For the last several weeks, the Middle East has been in an absolute uproar due to the Israel/Gaza conflict between the Jews and the Arabs. This conflict is nothing new and has been ongoing since their ancestors, Jacob and Ishmael. Most people already know the story of Abraham's two sons and the enmity that was born between them. To give a little bit of background on the nation of Israel, in 1948 the country originally known as Palestine (which had been the supposed promised land) and was home to the Arabs (Muslims) was created as Israel. Led by the Zionist movement, there was a mass immigration of Jews from all over to the tiny Middle-Eastern country. The Arabs who had been living there for centuries felt cheated, believing that the land was rightfully theirs both legally and religiously. However, the Jews have always seen Israel as their true home and birthright. Since then, there has ensuing conflict between the two nations.
Since 1948, Israel has become the pinnacle of a modern and independent Middle-Eastern country. Israel has advanced its country in technology, science, politics and military warfare. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is one of the most lethal and highly trained battle forces in the world. Two year mandatory service is required for every 18 year old, male and female, although women usually aren't put into combat.
Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) served two years in the IDF where she trained as a combat fitness instructor. Unfortunately for Gal Gadot though, being an Israeli who is proud of her people, her country and her heritage doesn't sit well in cancel culture Hollywood. More than once she has faced racial prejudice in Hollywood due to being as Israeli. From the Revlon Awards to being cast as Cleopatra. However, when she tweeted her support to her country, she was brutally attacked.
From Fox News
Gal Gadot slammed after calling for unity for Israel and 'neighbors' in Gaza amid ongoing conflict
Social media users accused the 'Wonder Woman' star of being a 'propaganda' tool for Israel
"Wonder Woman" actress Gal Gadot's attempt to post a unifying message on Twitter amidst the ongoing violence in the Middle East backfired as critics instead assailed the actress for her experience fighting in the Israeli Defense Forces when she was younger and accused her of being a "propaganda" tool for the Israeli military.
The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched rockets into Israel this week, targeting Jerusalem, southern Israel, and Tel Aviv. Israel responded by launching a series of airstrikes, killing a top Hamas commander and several other senior Hamas militants. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added that they will use "an iron fist if needed" to stop accompanying violent protests by Arab citizens. Over 30 people have been killed in the escalating violence, which marks their most serious conflict since the 2014 Gaza War.
"My heart breaks," Gadot, who was born in Israel, wrote on Wednesday of the carnage. "My country is at war."
Social media users immediately posted nasty comments about the actress and would not let her forget her time serving in IDF, with multiple people accusing her of supporting "ethnic cleansing" and "mass genocide" for wishing Israel peace.
"Reminder Gal Gadot served in the IDF for two years where she not only witnessed the ethnic cleansing of Palestine firsthand but also actively supported it. How can you advocate to stop the vicious cycle of terror when you are standing on the frontlines enabling it #FreePalestine," wrote one user, @thetaeprint.
Gal Gadot's statement is far worse than that tone-deaf imagine video from last year. "Free and Safe". The same state that is perpetrating military occupation, land theft and ethnic cleansing against the people of Palestine.
And people really said we were exaggerating when we said boycott Gal Gadot who acts as a literal tool of propaganda for her government and the occupation forces she once served in. She can’t even say the word Palestinian. To the dustbin of history.
The internet is angry at Gal Gadot because she's an IDF veteran, which all Israelis are required to serve in for at least two years, and had the audacity to share a heartwarming message for peace in the conflict. A lot of disgusting people in her replies.
God bless @GalGadot
Gal Gadot Disables Comments On Controversial Tweet After Backlash
Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot tweeted out today what she thought was a message of unity concerning the ongoing Israel-Hamas rocket attacks conflict.
Instead, she sparked her own online war, as critics accused her of being a “propaganda” tool for Israel, given her past military service to that country.
The comments grew so vitriolic that Gadot eventually disabled them while leaving up her post.
Gadot, a former Israeli Defense Forces fighter, posted to Twitter that her “country is at war” and told how her “heart breaks” at the conflict.
“Israel deserves to live as a free and safe nation,” Gadot tweeted. “Our neighbors deserve the same. I pray for the victims and their families. I pray for this unimaginable hostility to end, I pray for our leaders to find the solution so we can live side by side in peace.”
The 36-year-old Gadot noted how “This is a vicious cycle that has been going on for far too long.”
Given the polarizing nature of the situation, the reactions from some users were particularly angry, railing against Gadot for supporting “ethnic cleansing” and “mass genocide,” among other barbs.
Despite the bitterness, some supporters allowed that Gadot was calling for peace and should not be attacked.
“The internet is angry at Gal Gadot because she’s an IDF veteran, which all Israelis are required to serve in for at least two years, and had the audacity to share a heartwarming message for peace in the conflict. A lot of disgusting people in her replies,” one man wrote.
Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz also supported Gadot, writing “God bless @GalGadot.”
The comments section from this article were particularly interesting with quite a few people defending her.Remember my article Toxic Fan Syndrome about the cancelling of celebs when their own independent thoughts and ideas didn't align with their fans? This is an absolute classic example. The fact that Gal Gadot can't show support and sympathy for her own people and country without facing backlash shows the absolute depths of the media's vitriol and toxicity.
Here's another anti-Semitic attack I came across on Tumblr. I've started watching the show Gotham which is a prequel story to the Batman legend and focuses on Jim Gordan as a rookie detective and the rise of Bruce Wayne and the villains of Gotham. David (Dah-veed) Mazouz plays young Bruce Wayne and does a remarkable job. I'm almost done with season 1 and he's been absolutely perfect. David is from a modern orthodoxic Sephardic Jewish family and only naturally, defended his fellow Israeli's on social media. Like Gadot, he was attacked. However, David being a young college student had no problem fighting back.
And of course, ever tolerable Tumblr replied in kind:
So of course, because David didn't align with their fantasy image of him, then they'll just trash and cancel him. I shouldn't be surprised that it's Tumblr, however, it's not just something that we can just shrug our shoulders and so, "Well it is what it is." No. Both Gal and David and many others like them are facing racist attacks from toxic fans and the media alike. Just because they were born Jewish and are proud of who they are. As a Christian, I stand with Israel (as should other Christians) and believe that celebs like Gal Gadot and David Mazouz should never be shamed or cancelled because they dared to love their country and their culture.
If gay and trans people can flaunt their sexuality in parades and women can shout out their abortion stories with absolute applause and praise from the media, why can't the Jews show their national and historic pride? Similar to the situation in School Ties, David was made to be silent over his Jewish heritage less he risks losing everything. Of course, when he finally acknowledged the truth, David gained so much more.
Anti-Semitism is more than just prejudice, it's a mental sickness. It became Hitler's demise and history has taught us that no matter how many times the Jews are silenced or cancelled, they continue to come back stronger than ever. They are God's chosen people and always will be. Any Christian should support that belief and not be afraid to say so.
I've been simmering over the unfathomable ignored of the history of Palestine and Israel and the anti-Israel sentiments. I try to keep mum on my blog on politics for now generally, but I'm letting myself loosen a bit in comments. I think many people are deliberately ignorant on the history of this area (I think our public schools intentionally teach history poorly, its easier to lie and be believed by ignorant people, but that doesn't absolve people of learning later, especially when they try to start making "historical" arguments). I think it's especially ignorant in the face of the history of WWII and how it DIRECTLY ties to all this. That's why I think it leans toward anti-Jewish sentiments, if one knows about the holocaust one should be more careful in learning the history of the Jewish state.
ReplyDeletePalestine geographic term generally, and it came from the Greek, it's NOT an ethnic group, modern Palestinians and Gazans are ARABS and they conquered Palestine/Israel after Greek and Rome.
I couldn't believe when I saw someone on instagram call Palestinians indigenous, I couldn't believe the ignorance and the animus behind that supreme level of ignorance. Even if one ignores Biblical history (which is historically an irresponsible thing to do, most texts are going to be biased even if you only look at them as texts), the historical record subsequent to that clearly indicates prior Jewish holding of that area and the Arab conquest, all of which again, was AFTER the Biblical timeline.
A few quick reads (below) would show people who don't care to read or know the Bible that yes, the history of this region was a violent and complicated one, but Jews were there before Arabs.
And it would show WHY Jews from England and Europe and later American wanted (in the 1880s and up to and after the wars) move there. And it would show that millions upon millions of Holocaust victims as well as Jews from other nations were absorbed into Israel. That number is massive in the face of Arab refugees which is all people talk about. I don't agree with everything Israel has done, but most of the evil lies against them. And yes, it's evil.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Palestine/History
https://www.britannica.com/place/Israel
https://www.history.com/topics/middle-east/palestine
Assuming that you're not angry at me for the little and scant information I gave about the formation of Israel, I agree with everything you said.
DeleteOh, I didn't mean to, I wasn't sure if I expressed clearly, I'm frustrated like you with the anti-israeli stuff, lots of ignorance from those people.
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