Natalie Portman pulled out of contention for a prestigious Israel award, The Genesis Award, and so an Israeli politician has called for her Israel citizenship to be stripped from her. Portman, born in Israel, left when she was four. This led to backlash when she refused the "Jewish Nobel Peace Price."
The Genesis Prize is given to people, "who inspire others through their dedication to the Jewish community and Jewish values" through their profession.
The award is held every year in Jerusalem. Recipients include actor Michael Douglas, sculptor Anish Kapoor, and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg,
The Politician calling to remove Portman's citizenship is Oren Hazan. He is from the Likud party, a right-wing political entity.
He said it was "complete craziness," Portman was nominated for the Genesis Prize saying she was, "unworthy of any honour in the State of Israel."
He said to the Israel National News, "Sweetness can come from strength: I call on Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas) to rescind Portman's Israeli citizenship."
Miri Regev, Israel's minister of culture and sport said, since Portman rescinded her participation in the Genesis Awards, that she, "fell like a ripe fruit into the hands of supporters of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)."
Other Israel officials said the media, "had distorted the truth."
Portman refused the honour due to, "recent events in Israel" which were"extremely distressing."
They added Portman rejecting the nomination would, "cause our philanthropic initiative to be politicised," and so the Genesis Awards have been cancelled in response.
Portman's statements are not without cause. Israel has responded to recent Palestinian protests on the Gaza-Israel border harshly. Israel troops killed 35 Palestinians and wounded hundreds so far.
And she is not the only one saying this.
Photo montage of the despair that Palestinians in Gaza feel confined to their narrow enclave. Israel could guarantee security by monitoring shipments over border but instead bars most travel and commerce, reducing the people of Gaza to aid dependents. https://t.co/SQtN4z8s3x pic.twitter.com/L7ouHKnWk1
— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) April 20, 2018
This is in the middle of Tens of thousands of Palestinians staging a sit-in along the border, which Israel's respond to by saying it's breaking Gaza border blockade. Sharpshooters are set to kill Palestinians that breach the 25-mile (40km) border or destroy the security fence.
Israel's claim the response is, "proportionate, careful, and in line with international law," and that they fear Hamas is using the protest to secretly attack them, according to Sky News.
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was re-elected in 2015, Portman stated to a Hollywood reporter that she was "very, very upset and disappointed," and, "I find his racist comments horrific," according to Haarets.
Natalie Portman isn't the only one voicing her protest, as Palestinians have reputedly b been known to be abused by the Israel Government. Really this is not about Jewish loyalty or Palestinian solidarity to Portman, it is about treating fellow human beings with respect. Every government has abused its people, and so instead of looking at things from an exclusive perspective, Portman refused the award since she knows what is being done, which would have continued right alongside the Genesis Awards if they were still held.
Do you support Natalie Portman?
Natalie Portman responds to ‘Annihilation’ whitewashing criticism
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