Israeli Officials Slam Natalie Portman for Declining Million-Dollar Prize After Deadly Gaza Conflict
Israeli government officials are scolding Natalie Portman after the Jerusalem-born actress declined to accept a million-dollar award because of “recent events” in the country.
According to the Guardian, Portman was selected as the winner of the 2018 Genesis Prize, an annual award given for “outstanding achievement by individuals who have attained excellence and international renown in their chosen professional fields [who] embody the character of the Jewish people.”
The award show was set to happen in Israel in June, but the Genesis Foundation cancelled the event after a representative for the Israeli-American actress told them she wouldn’t be appearing.
“Recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her and she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel,” the rep said, adding “she cannot in good conscience move forward with the ceremony”.
The Genesis Foundation said in a statement that it “admires her humanity, and respects her right to publicly disagree with the policies of the government of Israel.”
Portman did not specify what “recent events” led to her decision to decline the award, though multiple news sources have noted Israel’s latest military response to demonstrations on the Gaza border, which left scores of Palestinians dead and wounded.
Israeli Minister of Culture & Sport Miri Regev criticized Portman by saying she has become a pawn of the “Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions” campaign against Israel.
“I was saddened to hear that Natalie Portman has fallen as a ripe fruit in the hands of BDS supporters,” said Regev. “Natalie, a Jewish actress who was born in Israel now joins those who refers to the success and wonder of the rebirth of Israel as ‘A Tale of Darkness and Darkness’.”
The Times of Israel also reported that the move “drew swift condemnation from Israel’s governing Likud party,” including Knesset member Oren Hasan who called for officials to revoke Portman’s citizenship.
Hasan claimed decried Portman as “an Israeli Jewess who on the one hand makes cynical use of her origins in order to advance her career and who, on the other hand, prides herself on having avoided being drafted into the IDF.”
[Image via screengrab]
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