After the ‘Black Swan’ actress declined to attend a ceremony in her honor, she was the target of backlash. But she’s right to denounce Israel’s practices, says one reader.
(Photo: Neilson Barnard, Getty Images)
Letter to the editor:
I believe in giving credit where credit is due. Recently, Natalie Portman notified the Genesis Prize Foundation, which awards what it calls the “Jewish Nobel,” that she would not take part in the ceremony taking place this June in Jerusalem. Portman said NO to the prize, which comes with $2 million, because recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her, and she doesn’t feel comfortable participating in any public events in the region.
Portman added that she could not “in good conscience” move forward with the ceremony. How could she?
Just in the last three weeks, the Israeli Defense Forces used gun fire to disperse peaceful Palestinian protesters near the Israeli border killing men, women and children, and injuring thousands.
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Portman, who was born in Jerusalem and left for the U.S. at age 3, never served in the IDF. One can safely argue that she never killed or injured a Palestinian.
The slaughter by IDF in the Gaza Strip has shocked Jews around the world. Yet, some call her a self-hating Jew. If Israeli Jews can criticize the U.S. government, why can’t Portman? Truth is, Portman represents the conscience of the silent Jewish American majority. She refused to be honored by the blood-soiled hands of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.