Why the new Israeli superhero has irked many

KARACHI: The past year, the world was witness to the state sponsored genocide that was taking place in Palestine at the behest of Israel. With an unfiltered and unbiased look into who the aggressors were, many rallied in support of the Palestinians. However, like many tragedies, it seems as though the plight of the Palestinians have been forgotten yet again and to add to the insult is the news that Marvel has announced a new Israeli superhero who will star in the upcoming Captain America movie.

Shira Haas has been cast to star as Ruth Bat-Seraph or Sabra, a former Mossad spy with special powers that include super strength, speed and the ability to fly at great velocity. Quite naturally, the decision to bring out a new Israeli Marvel superhero has angered a lot of people. And it is not just Marvel’s decision that has irked people, but the way Sabra has been portrayed in the comics has proven to be controversial as well.

Apparently ‘Sabra’ is a term used to refer to Jews born in historic Palestine (correct me if I’m wrong). It is also the name of the neighborhood in Beirut where Israeli forces oversaw the massacre of thousands of Palestinian refugees in the Sabra & Shatila Massacre in 1982. https://t.co/PevrnulixH

— Yumna (@yumna_patel) September 11, 2022

Sabra in the comics is a clear representative of Israel; trained in both armed and unarmed combat by the Israeli military, most of her costumes feature aspects of the Israeli flag. On the other hand, Palestinians are simply referred to as Arabs and they embody every possible stereotype linked the people.

This is how Arabs are presented in Sabra’s first appearance in Marvel comics. The word Palestinian is never used. An Arab child in the comic who is an illiterate liar and thief is killed by black veiled bombers so Sabra can cry over them. Literally shoot and cry propaganda. pic.twitter.com/qh10S9VzsF

— Khaldoun Khelil 🥇Ennie 🇵🇸🇩🇿 #freePalestine (@kkhelil) September 11, 2022

Now would be a good time to share again this amusing strip from a #Marvel in which the Jewish-Israeli superhero #Sabra meets the prejudiced and sexist Arabian Knight. Iron Man tries to make peace… pic.twitter.com/6dSQrBACdn

— Uri Kurlianchik (@VerminusM) September 11, 2022

No matter how much Marvel might try to gloss things over with an Israeli superhero, it is hard to forget the mass atrocities that Israel has and continues to commit.

The villain is a six year old Palestinian child https://t.co/iGxpIMQyXG

— Liam (@Hezbolsonaro) September 10, 2022

Israel’s Marvel superhero Sabra has many powers, including demolishing Palestinian homes with her mind and assassinating Palestinian children with her laser beam eyes pic.twitter.com/5mye32ZH7f

— Matthew (@MatthewJohn666) September 10, 2022

The decision taken by Marvel to include an Israeli superhero especially comes as a let down to many fans who have rejoiced over Ms. Marvel, a Pakistani Muslim superhero.