İsraeli-born American actress Natalie Portman’s decision to not come to Israel to accept the $2 million Genesis Prize “borders on ish antisemitism,” Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, who is close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Israel Radio on Sunday morning, The Jerusalem Post reports.

Portman wrote on Friday that she chose not to attend because she did not want to appear as endorsing Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony in June.

“She borders on antisemitism in how she relates to Israel,” Steinitz (Likud) said. “I blame her for cooperating with haters of Israel and antisemites. Criticism of Israel is not automatically antisemitic, but boycotting Israel has elements of antisemitism because other countries that are criticized are not boycotted so easily.” </s> Israeli-born American actress Natalie Portman’s decision to not come to Israel to accept the $2 million Genesis Prize “borders on antisemitism,” Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, who is close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Israel Radio on Sunday morning.



Portman wrote on Friday that she chose not to attend because she did not want to appear as endorsing Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony in June.





But she also wrote that she does not support boycotting Israel and is not part of the BDS movement. She wrote that she can be critical of the leadership in Israel without wanting to boycott the entire nation.“She borders on antisemitism in how she relates to Israel,” Steinitz (Likud) said. “I blame her for cooperating with haters of Israel and antisemites. Criticism of Israel is not automatically antisemitic, but boycotting Israel has elements of antisemitism because other countries that are criticized are not boycotted so easily.”Steinitz, who will be speaking at the Jerusalem Post Conference in New York next Sunday, said Portman owes the State of Israel and the people of Israel an apology.“She wouldn’t boycott China, England, and Russia, if she opposed their policies,” he said. “If she came and expressed her opinion that there should be peace and a Palestinian state would be friendly and wouldn’t threaten Israel with missiles or terrorism, that would be her right, and I would debate her. She should have realized that the worst haters of Israel would jump in joy because she decided not to come. She gave the worst enemies of Israel ammunition.”Likud minister Gilad Erdan wrote Portman that he was disappointed with her decision and urged her to come to the country so she could learn about its policies up close. He ended the letter with a reference to Star Wars, one of her hit films.“Anakin Skywalker, a character you know well from Star Wars, went through a similar process,” Erdan wrote. “He began to believe that the Jedi knights were evil, and that the forces of the Dark Side were the defenders of democracy. I call on you not to let the Dark Side win.”Peace Now began a campaign defending Portman under the banner “I’m with her.” The campaign on social media quotes Portman in English and Hebrew, saying: “Because I care about Israel, I must stand up against violence, corruption, equality, and the abuse of power.”But National Council of Young Israel president Farley Weiss issued a statement criticizing the Genesis Foundation’s choice of Portman for the prize. In the statement, Weiss made reference to Portman marrying choreographer Benjamin Millepied, who said four years ago that he had started the process of converting to Judaism.“If the Genesis prize wanted to honor an actress they should have honored Gal Gadot, who has repeatedly shown her pride in being Israeli, supporting Israel during times of difficulties and is married to a Jewish person raising Jewish kids,” Weiss said. </s> Natalie Portman, Netanyahu, and Gaza: Israelis bristle at criticism from 'one of their own'

On Friday, for the fifth week in row, Israeli soldiers and Palestinian protesters once again clashed along the border with Gaza.

This time, three Palestinians were killed.

More than 40 Palestinians have now been killed by Israeli fire in the March of Return protests.

Israel says many of the dead and wounded have links to the military wing of Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza.

But the ongoing deaths in Gaza did not dominate debate in Israel this week.

What many were talking about was the decision of Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman.

Israelis are still trying to digest Portman's refusal to attend the ceremony to accept the prestigious Genesis Prize, sometimes referred to as the Jewish Nobel.

This year's Genesis Prize winner selects charities that receive a total of $US2 million ($2.6 million).

The Hollywood star, who was born in Israel, accepted the prize late last year.

But as the death toll in Gaza mounted recently, she announced she would not attend the prize ceremony in June.

She posted a clarifying statement on Instagram, saying she did not want to appear to be endorsing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He was due to appear at the ceremony.

And in an apparent reference to the Palestinian deaths in Gaza, she wrote: "… the mistreatment of those suffering from today's atrocities is simply not in line with my Jewish values."

Reaction in Israel was swift. Members of Israel's parliament, the Knesset, demanded that her citizenship be revoked.

Others went further.

Speaking on Israeli television, Oren Hazan, a Member of the Knesset for the governing Likud party, said Portman, who is Jewish, was anti-Semitic.

"What Natalie Portman did, she played as a tool for those that hate us more, " he said.

Even those opposed to the government say Portman has unintentionally played into the hands of anti-Israel activists, including supporters of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement.

In her Instagram post, the actress went out of her way to state she does not support the BDS movement.

Ksenia Svetlova belongs to the opposition block in the Knesset.

But even she thinks Portman's decision to boycott the Genesis Prize ceremony was a mistake.

"It is a big deal to us," Ms Svetlova said.

"When we feel somebody who is part of us, she knows all the complexities … and she knows she gives a lot of strength to organisations such as BDS by not coming here."

Ms Svetlova believes that Portman, as an Israeli, should have known better.

"What she does is she alienates the mainstream Israeli folks who live here," she said.

There have been voices, mostly in the arts and on the Israeli left, who have defended Portman's decision.

"It's outrageous to call her anti-Semitic," said David Shadi, an Israeli film director.

"Friends of Israel around the world … it's very important they say what they believe," Mr Shadi said.

"Because you can learn from every aspect that someone who loves you gives you. Even if it's wrong."

The director said Portman is finding out the hard way how criticism from 'one of their own' is viewed by the Israeli public.

"When they see an Israeli figure, or Jewish figure, stands against Israel … they feel like they're attacked."

After all the debate and discussion, there is no word yet about what will actually happen to the $2.6 million to be awarded by the prize winner.

The Genesis Prize Foundation said it is "very saddened" that the Israeli-American actress will not attend.

It also said it had no choice but to cancel the prize ceremony, out of "fear that Ms Portman's decision will cause our philanthropic initiative to be politicised". </s> Natalie Portman, the Israeli-born American-Oscar winning actress, hit Israel below the belt last Thursday. The 36-year-old actress’s aggression was shocking to many since she has made a big deal of her Israeli roots over the years.

For instance, in 2015 she gave an interview to the Hollywood Reporter. As a new resident of Paris, Portman was asked whether she “was shaken” by the massacre of journalists at the offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper. Looking her interviewer straight in the eye, she said roughly, “Listen, I’m from Israel.”

In other words, Portman, who moved with her family to the U.S. when she was 3, appropriated the toughness Israelis have been forced to cultivate in the face of their neighbors’ continuous aggression to cultivate a tough-girl image of herself.

Given the use Portman routinely makes of her Israeli pedigree, many were astounded that Portman chose the occasion of Israel’s 70th Independence Day last Thursday to pounce on Israel.

Last November, Portman agreed to receive the Genesis Prize. The prize, which Time magazine dubbed the “Jewish Nobel,” was established five years ago by Russian-Israeli philanthropists with a $100 million endowment. The declared purpose of the prize, which gives the winner a million dollars to spend on the charities of his or her choice, is “to celebrate Jewish achievement and contribution to society.”

The unstated but well-understood goal of the prize foundation, which is dominated by American Jews, is to convince Jewish celebrities identified with the left to support Israel publicly. Previous winners include former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg; actor Michael Douglas, violinist Itzhak Perlman; and British sculptor and refugee rights advocate Anish Kapoor. This year, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is receiving a lifetime achievement award.

Winners of the Genesis Prize come to Jerusalem for a glamorous ceremony, jointly sponsored by the Prime Minister’s office and the Jewish Agency for Israel. The Prime Minister of Israel hands the winner the prize.

When she agreed to receive the prize last November, Portman sounded enthusiastic. She said, “I am deeply touched and humbled by this honor.

“I am proud of my Israeli roots and Jewish heritage; they are crucial parts of who I am. It is such a privilege to be counted among the outstanding Laureates whom I admire so much. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Genesis Prize Foundation, and look forward to using the global platform it provides to make a difference in the lives of women in Israel and beyond.”

The following month, Israeli billionaire philanthropist Morris Kahn announced that he would donate an additional million dollars to Portman’s prize money.

In the six months that passed since her selection was announced, Portman gave no indication that she was reconsidering her willingness to accept the award.

But then, last Thursday, on Israel’s Independence Day, Portman’s representative told the Genesis Prize Foundation, “Recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her and she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel.” Portman’s representative added that “she cannot in good conscience move forward with the ceremony.”

Since Portman did not bother mentioning which “recent events” caused her such “extreme distress,” Israeli politicians drew their own conclusions. Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan and Minister of Cultural Affairs Miri Regev both assumed that Portman was condemning Israel for defending its border with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

Regev reacted to Portman’s move by saying she “fell like a ripe fruit into the hands of BDS supporters.” BDS, which stands for “boycott, divestment, and sanctions,” is a movement spearheaded by the PLO and advanced by Muslim and leftist groups throughout the West. It is a multifaceted campaign against Israel and its supporters. It involves ostracizing Israel’s supporters and delegitimizing Israel’s right to exist while harming its economy.

Erdan wrote Portman an open letter in which he invited her to visit Israel’s border with Gaza to see what Israel is up against. Erdan noted that her statement was being used by the “anti-Semitic BDS campaign … to advance its ends.”

Erdan was right. Immediately after Portman’s move became public, BDS activists and groups social media organs whooped in triumph, declaring Portman had abandoned Israel and embraced BDS.

Portman may have been concerned that her announcement, and the Israeli and BDS reactions, could harm her image. How can she continue to claim pride in her Israeli “toughness” if she thinks that Israel is evil?

Taking to her Instagram account, Portman wrote, “I chose not to attend [the Genesis Prize Ceremony] because I did not want to appear as endorsing [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony.

“By the same token, I am not part of the BDS movement and do not endorse it. Like many Israelis and Jews around the world, I can be critical of the leadership in Israel without wanting to boycott the entire nation.”

Portman continued, “I treasure my Israeli friends and family, Israeli food, books, art, cinema, and dance.

“Israel has created exactly 70 years ago as a haven for refugees from the Holocaust. But the mistreatment of those suffering from today’s atrocities is simply not in line with my Jewish values. Because I care about Israel, I must stand up against violence, corruption, inequality, and abuse of power.”

There are a number of problems with this statement. First, it contradicts Portman’s representative’s statement issued 24 hours earlier.

If Portman canceled her participation in the ceremony because she hates Netanyahu, why did her representative say she was distressed by “recent events”?

Netanyahu didn’t assume power “recently.” He’s been in office for nine years.

Indeed, if her hatred for Netanyahu drove her to boycott the prize, the Genesis Prize Foundation should sue her for fraud since it means that she never intended to accept the prize and she deliberately sabotaged the foundation’s work.

Portman’s statement also bespeaks an amazing contempt for Israel itself – in two deeply distressing ways.

First, her claim that Israel was created “as a haven for refugees from the Holocaust” is a dangerous lie. It is a lie Israel’s most murderous enemies propagate as a means of denying Israel’s right to exist. The Iranians and the Palestinians say the Jews have no ties to their ancestral homeland and that Israel is no more than a sop to Europe’s guilty conscience over the Holocaust.

The truth — which Portman is supposed to know as a proud “Israeli” — is that Zionism, the millennial movement of the Jewish return to the land of Israel, and Zionist Jews created Israel. By the time the Holocaust began in 1938, the Jewish pioneers in the land of Israel had already built the foundations of that state. The Holocaust’s practical impact on Israel’s establishment was that it annihilated millions of Jews who wanted to immigrate to Israel.

As if that weren’t enough, Portman went on to reject Israeli democracy. Netanyahu is not a dictator. He and his government were elected by Israel’s voters. When Portman said she thinks Netanyahu is illegitimate, she effectively said the Israeli public which elected him is illegitimate.

Portman’s behavior isn’t surprising. She has been railing against Israel for the past three years in precisely the manner that she assaulted it last week.

On the one hand, she viciously attacks the country on political grounds. On the other hand, she says she doesn’t want her political attacks to be politicized.

Which brings us to the real problem with the entire episode. Given her savage criticism of Israel, spanning years, Portman should never have received the Genesis Prize in the first place. The fact that she did, and the fact that neither the Genesis Prize foundation nor the American Jewish leadership has yet condemned her since she betrayed her word so viciously, is a testament to the political stupidity of American Jewish leadership.

And this is the real problem. The American Jewish community’s insistent embrace of people who reject its values and interests in favor of its liberal political identity is rapidly undoing it. Multi-year survey data make clear that Jewish Americans are among the most liberal groups in the U.S. Naturally, as liberals, they want to be embraced by the group with which they identify most strongly – the Left. Unfortunately for them, the Left is becoming less and less hospitable to Jews.

Recognizing the shift in her camp, for at least three years, Portman has played a transparently phony double game. To maintain her relevance on the increasingly anti-Jewish left, Portman has signaled her hatred of Israel by slandering Netanyahu, the most popular leader in Israeli history as a racist.

On the other hand, to avoid losing her pride of place in the American Jewish community, every time Portman demonizes Netanyahu – and through him, Israelis society as a whole — she adds a disclaimer that she doesn’t support BDS.

If American Jewish leaders were interested in defending their values and interests, they would have called her on this stunt when she first tried it in 2015. Instead, they gave her the “Jewish Nobel Prize.”

And now Israel is reaping what they sowed. </s> The Genesis foundation said it was ‘very saddened’ by Portman’s decision.

US actress Natalie Portman, this year’s recipient of a prize dubbed the “Jewish Nobel”, has pulled out of the June awards ceremony in Israel because of extreme distress over recent events in the country, the Genesis Prize Foundation said.

The foundation said it was informed by Portman’s representative that the Jerusalem-born Oscar winner “does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel”.

Thursday’s statement did not refer to specific events that would have prompted Portman’s decision.

Israel has been criticised for its response to mass protests on the Gaza-Israel border, in which 28 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds wounded by Israeli fire since March 30.

Israel says it is defending its border and accuses Gaza’s rulers, the Islamic militant Hamas group, of trying to carry out attacks under the guise of protests.

The Genesis foundation said it was “very saddened” by Portman’s decision.

“We fear that Ms Portman’s decision will cause our philanthropic initiative to be politicised, something we have worked hard for the past five years to avoid,” it said.

The prize was launched in 2013 to recognise Jewish achievement and contributions to humanity.

Previous recipients include former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, actor Michael Douglas, violinist Itzhak Perlman and sculptor Anish Kapoor.

When Portman was announced late last year as the 2018 recipient, she said in a statement released by organisers at the time that she was “proud of my Israeli roots and Jewish heritage”.

In Thursday’s statement, the Genesis foundation quoted a representative for Portman as saying that “recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her” and that “she cannot in good conscience move forward with the ceremony”.

Israel’s right-wing Culture Minister Miri Regev said that she was sorry to hear that Portman “has fallen like a ripe fruit into the hands of BDS supporters”, referring to a Palestinian-led global movement of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel.

“Natalie, a Jewish actress born in Israel, is joining those who relate to the wondrous success story of Israel’s rebirth as a story of ‘darkness and darkness’,” Ms Regev said.

Rachel Azaria, a lawmaker from the centrist Kulanu party, warned that Portman’s decision to stay away is a sign of eroding support for Israel among young American Jews.

“The cancellation by Natalie Portman needs to light warning signs,” Ms Azaria said.

“She is totally one of us. She identifies with her Jewishness and Israeli-ness. She is expressing now the voices of many in US Jewry, mainly those of the young generation.

“This is a community that was always a significant anchor for the state of Israel. The price of losing them could be too high.” </s> JERUSALEM — Actress Natalie Portman has snubbed a prestigious prize known as the "Jewish Nobel," saying she did not want her attendance to be seen as an endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Portman was to have received the award in Israel in June and said in a statement issued early Saturday that her reasons for skipping the ceremony had been mischaracterized by others, and she is not part of the BDS, a Palestinian-led global movement of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel.

News of Portman's decision to skip the event triggered an angry backlash Friday from some in the country's political establishment.

That was due to reports that Portman through a representative had told the Genesis Prize Foundation she was experiencing "extreme distress" over attending its ceremony and would "not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel."

Portman's statement said her decision had been mischaracterized.

"Let me speak for myself. I chose not to attend because I did not want to appear as endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony," she wrote.

"Like many Israelis and Jews around the world, I can be critical of the leadership in Israel without wanting to boycott the entire nation. I treasure my Israeli friends and family, Israeli food, books, art, cinema, and dance.'"

She asked people to "not take any words that do not come directly from me as my own."

Israel faces some international criticism over its use of lethal force in response to mass protests along the Gaza border led by the Islamic militant group that rules the territory.

One Israeli lawmaker warned that Portman's decision is a sign of eroding support for Israel among young American Jews.

The Jerusalem-born Portman is a dual Israeli-American citizen. The Oscar-winning actress moved to the United States as a young girl, evolving from a child actress into a widely acclaimed A-list star. Portman received the 2011 best actress Academy Award for "Black Swan," and, in 2015, she directed and starred in "Tale of Love and Darkness," a Hebrew-language film set in Israel based on an Amos Oz novel. Her success is a great source of pride for many Israelis.

The Genesis Prize Foundation said Thursday that it had been informed by Portman's representative that "recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing" to Portman, though it did not refer to specific events.

Since March 30, more than three dozen Palestinians have been killed by Israeli army fire, most of them in protests on the Gaza-Israeli border. Hundreds more have been wounded by Israeli troops during this time.

Israel says it is defending its border and accuses Hamas, a militant group sworn to Israel's destruction, of trying to carry out attacks under the guise of protests. It has said that some of those protesting at the border over the past few weeks tried to damage the fence, plant explosives and hurl firebombs, or flown kites attached to burning rags to set Israeli fields on fire. Several Israeli communities are located near the Gaza border.

Rights groups have branded open-fire rules as unlawful, saying they effectively permit soldiers to use potentially lethal force against unarmed protesters.

Israel's right-wing Culture Minister Miri Regev said in a statement Friday that she was sorry to hear that Portman "has fallen like a ripe fruit into the hands of BDS supporters," referring to the Palestinian-led boycott movement.

"Natalie, a Jewish actress born in Israel, is joining those who relate to the wondrous success story of Israel's rebirth as a story of 'darkness and darkness'," Regev said.

Rachel Azaria, a lawmaker from the centrist Kulanu party, warned that Portman's decision to stay away is a sign of eroding support for Israel among young American Jews.

"The cancellation by Natalie Portman needs to light warning signs," Azaria said in a statement. "She is totally one of us. She identifies with her Jewishness and Israeli-ness. She is expressing now the voices of many in U.S. Jewry, mainly those of the young generation. This is a community that was always a significant anchor for the state of Israel. The price of losing them could be too high."

Oren Hazan, a legislator in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud Party, called on the government to revoke Portman's Israeli citizenship.

Gilad Erdan, Israel's Public Security Minister said he sent a letter to Portman expressing his disappointment. "Sadly, it seems that you have been influenced by the campaign of media misinformation and lies regarding Gaza orchestrated by the Hamas terrorist group," he wrote.

He invited her to visit and see for herself the situation on the ground.

The Genesis foundation said it was "very saddened" by Portman's decision and would cancel the prize ceremony, which had been set for June 28.

"We fear that Ms. Portman's decision will cause our philanthropic initiative to be politicized, something we have worked hard for the past five years to avoid," it said.

Portman said in her statement that the backlash has inspired her to make numerous contributions to charities in Israel. She pledged to announce those grants soon.

The Genesis Prize was launched in 2013 to recognize Jewish achievement and contributions to humanity. Previous recipients include former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, actor Michael Douglas, violinist Itzhak Perlman and sculptor Anish Kapoor.

When Portman was announced late last year as the 2018 recipient, she said in a statement released by organizers at the time that she was "proud of my Israeli roots and Jewish heritage." </s> Palestinian Arab rioters who participated on Friday in violent “March of the Return” riots near the Gaza border held up signs thanking Israeli-American Natalie Portman, Channel 10 News reported.

“Occupied and besieged Gaza appreciates your moral stance. Thank you Natalie Portman,” the sign read.

Portman announced last week that she would refuse to come to Israel to receive the Genesis Prize from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu due to what she called “the mistreatment of those suffering from today’s atrocities”.

"I chose not to attend because I did not want to appear as endorsing Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony," said Portman. "By the same token, I am not part of the BDS movement and do not endorse it."

"Like many Israelis and Jews around the world, I can be critical of the leadership in Israel without wanting to boycott the entire nation. I treasure my Israeli friends and family, Israeli food, books, art, cinema, and dance. Israel was created exactly 70 years ago as a haven for refugees from the Holocaust. But the mistreatment of those suffering from today’s atrocities is simply not in line with my Jewish values. Because I care about Israel, I must stand up against violence, corruption, inequality, and abuse of power," the actress added.

She did not explain what she was referring to by "atrocities."

The Likud party responded to Portman's decision, labelling her a “hypocrite” and adding, "Natalie Portman talks about democracy, but she supported the V15 organization, which attempted, via foreign funding, to skew Israel's democratic elections."

"Portman talks about human rights, but she participates in festivals in countries which censor videos and whose human rights record is far behind that of Israel. No excuse will help - Portman simply refuses to accept the decision of Israel's citizens," said the Likud.

Likud MK Oren Hazan called on Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas) to strip Portman of her Israeli citizenship.

"[She is] a Jewish Israeli, who on the one hand cynically uses her birthplace to advance her career and on the other is proud of the fact that she managed to avoid enlisting in the IDF. She's an actress, but she is unworthy of any honor in the State of Israel....She...has no real connection to the State."

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.) </s> JERUSALEM (AP) - U.S. actress Natalie Portman, this year's recipient of a prize dubbed the "Jewish Nobel," has pulled out of the June awards ceremony in Israel because of extreme distress over recent events in the country, the Genesis Prize Foundation said.

The foundation said it was informed by Portman's representative that the Jerusalem-born Oscar winner "does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel."

Thursday's statement did not refer to specific events that would have prompted Portman's decision.

FILE - In this Feb. 13, 2018, file photo, Natalie Portman arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of "Annihilation" at the Regency Village Theatre. The foundation behind the prestigious Genesis Prize says this year's winner, Natalie Portman, has pulled out of the June awards ceremony in Israel, quoting a representative for the U.S. actress as saying recent events in Israel were "extremely distressing to her," according to a statement on Thursday, April 19, 2018. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Israel has been criticized for its response to mass protests on the Gaza-Israel border, in which 28 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds wounded by Israeli fire since March 30. Israel says it is defending its border and accuses Gaza's rulers, the Islamic militant Hamas group, of trying to carry out attacks under the guise of protests.

The Genesis foundation said it was "very saddened" by Portman's decision. "We fear that Ms. Portman's decision will cause our philanthropic initiative to be politicized, something we have worked hard for the past five years to avoid," it said.

The prize was launched in 2013 to recognize Jewish achievement and contributions to humanity. Previous recipients include former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, actor Michael Douglas, violinist Itzhak Perlman and sculptor Anish Kapoor.

When Portman was announced late last year as the 2018 recipient, she said in a statement released by organizers at the time that she was "proud of my Israeli roots and Jewish heritage."

In Thursday's statement, the Genesis foundation quoted a representative for Portman as saying that "recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her" and that "she cannot in good conscience move forward with the ceremony." </s> JERUSALEM -- U.S. actress Natalie Portman, this year's recipient of a prize dubbed the "Jewish Nobel," has pulled out of the June awards ceremony in Israel because of extreme distress over recent events in the country, the Genesis Prize Foundation said. The foundation said it was informed by Portman's representative that the Jerusalem-born Oscar winner "does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel."

Thursday's statement did not refer to specific events that would have prompted Portman's decision.

Israel has been criticized for its response to mass protests on the Gaza-Israel border, in which 28 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds wounded by Israeli fire since March 30. Israel says it is defending its border and accuses Gaza's rulers, the Islamic militant Hamas group, of trying to carry out attacks under the guise of protests.

Death toll rises in Gaza-Israel border protests

The Genesis foundation said it was "very saddened" by Portman's decision. "We fear that Ms. Portman's decision will cause our philanthropic initiative to be politicized, something we have worked hard for the past five years to avoid," it said.

The prize was launched in 2013 to recognize Jewish achievement and contributions to humanity. Previous recipients include former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, actor Michael Douglas, violinist Itzhak Perlman and sculptor Anish Kapoor.

When Portman was announced late last year as the 2018 recipient, she said in a statement released by organizers at the time that she was "proud of my Israeli roots and Jewish heritage."

In Thursday's statement, the Genesis foundation quoted a representative for Portman as saying that "recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her" and that "she cannot in good conscience move forward with the ceremony."
Israeli lawmakers Yuval Steinitz and Oren Hazan accuse Jerusalem-born actress Natalie Portman of antisemitism and seek to revoke her citizenship with Hazan calling her a "little hyprocrite liar" after she decides not to travel to Israel and accept the US$2 million Genesis Prize.