Popular streaming platform Netflix is facing widespread criticism for its decision to cast Israeli actors in lead roles for the upcoming biblical film Mary, which is set to premiere on December 6, ahead of Christmas.
The film, which attempts to reimagine the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus has an Israeli yoga instructor, Noa Cohen playing the titular character.
The cast also includes several other Israeli actors in lead roles, such as Ido Tako, who depicts Joseph, Ori Pfeffer, Mili Avital, Keren Tzur and Hilla Vidor.
Since the release of the trailer of the film, Netflix has been facing severe criticism including calls to boycott the platform for attempting to erase the historical characters' Palestinian roots while Israel carries out "genocidal attacks" against the birthplace of Jesus.
One person called it “deeply blasphemous” to cast an Israeli as Mary while “Israel is carrying out a genocide against Palestinians, killing some of the oldest Christian populations in the area and destroying their heritage sites.”
"A film about a Palestinian woman played by actors from the settler state that is currently mass slaughtering palestinian women. oh the disgusting audacity," another social media user wrote.
"There is something profoundly offensive about having an Israeli actor play Mary, the mother of Jesus, while Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians, killing some of the oldest Christian communities in the world and erasing their heritage sites," a social media user pointed out.
"Israel is currently bombing the very land Jesus was born in and yet netflix thinks I'm gonna watch a movie about The Virgin Mary with Israeli leads," another user said.
Meanwhile, film director DJ Caruso defended his decision to cast Israelies in lead roles saying it was "important to us that Mary, along with most of our primary cast, be selected from Israel to ensure authenticity."
""Israeł" has destroyed 3 churches in Gaza over the past year, and ki!!ed at least 3% of Gaza's Christian population meanwhile the director of this film believed the main cast including the lead role of Mary should be "israełi" to "ensure authenticity,"" a social media user quipped.
This is not the first time Netflix has come under criticism for its apparent bias against Palestine. Last month pro-Palestinains called for a boycott of the platform after it removed an entire library of Palestinian films claiming that the three-year licensing period of the titles was set to expire.
Many viewed this as an attempt to erase the history and culture of Palestine as Israel progressed with its brutal war on the Palestinian people.
Israel has killed at least 43, 736 Palestinians since the beginning of its recent war on Gaza, including more than 17,000 children and at least 11,400 women. Israel has also killed more than 180 journalists and over a thousand healthcare workers in Gaza.
Entire neighbourhoods in Gaza have been erased with homes, schools and hospitals targetted in air strikes. Most of the cultural heritage of Gaza has been destroyed including Universities and monuments.