by Randy Wurster
When Marvel announced in 2022 that the upcoming Captain America film would feature comic book superheroine Sabra, pro-Palestinian groups soon called for a boycott. Sabra, the alter-ego of Mossad agent Ruth Bat-Seraph, has a “long history in the comics of working for Israeli intelligence, contributing to its crimes, and dehumanizing Palestinian people,” according to USCPR Executive Director Ahmad Abuznaid. (Mondoweiss) Additionally, the character’s name invokes the memory of the 1982 Sabra-Shatila massacres, in which an Israeli proxy army murdered, tortured and raped Palestinian refugees for three days in southern Lebanon, with estimates of up to 3500 dead. (IMEU)
By summer of 2024, Marvel relented, announcing changes to Sabra’s backstory for the film. No longer an agent of Mossad, she will be known only by her alter-ego of Ruth, and instead work for the U.S government. Even with this victory, BDS continues to boycott the film, noting that “by reviving this racist character in any form, Marvel is promoting Israel’s brutal oppression of Palestinians.”
Marvel’s revival of the character is an example of how popular entertainment can, intentionally or not, promote damaging propaganda. Sabra’s character erases Palestinian suffering and reinforces the dominant narrative which deems Palestinian resistance as “terrorism,” and excuses Israeli violence as “self-defense.”
Often when stories serve propaganda, it is simply a function of creators being influenced by societal norms. But in the case of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the pressure is more direct. Most of their films involve Department of Defense support and oversight in exchange for use of military locations and equipment, which has led to script changes.
Focusing on the Real Heroes
This Friday evening, at the opening of Captain America: A Brave New World, the MAPA Direct Action team will stand out across from AMC Boston Commons. We’ll be displaying images of the real-life heroes who have sustained Palestine — healthcare workers like Dr. Abu Safiya, currently illegally detained by Israel, and members of the press like Motaz, Bisan, and Wael Al-Dahdouh.
We will also show unsung heroes, such as teachers educating despite scholasticide; cooks keeping Gaza fed through Israel’s forced starvation; creators bringing solace through art; and performers uplifting spirits in the face of the genocide’s devastating psychological toll.
We hope that by showing just a few faces of Palestinian resilience, we can help passers by see the Palestinian cause as we do: as just and heroic.
Randy Wurster is a movement video producer and MAPA volunteer. He is active in the Palestine-Israel, Ukraine: A Time for Peace, and General Dynamics campaigns.