New Source of Middle East Tension: \'Homeland\'

Ronen Akerman/Showtime Mandy Patinkin and Claire Danes in a scene from “Homeland.”

While American audiences wait to see how the lives of the ex-C.I.A. officer Carrie Mathison and the Marine-turned-terrorist-turned-congressman Nicholas Brody will intersect on the current season of “Homeland,” that hit Showtime series is not exactly helping to reconcile rival nations in the Middle East.

Lebanon's minister for tourism told The Associated Press that he and his colleagues were considering a lawsuit against “Homeland” for recent episodes that used the Israeli city of Tel Aviv to stand in for Beirut.

“Homeland,” which is adapted from an Israeli television series “Pris oners of War,” recently won Emmy Awards for best dramatic series and for its stars Claire Danes (who plays Carrie) and Damian Lewis (who plays Brody).

While Carrie completes a dangerous espionage mission there, she is confronted by local militia members and fired at by snipers - all of which “does not reflect the reality” of the Lebanese capital, according to the tourism minister, Fadi Abboud.

“It was not filmed in Beirut and does not portray the real image of Beirut,” Mr. Abboud told The A.P. Adding that a lawsuit was being contemplated, he said, “The information minister is studying media laws to see what can be done.”

Among the giveaways that “Homeland” was filmed in Israel and not Lebanon, The A.P. said, were various landmarks, the colorings of license plates and traffic signs and a Coca-Cola logo in Hebrew letters.

Not surprisingly for the Middle East, Eytan Schwartz, a spokesman for the mayor of Tel Aviv, had a different point of view when he spoke to The A.P.

“If I were Lebanese,” Mr. Schwartz said of his city, “with all due respect, I'd be very flattered that a city, and a world heritage site, thanks to its incredible architecture, and residents who were named among the top 10 most beautiful people in the world could pass as Lebanese,” he said.

“All we can do is pray for a day when the Lebanese regime will allow our Lebanese friends to visit us and see for themselves,” Mr. Schwartz said.

Twentieth Century Fox, whose Fox 21 studio produces “Homeland,” declined to comment to The A.P. A press representative for Showtime did not immediately respond to a request for comment.