Gal Gadot receives backlash over tweet calling for an end to ‘violence in Israel’

Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot, who was born in Israel and one of its most successful actresses, ignited a firestorm on Twitter with a post on May 12.

She tweeted: "My heart breaks. My country is at war. Israel deserves to live as a free and safe nation. Our neighbours deserve the same."

The 36-year-old actress added: "I pray for the victims and their families, I pray for this unimaginable hostility to end, I pray for our leaders to find the solution so we could live side by side in peace. I pray for better days."

The backlash was swift and fierce on social media, with tweets calling her out for her use of the word "neighbours" instead of referencing Palestine by name and for not mentioning the Palestinians who have been killed.

Others labelled her a Zionist, brought up her two years of mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces from 2005 to 2007 and called for her to be replaced in the upcoming third Wonder Woman film.

Copyright: The Straits Times/ Asia News Network