Editing Natalie Portman (section)

=== Views on Israel ===
Portman has been described by ''[[Haaretz]]'' as "one of Israel's outspoken supporters." Even when global public opinion turns against her, she remains steadfast in her support of "the Holy Land, advocating both through academic articles, lectures, and public declarations." Most notably, she raised funds for the reconstruction of [[Israeli–Lebanese conflict|northern Israel after the Second Lebanon War]].<ref name="IsraeliDream"/>

In 2002, at Harvard, Portman wrote a letter to ''[[The Harvard Crimson]]'' in response to an essay critical of [[Human rights violations against Palestinians by Israel|Israeli actions toward Palestinians]], arguing that it misleadingly compared the situation to racial [[apartheid]] and that instead "most Israelis and Palestinians are indistinguishable physically".<ref>{{cite news|first=Natalie|last=Portman|date=April 17, 2002|url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2002/4/17/israeli-diversity-shown-even-among-leaders/|title=Israeli Diversity Shown Even Among Leaders|newspaper=[[The Harvard Crimson]]|accessdate=July 31, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905194142/http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2002/4/17/israeli-diversity-shown-even-among-leaders/ |archive-date=September 5, 2014 }}</ref> She has criticized the [[Cabinet of Israel|Israeli government]], specifically Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]], being critical of his [[2015 Israeli legislative election|re-election]] in 2015, saying she was "disappointed" and found his comments racist.<ref name="timesofisrael.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/natalie-portman-refuses-to-collect-prize-in-israel-citing-recent-events/|title=Natalie Portman refuses to visit Israel to accept prize, citing 'recent events'|work=[[The Times of Israel]]|date=April 20, 2018|access-date=April 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420015847/https://www.timesofisrael.com/natalie-portman-refuses-to-collect-prize-in-israel-citing-recent-events/|archive-date=April 20, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2017, Portman was announced as the [[Genesis Prize]] recipient for 2018, which includes $2,000,000 in prize money.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.genesisprize.org/laureates/laureate-2018.html|title=Laureate 2018 – The Genesis Prize|publisher=genesisprize.org|access-date=April 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420135657/http://www.genesisprize.org/laureates/laureate-2018.html|archive-date=April 20, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="timesofisrael.com" /> The following April, Portman announced that she did not plan to attend the awards ceremony scheduled for June, citing "recent events in Israel" that left her feeling uncomfortable attending public events there, leading to the ceremony being canceled.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/natalie-portman-forces-genesis-prize-to-cancel-israel-ceremony-1.6012937|title=Genesis Prize Cancels Ceremony After 2018 Winner Natalie Portman Says Won't Visit Israel|agency=JTA|date=April 20, 2018|work=[[Haaretz]]|access-date=April 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420034811/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/natalie-portman-forces-genesis-prize-to-cancel-israel-ceremony-1.6012937|archive-date=April 20, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

The statement did not specify which events, but was suggested as referencing the killings and wounding of Palestinian protestors by Israeli fire during the [[2018–2019 Gaza border protests]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pulver |first=Andrew |date=April 20, 2018 |title=Natalie Portman pulls out of Israel award due to 'distressing recent events' there |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/apr/20/natalie-portman-israel-genesis-prize |access-date=December 31, 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 20, 2018 |title=Natalie Portman snubs Israel Genesis Prize ceremony amid Palestinian Gaza protest backlash - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/natalie-portman-israel-genesis-prize-ceremony-palestinian-gaza-protests/# |access-date=December 31, 2024 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Natalie Portman says to skip Israeli ceremony due to Netanyahu speech |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle/natalie-portman-says-to-skip-israeli-ceremony-due-to-netanyahu-speech-idUSKBN1HS05D/#:~:text=%22I%20chose%20not%20to%20attend,over%20its%20treatment%20of%20Palestinians. |work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> Portman’s decision sparked backlash from [[Israeli nationalism|Israeli politicians]], including Culture Minister [[Miri Regev]], Minister of Public Security and Strategic Affairs [[Gilad Erdan]] and American rabbi [[Shmuley Boteach]], who accused the actress of falling into the hands of the [[Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions|BDS]] movement. The [[Likud]] party condemned Portman’s position, with [[Knesset]] member [[Oren Hazan]] calling for her Israeli citizenship to be revoked.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Cohen |first1=Maya |last2=Caspi |first2=Uncle |date=April 20, 2018 |title=נטלי פורטמן ביטלה הגעתה לישראל |trans-title=Natalie Portman canceled her arrival in Israel |url=https://www.israelhayom.co.il/article/550243 |access-date=February 12, 2025 |website=[[Israel Hayom]]}}</ref>

Portman clarified that she was not boycotting Israel, stating, "I am not part of the BDS movement and do not endorse it. Like many Israelis and Jews, I can be critical of Israel's leadership without wanting to boycott the nation." She explained that she did not want to "appear as endorsing" Prime Minister Netanyahu, who was scheduled to speak at the ceremony, and emphasized that "the mistreatment of those suffering from today’s [[Atrocity crime|atrocities]] is not in line with my Jewish values." She added, "Because I care about Israel, I must stand up against violence, corruption, inequality, and abuse of power".<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 20, 2018 |title=Natalie Portman Backs Out of Israeli Award Ceremony (Published 2018) |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/20/world/middleeast/natalie-portman-genesis-prize.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241206013900/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/20/world/middleeast/natalie-portman-genesis-prize.html |archive-date=December 6, 2024 |access-date=December 31, 2024 |language=en |last1=Kershner |first1=Isabel |last2=Specia |first2=Megan }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Busch |first=Denise Petski,Anita |date=April 20, 2018 |title=Natalie Portman Explains Why She Snubbed Awards Ceremony In Israel – Update |url=https://deadline.com/2018/04/natalie-portman-criticized-israeli-government-for-pulling-out-of-awards-show-1202372841/ |access-date=December 31, 2024 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Natalie-Portman-says-not-boycotting-Israel-but-Netanyahu-for-atrocities-551351|title=Natalie Portman says not boycotting Israel but Netanyahu for 'atrocities'|work=[[The Jerusalem Post]]|date=April 21, 2018|access-date=April 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421172346/http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Natalie-Portman-says-not-boycotting-Israel-but-Netanyahu-for-atrocities-551351|archive-date=April 21, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Later in 2018, Portman criticized the passing of the highly controversial and widely criticized [[Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People|Nation-State Bill]], describing the law as "racist, and there’s nothing else to say about that."<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 20, 2018 |title=Natalie Portman slams Israel's 'racist' nation-state law |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/12/13/natalie-portman-slams-israels-racist-nation-state-law |access-date=December 31, 2024 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ritman |first=Alex |date=December 13, 2018 |title=Natalie Portman Criticizes Israel's Nation-State Law as "Racist" |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/natalie-portman-criticizes-israels-racist-nation-state-law-1168963/ |access-date=December 31, 2024 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> She is also a member of the [[OneVoice Movement|One Voice movement]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.onevoicemovement.org/board/entertainment-council.php |title = Entertainment Council |publisher = Onevoicemovement.org |access-date = June 17, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101006084712/http://onevoicemovement.org/board/entertainment-council.php |archive-date = October 6, 2010 }}</ref>

October 18, 2023, Portman called for the release of [[Gaza war hostage crisis|hostages held by Hamas]] and condemned their actions. She also advocated for Israeli children who have been kidnapped, urging support for their release. Additionally, she publicized information about [[Dror-Israel|Dror Israel]] on Instagram to raise funds for children near the [[Gaza–Israel barrier|Gaza border]] and called on the [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|Red Cross]] to address ongoing breaches of International Humanitarian Law within Israel.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hananel |first=Inbal |date=2023-10-18 |title=Natalie Portman pleads for hostage release, raises money for children from Gaza border communities |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/rkodd1pwa |access-date=2025-02-21 |work=Ynetnews |language=en}}</ref> On November 12, 2023, she took part in the ''[[March for the Republic and Against Antisemitism]]'' in Paris in response to the [[Antisemitism in 21st-century France|rise in antisemitism]] since the start of the [[Gaza war]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/12/world/europe/france-antisemitism-march.html |title=Over 100,000 March in France Against Antisemitism |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=October 10, 2024 |date=November 13, 2023 }}</ref>