Kuwait decided to ban screenings of Gal Gadot’s new film Death on the Nile on Sunday, because she is an Israeli actress, Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabs reported.
Social media users in Kuwait demanded the film be banned, citing Gadot’s praise of the Israeli army and her criticism of the internationally-recognized terrorist organization Hamas during the 2014 war in Gaza.
Kuwait also banned the 2017 film that brought Gadot international acclaim: Wonder Woman. Lebanon, Qatar and Tunisia also banned the film, which grossed over $800 million at the global box office.
Gadot, who is from Rosh Ha'ayin and served in the IDF in her youth, has faced criticism and backlash for her support of Israel in the past – such as when she posted on Instagram in support of peace amid the May 2021 conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Kuwait is among the nations that remain staunchly opposed to normalizing ties with Israel, even after some of its most prominent neighbors, such as the UAE and Bahrain, signed onto the Abraham Accords in 2020.