On Saturday, former porn star turned social media influencer Mia Khalifa shared a photo of herself drinking Champagne on Twitter, while making the claim that the wine was older than Israel — an “apartheid state.”
My wine is older than your apartheid “state” pic.twitter.com/CTpAitpKZP
— Mia K. (@miakhalifa) May 30, 2021
As The Daily Wire noted, people were immediately critical of Khalifa for using a Champagne bottle produced under Nazi-occupied France in the early 1940s to criticize the Jewish state. However, there is an additional layer of absurdity being missed, in that the Lebanese-American “actress” gained fame and online prominence by engaging in a lifestyle that, had she been living in Gaza or any one of numerous Muslim nations, would result in her being jailed — or far worse.
Let’s take the obvious subject of sex. Khalifa has taken part in at least one pornographic scene which involved same-sex activities. According to the civil society organization alQaws for Sexual and Gender Diversity in Palestinian Society, “Section 152 of the Penal Code applicable in Gaza criminalizes consensual same-sex sexual activity and makes it punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment.”
Conversely, in Israel — the state she accuses of gross human rights violations and “apartheid” — pornography is legal to produce and access, while Tel Aviv — the city often targeted by rocket fire from Gaza terrorists — was described by one newspaper outlet as one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world. The city is even nicknamed “the gay capital of the Middle East” by Out magazine. Regardless of your thoughts on pornography or even homosexual relationships, such freedom is not indicative of an “apartheid” state, as Khalifa claims.
Next, let’s consider alcohol consumption. In Gaza, residents are banned from possessing alcohol. You won’t find such restrictions in Israel.
Finally, let’s consider one final factor: religion. Born Sarah Joe Chamoun into a Catholic family, Khalifa moved to the U.S. in 2001, fleeing the so-called South Lebanon conflict — 15 years of warfare between the Islamic terrorist group, Hezbollah, and Lebanese proxy militias partnered with the Israel Defense Forces.
Thousands of Christian Lebanese fled the region during and after the conflict, fearing reprisal from Hezbollah. Beyond Lebanon, Christians continue to be persecuted across the Muslim world. In Gaza specifically, they are actively persecuted.
In Israel, members of all Abrahamic faiths — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — can access holy sites in Jerusalem now that the city is under Israeli control, hardly an indicator of an “apartheid” regime. The same is not true under regions controlled by Palestinian authorities.
In other words, Mia Khalifa’s tweet alone demonstrates the ridiculousness of her “apartheid” accusation. Israel, and not the Palestinian territories, allows women to engage in pornographic activities. Israel, and not the Palestinian territories, allows women to engage in same-sex relationships. Israel, and not the Palestinian territories, allows women to drink alcohol.
If Khalifa is going to accuse one demonstrably liberal nation of imposing apartheid while simultaneously ignoring the nations which would criminalize her various life choices, perhaps geo-political commentary from former porn stars isn’t the haven of reliability it once was?
A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Lebanon bans alcohol. This claim has been removed.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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Source: Dailywire
