Hulu Lambasted For Airing Gaza Tourism Ad Blaming Palestine For Ruining Beauty
Video screenshot via Israel National Information Directorate
Hulu has left viewers shell-shocked after broadcasting a Visit Gaza commercial, sponsored by the State of Israel, that depicts the strip as a tourist haven marred by the influence of Hamas.
The spot paints a picture of Gaza, using AI-generated images, as a wanderlust-worthy paradise replete with beautiful beaches, luxury hotels, and rich spreads, a stark contrast to the reality of a region affected by conflict.
“Come visit beautiful Gaza with its stunning beaches and charming boardwalks,” a narrator calls out. “You can stay in one of our five-star hotels and get a taste of the best in Middle Eastern food. Embrace the vibrant nightlife of the city and experience a culture rich in tradition.”
Midway through, the advertisement suggests this is only possible without Hamas. Juxtaposed with imagery of armed Palestinian adults and children, it ends with a call to “Free Gaza from Hamas Now.”
just got a Hulu ad from "the state of Israel" that was a fake Vegas-style glossy tourism ad for Gaza which cuts off at the end to say "this could have been Gaza if not for Hamas"
— catturd2.bsky.social (@thetomzone) February 4, 2024
The backlash has been swift and severe, with critics slamming the commercial as a dehumanizing, manipulative piece of propaganda, and calling for a boycott.
Hey folks, time to boycott and protest @hulu for running this ethnic cleansing endorsing advertisement from Israel#gaza #EthnicCleansing #boycottHulu #Hulu
— TheMuslimLawyer (@faisalkutty) February 7, 2024
Streamers Split on Running ‘Come Visit Beautiful Gaza’ Anti-Hamas Commercial https://t.co/0M8JHu3lY8 pic.twitter.com/ssjD3yw5XC
SHAME on Hulu for airing a disgusting, factually-incorrect and dehumanizing Zionist propaganda ad for Israel while they face genocide charges by the ICJ. It is the Zionist Israeli regime that turned Gaza into a concentration camp due to their occupation, apartheid system, and pic.twitter.com/e3crtvok3E
— 🇵🇸 Bronx Anti-War Coalition 🇾🇪 (@BXAntiWar) February 4, 2024
A poster that’s been making its rounds (seen above) calls out the streaming platform for approving a message that blames Palestinians for their suffering. As outlined in the graphic, a protest is being planned to take place outside Hulu’s headquarters in New York this week.
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the video was pulled from YouTube as a paid commercial but remains on Israel’s National Public Diplomacy Directorate’s YouTube channel.
