Wonder Woman v Bibi? Gal Gadot comes to rescue of TV host berated by Israeli PM

Israeli Hollywood star Gal Gadot, best known for her role as Wonder Woman, has swooped in to defend a TV host who came under fire from Benjamin Netanyahu for suggesting Israel is not for Jews alone.

The movie star spoke out after the prime minister criticized Israeli television presenter Rotem Sela for expressing solidarity with Arab-Israelis and arguing that Israel is a country “for all its citizens.”

Netanyahu later issued a rebuke of Sela’s comments, stating that “Israel is not a state of all its citizens. According to the Nation-State Law that we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people, and them alone.”

The prime minister’s assertion apparently didn’t sit well with Gadot, who shared her thoughts on the matter with her 28.3 million Instagram followers.

“Love thy neighbor as thyself,” Gadot wrote in Hebrew. “It’s not an issue of Right or Left, Jew or Arab, secular or religious. It’s an issue of dialogue, of dialogue for peace, for equality, for tolerance between one another.”

Gadot added that the “responsibility to grow hope and light for a better future for our children is on us. Rotem, my sister, you are an inspiration to us all.”

Her statement was applauded by likeminded Israelis and Jewish activists.

“Israeli actresses Gal Gadot and Rotem Sela reminded Netanyahu that 20% of Israel’s population is Arab citizens who deserve respect and equality. And this is big news in Israel today. Imagine the potential if many leading actors, artists, academics etc. would consistently protest,” Israeli-American journalist Mairav Zonszein tweeted in response to the controversy.

However, some urged the Hollywood star to be more vocal about her views, encouraging Gadot to do more than just post on Instagram.

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