Humiliated, Lebanese TV Presenter Snaps Radical Cleric
A female television presenter in Lebanon was praised after silencing a radical cleric who harassed her in a talk show. Rima Karaki, a presenter of the Lebanese television station Al Jadeed, was interviewing Hani al-Sibai, a cleric based in London, last weekend. In the interview, Rima asked al-Sibai’s opinion of a wave of Christians who joined the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Instead of responding and answering the question, al-Sibai even spoke out the topic and explained the history of the merger of Christians by Muslims.
Al-Sibai told the story of the revolutionary movement driven by the leftists in the 1970’s, and mentioned some terrorist organizations at that time, such as the Red Brigades in Italy, and the Red Army Faction or Baader-Meinhof Group in Germany. When al-Sibai still mentioned various left-wing organizations in the world, Rima cut and inquired regarding the condition at present. Rima asked what slogan used to draw the Christians into the group at present. Getting an interruption like that, al-Sibai looked angry.
Al-Sibai then raised his voice and yelled Rima. He told Rima to listen and never cut the sentences. He would also answered in his pleasure. Al-Sibai added he was not going to answer her question because he was there to convey the idea he believed. When Rima said the interview was limited in time, so the answer should be as short as possible, al-Sibai was even angrier. Rima said with a high tone that in the studio, she set the course of the event. She would not have time for another question if he wanted to explain everything.
Rima added it was up to him. If there was still time, he had to answer all the questions. Although looked surprised with Rima’s firmness, al-Sibai still insisted on going to answer the questions in accordance with his will. Al-Sibai even told Rima to shut up. Rima said how a distinguished scholar like him could snap a television presenter to shut up while giving a sign to the crew to end the interview. Al-Sibai said he had been humbled to be interviewed by her, coincidentally with the broadcast interruption.
Rima Karaki’s firmness was getting praise and support from many people via Twitter, especially of women. They assessed Rima was able to protect the dignity of all the women in the world.
