Two countries have banned “Death on the Nile,” the latest film from Hollywood actress Gal Gadot over her previous service in the Israeli military.
Lebanon and Kuwait, both Muslim majority Middle East countries, cited Gadot’s military service as the reason they were banning the movie from being shown.
Gadot once served in the Israel Defense Forces, as do most Israeli citizens since the country has a 2-year military mandate.
Her latest film is being released in the rest of the Middle East this weekend.
The Daily Mail first reported the ban on the movie in Kuwait. Officials were pressured by a social media campaign there organized by people who were opposed to any movie starring a person who was a part of the “Zionist occupying army.”
This is not the first time that Muslim majority countries have banned Gadot films over her Israeli background. In 2017 Lebanon and Qatar banned “Wonder Woman,” the blockbuster superhero film that made Gadot a household name.
A similar social media effort called the Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel-Lebanon pressured Lebanon into taking action at the time.
Gadot has spoken out in support of her home country in the past, most notably in May 2021 when she called for peace as Israel was being attacked by hundreds of rockets fired off by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
“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 could live side by side in peace,” Gadot said at the time. “I pray for better days.”
She was assailed and attacked by pro-Palestinian activists on social media over her peaceful statement.
“Death on the Nile” is directed by Kenneth Branagh and is an adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel.
Here’s more about actress Gal Gadot:
How Gal Gadot Went From Israeli Army to Miss Universe to Wonder Woman | Screen Tests | W Magazine www.youtube.com