Published: 12:26 AM, 23 April 2018
Natalie Portman backs out of prize over Netanyahu
Hollywood actress Natalie Portman said she was backing out of a Jerusalem ceremony where she was to receive a $2 million prize to protest against the policies of Israel's prime minister.
"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," Portman said in a statement posted late Friday on Instagram.
She also denied accusations by Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev who on Friday said Portman subscribed to the ideology of the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. "I am not part of the BDS movement and do not endorse it," the Oscar-winning US-Israeli actress said.
"Like many Israelis and Jews around the world, I can be critical of the leadership in Israel without wanting to boycott the entire nation," she said. Netanyahu's Likud party hit back on Saturday, accusing Portman of "hypocrisy."
-Agencies
"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," Portman said in a statement posted late Friday on Instagram.
She also denied accusations by Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev who on Friday said Portman subscribed to the ideology of the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. "I am not part of the BDS movement and do not endorse it," the Oscar-winning US-Israeli actress said.
"Like many Israelis and Jews around the world, I can be critical of the leadership in Israel without wanting to boycott the entire nation," she said. Netanyahu's Likud party hit back on Saturday, accusing Portman of "hypocrisy."
-Agencies
