The Trouble with Sabra

An Israeli superhero set for an upcoming Marvel movie poses a dilemma for Disney

- SOPHIE LLOYD

AT LAST YEAR'S D23 EXPO, DISNEY announced a new character would be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe-Israeli superhero Sabra.

Debuting onscreen in 2024's Captain America: New World Order alongside Anthony Mackie, Sabra's inclusion was immeditely controversial. However, the war between Israel and Hamas has intensified the issue and created more potential pitfalls for the studio.

On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, which subsequently launched airstrikes on Gaza. At least 1,400 people had been killed in Israel as of November 3, while more than 9,000 had been killed in Gaza, according to the Associated Press.

"The Sabra character, when juxtaposed with Captain America, unavoidably amplifies nationalist and political ideologies and convictions and could inadvertently exacerbate tensions in the Middle East," Deepak Sarma, professor at the College of Arts and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, tells Newsweek.

Can the character be portrayed in a way that doesn't ruffle feathers?

Born in Israel

Sabra first popped up in an issue of The Incredible Hulk in 1980. A mutant with enhanced strength and speed, she is also an agent for Mossad, the real-life Israeli secret service. The character's real name is Ruth Bat-Seraph, while her code name Sabra means "a person born in Israel."

In Captain America: New World Order, Sabra will be played by Shira Haas. The 28-year-old Israeli actress is best known for starring in the Netflix miniseries Unorthodox.