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i want to talk about the final days of the 2006 war in which gal gadot served, and during which the israeli military dropped 4.6 million cluster munitions on south lebanon that continue to kill, maim and disfigure our people to this day.
the war lasted 34 days. 44 israeli and 1,191 lebanese civilians died. the death toll for lebanon is arguably incomplete, however, as it ends on the day of the official ceasefire. during the last 48 hours, however, israel dropped 4.6 million submunitions into across the south.
upon landing, these submunitions latch into the earth and become embedded there, essentially undetectable until stepped on, usually by farmers tilling their soil or children playing. when someone steps on a mine, it detonates, killing them or blowing an arm or leg off instantly.
since 2006, hundreds of lebanese children, farmers, and village people have died or become maimed for life by stepping on these submunitions, with thousands still activated underneath the soil to this day. these deaths do not add to any official tolls of the dead or injured.
the people’s relationship to the land had to fundamentally change after 2006 because open or remote territory was no longer a free place for people to roam or enjoy unencumbered. the land itself came to represent danger, uncertainty, possible death or loss of limb in any instant.
the scene where gadot soars down from the sky to save two brown kids in a barren desert from danger is old hat as far as u.s. military propaganda goes. but the real world parallel here is chilling given the particular in which gadot served.
for south lebanese, children running off a main road has a haunting double meaning, and invokes every mother and grandmother’s worst fear that their child might stray into an unmapped area, step on the wrong patch of soil and die or lose both legs and never walk again.
there was no tactical or strategic benefit to the munitions drop. the war was ending, and a ceasefire was imminent. the 4.6m cluster munitions were as a form of collective punishment, and children who run too far off the road in jnoub continue to pay the price for it to this day.
whether you watch wonder woman or not, it is important we keep the links between the military and hollywood in mind and not lose sight of how the savior tropes we see on screen (and even the actors filling their shoes) are often a direct, inverse reflection to real world events.
you can watch the demining process in action here:
you can donate to UNMAS here if you want to support demining efforts in lebanon or globally: https://act.unfoundation.org/onlineactions/4ywgaMZJo0y5SwoMhVK-eg2
