from mash is called Jamie Farr (Jamil Farah) originally.
Anyway, the best Egyptian director, Youssef Chahine is a catholic Lebanese from Zahleh.
As for you Ahmad, you cannot really blame the hollywood stars for not getting into solidarity with their "Arab" brothers.
You see many of these people's parents (including my Grandfather) when they immigrated to the states or the Americas, the Ottoman empire was in place, and they were referred to as Turks.
In fact I saw the ship manifesto of my Grandad it said (Mount Lebanon, Turkey) ehehh.
This Arab so-called nationalism first came as a wave following the disintegration of the Ottoman empire and then with Nasser.
So many of these people, have a hard time bonding with Lebanon as such, much less with a panarab entity.
Plus, there is the religious factor. For the western mind, Arab= Muslim. The 10% of Christians living the the Arab countries are not much counterweight to such allegation, plus the fact that the spirit of the Arab culture is Islam. If it were not for the Arab Islamic conquest from the Arabian peninsula, all of these countries would be speaking their native tongues.
So for a Lebanese christian whose grandfather emigrated to the US 100 ago as a Turk, knowing that Christians, since they have no dress code, or food or drink restriction, and the French culture embedded in their community since the era of King Louis, had no problems integrating the western society.
I mean, Ralph Nader, the son of Lebanese maronite immigrants, made it to the very top running for presidential elections in the U.S.
Before blaming this or that for solidarity with people they never met, and with a broad culture they do not associate with, let's try to delve into the background of things.
Cheers
hey guys, i just wanted to say that the egyptians producers who are running after the lebanese artists not the other way and there is a big difference.
if it was the egyptian producers running after the lebanese "artists" y have the producers stayed in egypt?! y didnt they just go to lebanon n continue their productions there...
theres a difference b/w producers running after artists and artists running after producers. these artists enter egypt to make it big in the world of entertainment.
but lebanese or egyptian, whatever we r all arabs n thats the point we r missing, which is creating division as seen through tv programs, etc.
Silvana I get your point about the guy from Mash, but using his beauty and charm 2 get into Hollywood? Sense of Humour ok, talent ok, but the others I'm not too sure. And many people don't actually know him, he's not very popular. I for one have heard of Mash but don’t know the characters/ actors.
Youssef Shahine maybe Leb origin but he hardly states it; he in fact prides him self on being influenced by Egyptian culture and constantly states that. If he stayed in Lebanon would he have been discovered as a potential director & at a young age? Doubt it. Furthermore he's not the best; he's just one of the remaining old timers who is still alive. I don't like his recent stuff at all, only managed 5 minutes per film.
Salma Hayek always says she is a Latina, never ever said she is Leb. She's a popular option for bad films. I personally think she should tell the world she is a Leb and get her ass to Leb 4 once at least 2 discover the place where her father's from. As for Shannon she has Syrian roots, Leb, Irish and many more. You can't give me examples of d-list celebs or people who are mixed race but never actually tell the world they have Leb roots in them. That's just lame. You should give me names of people who acknowledge what they are openly.
Omar Sharif also on Leb Tv with a Leb presenter said 'Ana Masri', regardless of his roots. That is why I am making a point about who acknowledges what. When she asked him about religion in a later question he said I decided to be a Muslim because it incorporates all the religions of the book.
Ok I don't know what Tabboulah is...then I guess it's not as popular as you thought Lebchris.
Everyone has grandparents and relatives that move due to political factors...3ady.
If Nasser was a nationalist then why did he join with Syria to form one nation? He was not a nationalist that's ridiculous. He was against the suppression and against anyone who had wrongfully benefiting from Egypt. The Egyptians were forced to fight for the British against the Germans during the world war remember? And that was during King Farouq's rule. So should Nasser have come along clapping & praising them whilst licking their behinds? The guy is in History as one of the greatest African leaders...Not Egyptian. Even Malcolm X said it whilst USA was rife with racism and Africa was being ripped to shreds and starved out of everything and u can't argue with the late great Malcolm X. I personally think Nasser made mistakes but I shan’t delve into that alley coz that’s what Politicians do best; make mistakes. But for what was happening in Africa with all the Europeans & Americans stealing billions upon billions from it & raping the lands, he did what he thought would eliminate any risk of external threats. There’s a difference between that and Nationalism. Nationalism is when you are so blinded by something so irrelevant that you actually become inhumane and unjust toward other peoples of the world.
If you don't want to be seen as an Arab coz of its Islamic domination, then I feel sorry 4 u.
Silvana Lucy got interviewed? Oh my days. I don't even know what that woman has contributed to arts & entertainment. She just exists to benefit g-string manufacturers. Damaha te2eeeel, like fifi abdo...U know i thought fifi abdo always looked like that pardon me (mikhanshara). But in youtube she has a few very young vids & she was quite pretty. She's still a waste of good soil though.
Sam. Thank you for proving my point about the Lebanese, or people descending for what is nowadays Lebanon not acknowledging their roots.
If Youssef Chahine in Egypt does not mention it, go figure people who were born much further in time and space.
And as I said, for all those stars 90% of Christian descent, they are not interested to come back to their land since in their mind it is associated with Islam, regardless of the fact that their ancestor fled the Ottomna Islamic oppression.
If you have not heard of Tabbouleh then that does not mean it is not popular. Who are you to judge?
Who cares anyway.
Nasser not a nationalist? Isn't he a panarab nationalist who preached the dumb concept of unity and failed to unify with one country, let alone other 22?
Then I think you have the West/East complex. Each time somebody talks of something you lash out on the west and on the christian culture.
Chill out, each has its pluses and minuses. I for once feel very uncomfortable in Arab Islamic surrounding so what to do? Do I have to feel guilty? Or do I deserve lashing?
I hail for a multiconfessional, trilingual christian mediterranean culture and I happen to speak a dialect of Arabic, with a high penchant to Western cultures. Between a Greek, or an Italian and a Saudi or Omani, I'd rather stay with the former. Come and sue me
enough with religious national talk!!!
yes we arabs can make it in hollywood....recently they started to get actresses and actors from egypt to play as arabs
...i read many times that Zeina will act in a movie with roberto di neiro...and khaled abou naja (that is his name right?) was watching the foreign movie he acted in the usa ...and that mona zaki will play a role in a movie about ancinet egyptians....etc
yes arabs can play role outside but too bad just minor rules....they made that egyptian actress appear as ( a head of a terrorist group)..in a movie for george colony!!!! they make us serve their thoughts...
there r arabs in hollywood don't say they r arabs...i read about a famous writer rooted to egypt and an actress called Mena Safari of american beauty (i read her grand mom egyptian christian).... and we made it in politics....
there is an egyptian woman that made it as very high in the governoment (i think her name dina)....so we arabs do make it...!!!
and please people...i know it is about if arabs can get united or not...well i root to turkish origins...so i am half arab only....and my friends root to syria , morocco , italian , greek and sudanese (how diverse we r in looks but still have same culture and same tongue)...etc....so i guess arabs too should be like so united!....our back grounds are not the problem!!!!!so enough religious and nationalism talk!
and BEAUTY ISN'T ENOUGH TO GO TO HOLLYWOOD..why couldn't very gorgeous actresses and actors like So3ad Hosni , Nagla fathi ,roshdy abaza , shokri sarhan, mervat amin , zebeda tharwat , meriam fakhr el din , nadia lotfi , sherihan and jehan seif el nasr , yosra .....etc couldn't make it!!!!!!!
And sorry for wrong words ..:((((...i was so fast
It is ok egygirl, such discussions will not harm diplomatic relations between our countries :)...
Sam,
I was not questioning Jamie's farr sex appeal or beauty, my question to you did not relate to him at all. I was questioning your dismissal of the idea.The dude possessed no beauty, but I loved him in the show.
A lot of people do confuse couscous and burghul, but they are quite different in the way they are made, and burghul has a quite more nutritional value, lol. Just trying to add a more intellectual side to the discussion.
Anyway, it is quite sad that people that hail from the Middle East do find it convenient to disregard their origins as opposed to, let's say Italians and greeks ETC... Not only Lebanese, but also others, there is this actress Malek who has Egyptian origins but wanted it to make it plain in an interview that she has Irish, American... and some Egyptian roots. Hello your surname says it all.
We as Arabs have been defamed throughout history, and unfortunately we have a big hand in that.
I have seen even a lot of muslim Bosnians , Iranians, turkish etc who do view arabs as bloodthirsty, savages blablabla...
In regards to Youssef chahine, no one can deny he was an amazing director who was renowned internationally, but I liken him to Sabah who should've retired long time ago.
Omar sheriff once stated proudly that once you are a Leb, you are always a Leb, in a documentary by a Lebanese producer. I thought that was a hypocritical statement really. He is very proud of his Egyptian citizenship, but the man is very cunning, even the way he landed his role in "Lawrence of Arabia" showed how savvy he was.
I never understood the hype about Nasser really! I thought ElSadat was a much wiser and a much more remarkable Arab leader, and even one of the best world leaders who showed strength. Nasser made a lot of mistakes, and history is showing us that in his socalled quest to help his people, he oppressed them even more, or was just too weak and turned a blind eye. However they are all politicians, and power tends to corrupt even the most genuine dedicated leaders.
God bless Egypt
I can't imagine our state of culture and music without the enormous contributions of the great Egyptian composers, singers, poets and yes the great Nacer despite all his mistakes even the deadly ones.
God bless Lebanon
I'm deeply in love with the grandiose of Wadee3 Al Safi and Nasri Shamsedine, the sophistication of Fairouz and Majda Al Roumi and yes the land that gifted us the Southern Soldiers our nation's pride who proved to us that we didn't die yet.
It's never Egypt OR Lebanon but Egypt AND Lebanon.
I simply appreciate both of you.
I guess they r just too used 2 saying whatever pleases the audience. Once on British TV (Jonathan Ross show-me likes him) Omar Sharif said he only ever loved one woman aka Faten. But left her coz he could not resist the temptations of his new found fame aka Hollywood. And so he did not want 2 cheat on her thus justifying his actions. He's a full on idiot.
Lebchris; I haven't proved your point. All your talk is confusing matters furthermore. The fact is you are the only one here who has turned this into a religious discussion. You keep making a point about Christianity. No one cares dear the fact of the matter is there are really no countries that are led by any religious group. You should deal with that.
Furthermore; Leb food, People in Hollywood with Leb roots, they r popular 2 YOU because u as a Leb take notice of them more than myself or your average non-Leb... You have a deeper curiosity about that issue. Just as the Saudi Royal family (many who do business in the West) are popular 2 Saudis, to the rich & wealthy, but not to me. I have said it before; Moroccan cuisine is a much more popular Med-kitchen, perhaps because of their large population in France. But it doesn't matter because at the end of the day everything in this world is influenced by something which is influenced by something and so on.
Now why would someone not want to be associated to a country coz of its association to Islam but want to be associated to South America or Mexico? Countries filled with conflict, poverty, drug culture, immigration crime. I mean you're just putting all your focus and effort into Lebanon u seem 2 be blind of the fact that South-Americans hate North-Americans because of the way Washington deals with their issues.
Nationalist comes from the word nation. To be a nationalist that nation has to exist. No matter how much u preach about 'Nasser wanted such and such united...' it still never existed. Had he have just stuck to Egyptian benefits strictly whilst disregarding neighbours then yes he would have been a nationalist. As far as I am aware many Egyptian's in prisons suffered during his rule; whether he was aware of that only God knows. There's no such thing as Arab nationalist just as there is no such thing as European nationalism even though the EU now exists. It's actually quite amazing to think that the Europeans managed 2 do what most Arabs rejected a long time ago. The Europeans also managed to be one of the biggest objectors in this idea.
I'm sorry but you're an absolute fool for the lashing comment. You're actually giving us the impression of you as a total snob. You should get down from your high horse dear. If u don't like being amongst Muslims...it's a free world...do as the South Americans.
I’ll be sure to notify the Stalin family of your arrival, they’ll love you.
Egypt is the best !! w masr om el donaya w hya asl el fan ;) luv u ya egypttttttttttttttttt
Lovely words Tunisian with a touch of poetry there :)...
Walla iza masr om el donya, libnan abouha (just kidding). Well that would explain why Syria is acting like a woman scorned, haha. Lebanon has been playing the hockey pockey lately with Egypt and Saudi Arabia a bit too much lol.
Lebanese and Egyptians should compete as to whom possesses the bigger ego and the misplaced patriotic pride.
People tend to forget that Lebanon (bikharabou we is the best to its people ( a7la balad bil3alam), as Egypt is the best to its people and so on and so on.... I view Lebanon as the best because I am Lebanese, it doesn't necessarily make it true and others do not have to share my view. I do not see it or its people as superior, but gosh it's a fantastic place... Also viewing your culture as the best does not give you the right to belittle others' culture and way of life, especially when your life is destined to interact with these same people.
Sam,
guess what? I made my first bid on Ebay last night, yay!
It was a huge step for me, trust issues :D... The problem is that it's an item I don't really need.
Sorry will move on now for real!
Bye bye for me.
Sure I know our talks have no effects on real life ....S.M.S..beside u seem one of the wise nice persons here
TUNISIANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN...Ok I never thought to see you here after star academy but here u come back and with a great comment (i missed ur comments..:)) )
ok I am Egyptian and I DON'T LIKE NASSER.....do u think that all egyptians do!!! we had that talk in college ....and yeah it came that many egyptians don't like him....
Nasser worked for other arab countries' benefits over egyptians ..he let power centres (i am sure u heard that name before) put egyptians in jail and kill our youth just similar to the worst crimes happen in el mo3taklat!!!but yeah he is a hero for other arab countries bcos he freed them we understand that... so was it a great age for egypt ..oh plllllllleeeeaaaseee ..Saddat is much better than him hundred times!!!!
but there r a fault for every one...saddat let Terrorist groups nourish in egypt ..he gave them the space and egyptians got killed not by policemen and soldiers but now by terrorists!!!
and yeah the 2 ages of saddat and nasser can be reflected on cinema
simply Nasser is a very liberal thinking one so the cinema was full of movies contain drinks , bikini..etc u know the rest
Saddat's time...the actresses started to cover up more and stoped copying europe and started to represent the poor egyptians after representing (daughters and sons of rich and pashas)
i don't know what is the fighting for ??? as a matter of fact (this topic is copied and have a similar way to an article from a lebanese writer in an internet newspaper i actually read it 3 days ago) so it is not egyptians who wrote it for why was the whole blaming to us!!!
so CALM DOWN
Congrats Silvana 3o2bal il alf. So far I have won over 70 items I think and I have 100% positive feedback & 48 stars illhamdulil'allah. Though I did have to give the odd '....oh my connection was down...' when I took my time paying. Desperate means call 4 desperate measures. Some people have a 2 or 3 day payment rule, some r more laid back.
So far I have bought items from the uk, ireland, france, germany, belgium, hungary, usa, canada, italy...I dunno why it's taking so long for people in the East generally to get to grips with it.
It's a good idea to check the sellers previous feedback. I don't much 2 be honest just been going on instinct. You just need to be wary of anything that isn't an original item or conditions and so forth. Don't bother with sellers in China & other parts of the far-east when it comes to designer items.
Now women buying things they don't actually need, where have I seen that before...hmmm!
Or is it desperate times call for desperate measures/ or means. I forgot but u get the picture.
Perhaps be a bit wary with Eastern Europe too, I've never had probs there but better 2 be safe than sorry. I'm coming out with too many of these phrases today.
LeBcHRIS
Lebanese who arrived to America were called Syrian not Turkish..sure American documents when they arrived to Ellis Island, say..Damascus, Turkey..Beirut, Turkey......but we the Levantines called ourselves Syrian..the foreign colonial arrived and created 6 states out of Syria......
historical facts ..AUB when it opend was called "Syrian protestant college" when the "lebanese" opended the local YMCA in beirut they called it SYMCA
by the way are u from detroit lebchris???
goddddddd!!!!!!!!! is this a subject that neeeds discussion we all know that egypt is the mother of arts in the arab world egypt is the leader in all the domains of arts and people who say that is is not true go ask all the arab singers and actors what made them famous all the singers sang in egyptian coz they kno theyll get famous nawal el zoghby , nancy , haifa , elissa , latifa , sameera sa3eed , saba7 , warda , mayada el 7nnawy , asala and many others all of them live in egypt they eat egyptian food and speak egyptian 2 and who say other than that is definetly ( LOSER )
What does Egyptian food consists of?
Being a country that large with a large population and an unknown cuisine nevertheless leads to believe that the food there is not such a big deal.
I am curious about what you eat
George
Lebanese who arrived to America were called Syrian AND Turkish
There was no sense of a nation as Americans saw it. Probably they got those freshly coming immigrants to fill out the name of the country they came from.
For many Christian immigrants some saw themselves as part of the Ottoman empire, Turkey for the Americans, and for others in reference to Greater Syria, as opposite to Arabia or Egypt, since courses of our native Syriac/Aramaic language was still being taught by the monks in the schools.
In Lebanon's case however, the Maronites, after having an autonomous rule under the Ottomans for centuries, and ruled by a Christian European governor, following the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire, the head of the Maronite Church Patriarch Elias Hoyek, used his french connection to add more land to what is now Lebanon and proclaimed the Republic Of Greater Lebanon. The colonial interference is however valid for other countries of Greater Syria: Palestine, Jordan, Iraq and Syria. The Maronites wanted to save themselves from the rise of another Islamic empire and hence created the borders of Lebanon. If it were not for the Sunni Lebanese bid to Arabize the country, Lebanon would have been a European protectorate to this date. The mistake of the Maronite was to annex lands with Islamic majority.
Indeed, only the Mount Lebanon was considered Lebanese. Beirut, the Bekaa and Tripoli reported to the Syrian Wali. It was Beirut, Syria.
You can understand why the Syrians are still pissed off to this day for the fact that we denied them two important ports on the Mediterranean.
No George I am not from detroit. I am from the Mount Lebanon and still living there, very proud of my maronite LEBANESE heritage and will always fight against the Syrian and Arab hegemony in general.
Hey LebChris,
I'm very surprised to see that you are knowledgeable about the Levant 's history because a lot of Lebanese here in North America and in Lebanon tend to be very ignorant of their history or our (Levant) history.... it’s very reassuring that there are some die-hard patriots out there...but I hope you are also as knowledgeable about the recent political currents..
and one thing ...no the Maronites were against "Greater Lebanon"...they knew that Muslim majority Tripoli, Bekka, South Lebanon would decrease the 88% Christian majority to 55% and that's exactly what happened...mind you S Lebanon was 65% Muslim not an overwhelming Muslim majority...the French just wanted to make sure they keep Lebanon "screwed up" so that that Lebanon business and initiative won’t compete with Paris...."Greater lebanon was french decision 100% ..anyways there's too much to tell about this..
read this beautiful article http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ID19Ak02.html.....this website is very good www.atimes.com
and in case you're pro- R Hariri ...read this article..http://www.morleyevans.com/Contents/Loewenstein/Beirut%20to%20Damascus.html
Correction, The French advised the Patriarch against annexing The Bekaa, parts of the North, Beirut and parts of the south as they held an Islamic majority.
However Patriarch Hoyek had a "naive" vision of coexistence. Plus an economic reason: after enduring famine under the Ottomans because of the mountainous nature of the Mount Lebanon. the Maronites needed an agricultural land to avoid further distress of that kind, thus they insisted on having the plains of the Bekaa and Akkar, as well as the ports of Tripoli, Sidon, Tyre and Beirut, basing themselves on the Phoenician theory, and the fact these areas historically and geographically belong to Lebanon.
The Maronites ARE the creators of greater Lebanon. Check your history right.
The funny idea you just mentioned about the french is unfounded. Lebanon could never compete with France! Are you kidding me?
Plus they gave us Lebanon without wars or fights. The patriarch went to Versailles and came back with annexed land, whereas the Israelis who tried to take the land roughly at that same period had to fight, kill and pillage to get it.
Since the Maronite wanted a western style christian governed country, that created a problem with the Lebanese sunnis namely, and Muslims in general, who regarded themselves as Arabs, wanting to join the greater Arab revolt, continuing with Nasser's dreams of unity and lately allying with the Syrians and the Palestinians against their fellow Lebanese.
The wonderful thing that happened after Hariri's death is that the sunnis woke up, held up their Lebanese flag they burnt and denied for years, and joined the christians in boosting the Lebanese identity.
Finally, the early vision of the Patriarch Hoyek is coming true and in the end the Lebanese Project, as envisioned by the Maronites is there, against all odds.