Israeli-born Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman said over the weekend that she chose not to attend a ceremony in Israel to accept a million-dollar prize from the Genesis Foundation, sometimes referred to as the "Jewish Nobel Prize," because she did not want to be seen as supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was scheduled to speak at the award ceremony.
Portman said her decision had been "mischaracterized by others."
Portman's decision not to attend caused a minor backlash in Israel on Friday after organizers announced they were canceling the ceremony as a result, saying they were "very saddened" by her 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," the Genesis Foundation said in a statement.
Last week, a representative of Portman said recent "distressing" events in Israel caused the actress to back out, without giving specifics. Many interpreted this to be a response to the violence on the Israel-Gaza Strip border over the past few weeks.
Some ministers in Netanyahu's right-wing government said Friday that Portman appeared to have been manipulated by the Palestinian-led international campaign to boycott Israel.
Portman said she does not support the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, which aims to isolate Israel over its treatment of Palestinians.
"Let me speak for myself," Portman said later in a statement posted on Instagram.
"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.
"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. Please do not take any words that do not come directly from me as my own."
Kulanu MK Rachel Azaria said that Portman's decision is a sign of eroding support for Israel among young American Jews.
"The cancellation by Natalie Portman needs to be seen as a warning sign," Azaria said in a statement.
"She is totally one of us. She identifies with her Jewishness and Israeliness. 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."
