An Israeli minister wrote to Natalie Portman on Friday after she decided not to come to Israel to receive the so-called “Jewish Nobel” awarded by the Genesis Prize Foundation, telling her she had been hoodwinked by Hamas propaganda and inviting the Jerusalem-born Hollywood star to come and see the truth.

Portman had initially agreed to accept the $2 million award at a ceremony scheduled for June.

But on Thursday, the foundation said that it had been notified by Portman’s representative that “[r]ecent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her and she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel” and that “she cannot in good conscience move forward with the ceremony.”

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“It appears that the events to which you are referring are those that took place on our border with Gaza,” Strategic Affairs and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan wrote to Portman.

“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 said inviting her to come and tour the border, its communities and the IDF soldiers guarding it.

His invitation came on a day of further clashes when some 3,000 Palestinians protested along the Gaza border with Israel, burning tires and flying flaming kites across the frontier to set Israeli fields ablaze, witnesses and the army said. Soldiers responded with tear gas and live fire, killing four Palestinians, including a 15-year-old, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

“It is not surprising that you have seen the media reports which have distorted the truth and portrayed the recent riots on the Israel-Gaza border as peaceful demonstrations, and Israel’s response as disproportionate,” Erdan wrote. “It is in fact precisely this narrative which Hamas hoped to portray when it organized the riots. Unfortunately it appears that this Hamas-designed narrative has impacted your decision.”

Erdan said the truth was that Hamas was using the “riots as a cover to carry out armed terror attacks.”

Erdan urged Portman to come and see the situation for herself, warning that the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) campaign was “taking advantage” of her stand.

Erdan even referred to Portman’s role in the Star Wars series.

“The goal of Hamas and other murderous terrorist organizations is to convince the world that they are the real fighters for justice and freedom. Please don’t make that mistake,” Erdan said.

“Anakin Skywalker, a character you know well from Star Wars, went through a similar process. 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.”

Meanwhile, the Forward reported that US Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is receiving a lifetime achievement award, would still be coming to Israel for the award.

Earlier, Culture Minister Miri Regev lambasted Portman, saying she had “fallen into the hands” of the BDS campaign that aims to isolate the Jewish state.

The Genesis Foundation did not indicate whether Portman would still receive the prize money in light of her announcement.

Regev said she was sorry that Portman had “fallen like ripe fruit into the hands of BDS supporters.”

She added, “Natalie, a Jewish actress who was born in Israel, joins those who relate to the story of the success and the wondrous rebirth of Israel as a story of darkness.”

Calling on Interior Minister Aryeh Deri to cancel Portman’s Israeli citizenship, Likud MK Oren Hazan labeled her “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.”

Portman left Israel with her parents at the age of 3.

Kulanu lawmaker Rachel Azaria said that Portman’s decision was a reflection of changing attitudes toward Israel among US Jews.

“Natalie Portman’s cancellation should be a warning sign,” she tweeted. “She’s totally one of us, identifies with her Jewishness and Israeliness. She’s expressing the voices of many in US Jewry, and particularly those of the younger generation. This is a community that was always a significant anchor for the State of Israel and the price of losing it is likely to be too high.”

Much of the US Jewish community has been at odds with Israel’s right-wing government in recent years over the latter’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its support for ultra-Orthodox Jewry on issues of religious identity and practice.

In a statement announcing the cancellation of the prize ceremony, the Genesis Prize Foundation said that its organizers “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.”

In November, the Genesis Prize announced that Portman would receive its 2018 award, which comes with a cash prize that recipients may direct toward causes of their choice. She joined artist Anish Kapoor, violinist Itzhak Perlman, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and actor-director Michael Douglas as winners of the $1 million prize, which “honors individuals who serve as an inspiration to the next generation of Jews through their outstanding professional achievement along with their commitment to Jewish values and the Jewish people.”

Genesis said in December that Portman’s prize money had been doubled to $2 million by a donation by Israeli philanthropist Morris Kahn.

The prize was established by Mikhail Fridman and other wealthy Russian-Jewish businessmen and operates in partnership with the Prime Minister’s Office and the Jewish Agency for Israel.

In 2009, Portman joined other Hollywood stars in protesting calls for a boycott against the Toronto International Film Festival for its staging of a Tel Aviv-themed event. She also directed and starred in a Hebrew-language adaptation of Israeli novelist Amos Oz’s memoir, “A Tale of Love and Darkness.” In a statement following the Genesis Prize announcement in November, Portman said she was “proud of my Israeli roots and Jewish heritage.”

In 2015, following the reelection of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, she said she was “very, very upset and disappointed.”

“I find his racist comments horrific,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “However, I don’t — what I want to make sure is, I don’t want to use my platform [the wrong way]. I feel like there are some people who become prominent, and then it’s out in the foreign press. You know, shit on Israel. I do not. I don’t want to do that.”</s>GAZA: Israeli troops martyred four Palestinians on the Gaza-Israel border on Friday, bringing to 35 the death toll in recent weeks among Palestinian protesters demanding the right to return to their former homeland.



Gazans used catapults and sling-shots to launch stones at Israeli forces, and some Palestinians brought wire-cutters to cut through the border fence, ignoring leaflets dropped by the Israeli military warning residents not to approach the frontier.

The deaths included a 15-year-old boy martyred in northern Gaza, Palestinian health officials said, adding that 156 people were wounded by Israeli gunfire.

UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov wrote on Twitter: “It is outrageous to shoot at children! How does the killing of a child in Gaza today help peace? It doesn’t! It fuels anger and breeds more killing. Children must be protected from violence, not exposed to it.”

The planned six-week protest campaign reached its half-way point on Friday, which saw smaller crowds than in recent weeks. As the numbers peaked during the afternoon Israeli soldiers called out warnings in Arabic over loudspeakers to anyone who approached the border fence.



Black plumes of smoke from piles of burning tires billowed over the area, and stretcher-bearers rushed to carry the wounded to first aid posts.

The protest began on March 30, and has seen tent encampments spring up near the Israeli-imposed restricted zone along the 40km (25-mile) border fence. The protesters have revived demands for Palestinian refugees to regain their ancestral homes in what is now Israel.

The protests are scheduled to culminate on May 15, when, according to Hamas leader Ismail Haniya, the Gaza scenes would be replicated elsewhere on Israel’s frontiers.

“I say to our people everywhere, be prepared for a human deluge on all of the borders of Palestine, inside the occupied land and outside the occupied land,” he said on a visit to one of the border camps. “I say to the [Israeli occupiers] your time is gone.”

Israel’s use of live fire has drawn international criticism but the Israeli government says it is protecting its borders and takes such action when protesters come too close to the border fence.

The Israeli military said that around 3,000 Palestinians were involved in the latest protest, and that its troops responded “with riot dispersal means and are firing in accordance with the rules of engagement.”

Israel accuses Hamas of staging riots and trying to carry out attacks. Hamas denies this.

“We aim to distract the soldiers from shooting and wounding or killing our people,” said Mohammad Abu Mustafa, 17, who lost his right leg a few months ago after being shot by an Israeli soldier.

More than 2 million Palestinians are packed into the narrow coastal enclave. Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005 but maintains tight control of its land and sea borders. Egypt also restricts movement in and out of Gaza on its border.

The protest campaign, dubbed The Great March of Return, is leading up to May 15, when Palestinians mark Nakba Day, or the Day of Catastrophe, commemorating their displacement around the time of Israel’s founding in 1948.

It takes place at a time of growing frustration over the prospects for an independent Palestinian state. Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been stalled for several years and Israeli settlements in the occupied territories have expanded.

US President Donald Trump’s decision last year to recognise disputed Jerusalem as Israel’s capital further fuelled Palestinian anger.

In an apparent sign of concern over the bloodshed on the border, the Israeli-American Hollywood actress Natalie Portman announced she was pulling out of a ceremony in Israel to accept a million-dollar prize because of “distressing” events in the country.

In a statement, the Genesis Prize Foundation quoted a representative for Portman as saying: “Recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her and she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel.”



It gave no further details of her reasons. But the foundation said it “admires her humanity, and respects her right to publicly disagree with the policies of the government of Israel.”

Israel’s culture minister, Miri Regev, suggested the actress was supporting the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement, which aims to isolate Israel economically over its treatment of Palestinians. Israel sees the BDS movement as an attempt to delegitimise it.

The Genesis Prize is awarded to individuals for excellence in their professional fields and “who inspire others through their dedication to the Jewish community and Jewish values”.</s>GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli troops shot dead four Palestinians on the Gaza-Israel border on Friday, bringing to 35 the death toll in recent weeks among Palestinian protesters demanding the right to return to their former homeland.

 Gazans used catapults and sling-shots to launch stones at Israeli forces, and some Palestinians brought wire-cutters to cut through the border fence, ignoring leaflets dropped by the Israeli military warning residents not to approach the frontier.

 The deaths included a 15-year-old boy shot dead in northern Gaza, Palestinian health officials said, adding that 156 people were wounded by Israeli gunfire.

 U.N. Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov wrote on Twitter: "It is outrageous to shoot at children! How does the killing of a child in Gaza today help peace? It doesn’t! It fuels anger and breeds more killing. Children must be protected from violence, not exposed to it."

 In response, a retired former Israeli army spokesman, Peter Lerner, tweeted suggestions to Mladenov, including: "Please go to Gaza, engage Hamas and get them to stop sending people to the fence."

 The planned six-week protest campaign reached its half-way point on Friday, which saw smaller crowds than in recent weeks. As the numbers peaked during the afternoon Israeli soldiers called out warnings in Arabic over loudspeakers to anyone who approached the border fence.

 Black plumes of smoke from piles of burning tires billowed over the area, and stretcher-bearers rushed to carry the wounded to first aid posts.

 The protest began on March 30, and has seen tent encampments spring up near the Israeli-imposed restricted zone along the 40km (25-mile) border fence. The protesters have revived demands for Palestinian refugees to regain their ancestral homes in what is now Israel. 

 The protests are scheduled to culminate on May 15, when, according to Hamas leader Ismail Haniya, the Gaza scenes would be replicated elsewhere on Israel's frontiers.

 "I say to our people everywhere, be prepared for a human deluge on all of the borders of Palestine, inside the occupied land and outside the occupied land," he said on a visit to one of the border camps. "I say to the (Israeli occupiers) your time is gone."

 Israel's use of live fire has drawn international criticism but the Israeli government says it is protecting its borders and takes such action when protesters come too close to the border fence.

 The Israeli military said that around 3,000 Palestinians were involved in the latest protest, and that its troops responded "with riot dispersal means and are firing in accordance with the rules of engagement."

 Israel accuses Hamas, the Islamist militant group which rules Gaza, of staging riots and trying to carry out attacks. Hamas denies this. Although organizers say the main protest is intended to be peaceful, some protesters have advanced toward the border from the encampments to hurl stones and burning tires near the fence.

 On Friday they fitted kites with cans of flammable liquid, which they flew across the border to start fires in Israel.

 "We aim to distract the soldiers from shooting and wounding or killing our people," said Mohammad Abu Mustafa, 17, who lost his right leg a few months ago after being shot by an Israeli soldier.

 Israel's Foreign Ministry tweeted a photograph of one kite daubed with a swastika flying through the sky trailing flames.

 

 PACKED IN

 More than 2 million Palestinians are packed into the narrow coastal enclave. Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005 but maintains tight control of its land and sea borders. Egypt also restricts movement in and out of Gaza on its border.

 The protest campaign, dubbed The Great March of Return, is leading up to May 15, when Palestinians mark Nakba Day, or the Day of Catastrophe, commemorating their displacement around the time of Israel's founding in 1948.

 It takes place at a time of growing frustration over the prospects for an independent Palestinian state. Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been stalled for several years and Israeli settlements in the occupied territories have expanded. 

 U.S. President Donald Trump's decision last year to recognize disputed Jerusalem as Israel's capital further fueled Palestinian anger. 

 In an apparent sign of concern over the bloodshed on the border, the Israeli-American Hollywood actress Natalie Portman announced she was pulling out of a ceremony in Israel to accept a million-dollar prize because of "distressing" events in the country.

 In a statement, the Genesis Prize Foundation quoted a representative for Portman as saying: "Recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her and she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel."

 It gave no further details of her reasons. But the foundation said it "admires her humanity, and respects her right to publicly disagree with the policies of the government of Israel".

 Israel's culture minister, Miri Regev, suggested the actress was supporting the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement, which aims to isolate Israel economically over its treatment of Palestinians. Israel sees the BDS movement as an attempt to delegitimize it.

 The Genesis Prize is awarded to individuals for excellence in their professional fields and "who inspire others through their dedication to the Jewish community and Jewish values".

 

 (Additional reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Angus MacSwan)</s></s>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>The Genesis Prize Foundation thinks Natalie Portman is “a highly accomplished actress, a committed social activist and a wonderful human being.”



Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz thinks her actions border on antisemitism.





Both of these statements were made following Portman’s decision to pull out of the upcoming Genesis Prize ceremony in Jerusalem. And both statements reflect not only the wide range of reactions to the Oscar-winning actress’s decision, but also the deep misunderstanding of her statements, of the prize, and of the future of that $2 million.In November, Portman was selected by the Genesis Prize Foundation to be its fifth laureate, receiving a grant of $1 million to donate to charitable causes, specifically those advancing women’s rights. In December, prominent philanthropist Morris Kahn announced he would double the prize money, giving Portman another $1m. to funnel to the organizations of her choosing.Early on Friday, the Genesis Prize committee informed the media that Portman had decided not to attend the ceremony slated for June in Jerusalem, and therefore it would be canceled.Both the foundation’s statement and Portman’s further explanation posted to Instagram were clearly referring only to the ceremony; not the prize, nor the prize money. For all intents and purposes – until further notice, should it come – Portman is still the 2018 Genesis Prize laureate, and she will still choose where the funds are allocated. After all, if an Oscar winner doesn’t show up to the award ceremony, it doesn’t mean that the person didn’t win the Oscar.While Kahn released a statement Friday saying that the money will be distributed by the Genesis Prize Foundation and “not by Ms. Portman,” the foundation itself has been careful to say no such thing. In conversations on Saturday and Sunday, sources connected to the foundation would not comment on the future of the funds, or the possibility of Portman’s continued involvement.As of Sunday afternoon, Portman was still listed as the 2018 laureate on the Genesis Prize website, and her image still graced the banner of the prize’s Facebook page.Over the weekend, right-wing Israeli politicians and Palestinian activists alike labeled Portman’s actions as supporting BDS. Neither side was particularly swayed by the actress’s own statement on Instagram, saying that she does not endorse the BDS movement – and that she loves Israeli culture, but did not want to be seen as endorsing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Many public figures in America – particularly sports stars – have declined invitations to the White House so as not to be seen as supporting US President Donald Trump. Nobody considers them to be boycotting the United States of America.BUT WOULD an appearance at the Genesis ceremony really have been seen as supporting Netanyahu?Those saying that the prize has nothing to do with Netanyahu – and her boycotting the ceremony is therefore an insult to Israel as a whole – are certainly misinformed. The prize has a lot to do with Netanyahu. It is handed out by the prime minister, and his director-general is on the prize committee. Netanyahu was the one who announced the prize’s creation in 2012, and it was labeled then as a joint initiative between the government, the Jewish Agency for Israel – a quasi-governmental group – and the Genesis Prize Foundation.Of course, Portman knew all that when she accepted the prize, and has known that for the five months since then. She needed to look no further than the images of a grinning Michael Douglas, Michael Bloomberg and Itzhak Perlman – the prize’s first three winners – being awarded the prize by Netanyahu to know what she had signed up for.It should be noted that the prize’s fourth laureate, Anish Kapoor, also canceled the prize ceremony in Jerusalem after receiving the honor. Kapoor said in May 2017 that it would be “inappropriate” to hold a festive ceremony “in light of the escalating war in Syria.” The famed artist directed the $1 million to five global NGOs who work assisting refugees around the world.PORTMAN COULD potentially have exited the ceremony in a way that drew less attention – and disparagement – but she made her choice deliberately. The Harvard graduate and mother of two has never shied away from speaking her mind, and she did not do so this weekend.But labeling her a supporter of BDS is false and patronizing, particularly when she has explicitly stated otherwise. Portman has long spoken of her love for Israel, its culture and its language, and even gave her two children Hebrew-inspired names – her son is named Aleph (the first Hebrew letter) and her daughter Amalia (“labor of God”). In 2015, Portman chose, for her directorial debut, to adapt the Amos Oz novel A Tale of Love and Darkness for the screen. Portman also wrote and starred in the film, which was shot in Jerusalem. On Sunday, Oz’s daughter, Fania Oz-Salzberger, posted a photo on Twitter of Oz, Portman and her co-star Gilad Kahana during filming.“I took this pic of Amos Oz with his cinematic parents #NataliePortman & Gilad Kanana on the film set of ‘A Tale of Love and Darkness,’” Oz-Salzberger wrote. “Natalie chose it as her directing debut, shot it in Hebrew, played my grandma, filled it with her love. To claim she’s anti-Israel is so idiotic.”Portman is not an elected official, nor a representative of any movement. Her decision to skip the Genesis Prize ceremony is significant, yes, but it is hardly a crisis of historic proportions. Israelis have bigger concerns, such as the fate of Avera Mengistu, an Israeli being held in Gaza; the future of a prime minister mired in scandal and potential indictments; and the deepening concerns of Iranian action along the border with Syria.Ultimately, it was Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman who had the most sensible response to the scandal, when he was asked about it while visiting the Gaza border on Friday.“We’re here talking about security,” he said. “We came here to see that the nation of Israel is receiving all the security it needs, and it is.”</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>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>(JTA) — Natalie Portman said she wouldn’t attend a prize ceremony in Israel because of her feelings about its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and “atrocities” committed on his watch, but emphasized that she would not shun Israel itself.

The Jerusalem-born director and actor, posting Friday night on Instagram, explained her decision not to accept in person the $2 million Genesis Prize, which calls itself the “Jewish Nobel,” after a day of speculation in the media that she was turning down the prize because she was joining the movement to boycott, divest from and sanction Israel. The prize foundation had the day before announced Portman’s decision not to attend the ceremony.

“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,” said Portman, who in 2011 won a best actress Oscar.

“By the same token, I am not part of the BDS movement and do not endorse it,” Portman 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. “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.”

She did not explain what she was referring to by “atrocities.” Israel has drawn sharp criticism in recent months for confrontations with Palestinian protesters on its Gaza border. Israeli troops have killed over 30 Palestinians and wounded hundreds. Israel says the protesters are not peaceful and have tossed rocks and explosive devices at troops.

Netanyahu last month also drew sharp rebukes for reversing his decision to work with the United Nations to resettle some 38,000 African asylum seekers in the country, and reverting to an earlier plan to summarily deport them to Uganda or another African nation. Among the critics were Jewish groups and figures who rarely criticize Israeli government policies.

In the wake of Portman’s decision, the Genesis Prize Foundation said it would distribute the $2 million to women’s rights groups, but not those of Portman’s choosing. Winners of the prize, which “honors individuals who serve as an inspiration to the next generation of Jews through their outstanding professional achievement along with their commitment to Jewish values and the Jewish people,” conventionally donate the prize money to charitable causes of their choosing.

The Genesis Prize on Friday posted a tweet on its timeline attached to a story about the controversy, with the headline, “Israelis lament Natalie Portman dropping out of Genesis Prize.”

The background to the Genesis Prize’s Twitter page was still as of Friday evening a photo of Natalie Portman, accompanied by a message congratulating her.

Portman said in her Instagram post she would soon announce charities she would support in Israel.

“This experience has inspired me to support a number of charities in Israel,” she said. “I will be announcing them soon, and I hope others will join me in supporting the great work they are doing.”

Portman has previously joined efforts to support Israel. In 2015, she directed and starred in “A Tale of Love and Darkness,” a Hebrew-language film adaptation of the Amos Oz book of the same name that chronicles the author’s life surrounding Israel’s founding.
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.