ACTRESS Natalie Portman has snubbed a prestigious prize known as the Genesis Prize, dubbed the 'Jewish Nobel', saying she did not want her attendance to be seen as an endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Portman, a dual Israeli-American citizen, was due to receive the award in Israel in June and said in a statement that her reasons for skipping the ceremony were solely due to Mr Netanyahu, rather than a boycott of the entire nation.
News of Portman's decision to skip the event triggered an angry backlash on Friday from some in the country's political establishment after 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".
In her subsequent statement, Portman said her position had been mischaracterised.
"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.
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