Marvel Introduces Its First Israeli Superhero; Faces Backlash on Twitter

MCU gets its first Israeli superhero, with Shira Haas set to play 'Sabra' in 'Captain America: New World Order'.

Marvel introduces its first Israeli superhero, 'Sabra' in the new Captain America movie.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Altered by The Quint)

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is all set to introduce its first 'Israeli superhero' with Shira Haas set to play Ruth-Bat Seraph, aka Sabra in its upcoming film, Captain America: New World Order. This controversial move has caused a major uproar on social media. Here's why:

Haas, who was recently seen in Netflix's internationally acclaimed series Shtisel and has also won worldwide recognition for her role in the same, will be essaying the role of Sabra, a former spy of the Israeli security agency Mossad, who was first introduced in the Marvel comic books of the 1980s.

Who is Sabra?

Sabra from the 1980s Marvel comic books.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

As per Marvel lore, Sabra was born near Jerusalem, Israel and was raised on a special Kibbutz run by the Israeli government along with her family, to nurture her special abilities. Described as the superheroine of Israel, Sabra has mutant powers like super speed, strength, and the ability to fly at great velocity, which she uses in the service of the state.

Throughout her appearances in numerous Marvel comics, she appears in an outfit, predominantly inspired by the design of the Isreali flag, and carries weapons typically possessed by the members of the Israeli army.

Sabra marked her first public appearance in 1980 in a battle with the Incredible Hulk, whom she mistook for an Arab terrorist operating in Israel. In the comic, she chases Hulk after he leaves with the body of a young Arab killed by the terrorists. At the end of their encounter, she is shown to be distraught by Hulk's speech about the Israel-Palestinian conflict and the young Arab's death.

What's the Controversy About?

The biggest controversy lies in the name of the Marvel superhero itself. 'Sabra' happens to be the name of the Palestinian refugee camp, where the Sabra and Shatila Massacre of 1982 took place. An estimated more than 3,500 civilians were executed — majority of whom were Palestinians and some were Lebanese.

Sabra and Shatila were two Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, mostly comprised of Palestinians, who were forced to flee Palestine because of their ongoing conflict with Israel.

At the same time, in 1982, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) had invaded Lebanon with the intention of rooting out the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and had full control over the two refugee camps. In order to prepare for the same, the Israeli military surrounded the entire perimeter of the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. As the massacre unfolded, the IDF received reports of innumerable atrocities but did not take any action to prevent the massacre from happening.

The Uproar on Twitter

Following the news of the introduction of Sabra in the upcoming Captain America movie, several social media users commented on the "coincidence" of Marvel's Israeli superhero bearing the same name as the 1982 Sabra massacre. Many Palestinians angrily responded on Twitter, with one of them saying, "The villain is a six-year-old Palestinian child."

Some tweeps shared a few problematic snippets from Marvel's Sabra comics; one of them wrote, "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."

Another user wrote, "I'm fuming over this. Way to glorify war criminals @MarvelStudios @Marvel. And Sabra? As in Sabra & Shatila? The massacre that was carried out by Israeli terrorists? This can't be real. @shirahaas If you have an ounce of morality you will drop out if this. #Palestine."

Expressing their disapproval, another netizen wrote, "The new marvel superhero is an Israeli mossad agent named Sabra. Can someone explain to me why they keep using the name Sabra? The first thing pretty much every Palestinian remembers when we read or hear Sabra, is the massacre of Sabra Shatilla, it feels deliberate."

Here are some other tweets:

Captain America: New World Order is slated for its worldwide theatrical release on 3 May, 2024.