I have no interest in defending the existence of the open prison that is the Gazza strip or the continued occupation of the West Bank by Israel but I think assuming considered Zionist propoganda on behalf of the film makers because they cast an Israeli points towards a racist bias.
The whole conversation around WW in general is that it is the biggest female-centered comic book movie ever and it's been directed by a female.
I'm just going to assume that statement about "racist bias" isn't directed at me … might be a bit harsh if so.
I don't think it's exactly like Liberty Leading the People, no. Just pointing to the dynamic by example: it's the potency of juxtaposing an image of a young woman (perhaps see also the Statue of Liberty) with some political project. A method that's ubiquitous in advertising too.
The idea of problematising culturewashing, and raising cultural boycotts, is just that: it's recognising the link between some prosocial activity and something bad, that has the very unwanted effect of cleansing the bad thing of negative judgements.
A typical example round here: resource companies subject to widespread criticism on economic and environmental grounds heavily invest in local charities and arts festivals, running public events which they launch, close, blazon with their brands and slogans, etc.
To link Israeli sovereignty and defence activities to women's empowerment is definitely a deliberate public relations strategy of the Israeli government and the IDF. It plays into widespread western moral panic about the rights and status of women under Islam—in itself a complex and fraught topic.
Linking Zionist politics to Gal Gadot's celebrity, sex appeal and positive profile, or to the feminist politics of the Wonder Woman film (which I don't know much about) is a much more nebulous and circumstantial thing, but that JP editorial does both conclude the association benefits Israel as a political project and contrasts its effects with the other much more critical coverage Israel receives internationally.
Personally I kinda doubt that Wonder Woman was broadly developed as "Zionist propaganda", but the benefits of the association aren't necessarily at that strictly semantic level in my opinion. I wouldn't be surprised if the film does readily admit that sort of reading though (ie I doubt Coombs would lie about it!)
