New Wonder Woman stirs controversy with Hamas-bashing post

Gal Gadot, a former Miss Israel who plays Wonder Woman in the upcoming “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” has caused a stir on social media after positing comments bashing Hamas, describing them as “cowards,” in the latest case of a celebrity wading in on the ongoing offensive against Gaza.

The first image of Wonder Woman, played by the 29-year-old, was unveiled at the San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend. Fans cheered at seeing the Xena-like Wonder Woman wielding a warrior sword.

However, Gadot, who served two years mandatory military service in the Israeli army, stirred controversy last week after voicing support for her comrades and slamming Hamas.

“I am sending my love and prayers to my fellow Israeli citizens. Especially to all the boys and girls who are risking their lives protecting my country against the horrific acts conducted by Hamas, who are hiding like cowards behind women and children … We shall overcome!!! Shabbat Shalom!” she wrote in a post on her Facebook page, which has 5.8 million likes.

While the post, which has received 189,560 likes and 5,726 shares, pleased many of her supports, others scorned her for wading in on the raging war between the Israelis and Palestinians.

“I see you Zionist turds are getting a little desperate with your social media war going to desperate lengths to sway the public into empathising with you,” one user commented on her Facebook post.

“Israeli risking their lives??? Lol did see the death poll Israeli vs Palestine ? To kill the so called Hamas your Isreal is killing innocent CHILDREN!!!! And WOMEN!!!!!” another user wrote.

On Wednesday , at least 16 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike on a U.N. school in the Gaza Strip, raising death toll to almost 1,300 people.

“Zionist Israeli army is the biggest terrorist organization! Palestinians are facing ethnic cleansing ever since the Zionist Israelis started snatching land! What would you do if your land home and everything you had is being taken away constantly?” one user said in a post.

Gadot’s comment was also scrutinized by some Western newspapers.

Donald Clarke, the chief film correspondent for The Irish Times, wrote on Monday that “Ms Gadot is entitled to her views. I do not agree with her position, but I have no problem with her expressing herself in these terms.”

He added: “The worry is that almost nobody seems to have raised any objections to her declaration.”

“There was some ‘fire’ certainly. But, beneath that Facebook post, the comments are almost unrelentingly supportive,” he said.

“Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman: A Hamas-Bashing, Ex-IDF Soldier and Former Miss Israel,” The Daily Beast, a U.S. news website, headlined its article on the subject on Tuesday.

While the article did not express any overt criticism, it chronicled the model’s path to fame as well as her previous brushes with controversy such as posing nude for an ad and twerking.

In 2009, Gadot landed the role of Gisele Yashar, a carjacker/Mossad agent for Justin Lin’s film “The Fast & Furious.”

Gadot is not the first celebrity who causes controversy over what is happening in Gaza.

Selena Gomez, One Direction singer Zayn Malik, Rihanna, and British host Piers Morgan have all been involved in controversies regarding the conflict.