New York – Natalie Portman Says Israel’s Nation-state Law Is ‘racist’

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    US actress Natalie Portman arrives for the premiere of 'Vox Lux' during the 75th annual Venice International Film Festival, in Venice, Italy, 04 September 2018.  EPANew York – Natalie Portman isn’t a fan of Israel’s controversial nation-state law, which defines Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.

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    The Jerusalem-born actress slammed the law, which was criticized as it was debated and adopted over the summer, in an interview with BBC’s Arabic language channel published Sunday.

    “It’s racist and there’s nothing else to say about that,” Portman said. “It’s wrong and I disagree with that.”

    Israel passed the law, which was sponsored by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, in July. It drew ire from Jews in Israel and abroad for relegating Arabic to non-official language status, expressing support for increased Jewish settlement and promoting the status of Jewish religion in legal matters. Others have defended it as codification of longstanding agreed-upon facts about Israel’s identity.

    This isn’t Portman’s first time speaking out about her views on Israel. Earlier this year, Portman said she would not travel to Israel to receive the Genesis Prize, an award which calls itself the “Jewish Nobel.”

    “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,” Portman wrote in an Instagram post explaining her decision, adding that she does not endorse the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against the Jewish state.

    The Jewish actress, now doing press for her latest film “Vox Lux,” has been supportive of Israel in the past. In 2015, she directed and starred in “A Tale of Love and Darkness,” a Hebrew-language film adaptation of an Amos Oz book of the same name that chronicles the author’s life around the time of Israel’s founding.

    Watch Portman’s interview with BBC here:


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    17 Comments
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    honestbroker
    honestbroker
    5 years ago

    Why should I or anybody else give a rats patoot what Natalie Portman thinks??

    yamsar
    yamsar
    5 years ago

    We can thank the orange fascist in the WH for normalizing racism and toxic nationalism through his constant maligning immigrants. The alt-right kugel in Israel is now engaging in the same shande. Feh.

    stamnamefortrump
    Noble Member
    stamnamefortrump
    5 years ago

    She’s been in galus too long. Wake up yidden

    5 years ago

    She is correct that Israel is not the Nation-State of the Jewish people; Israel is a Zionist state and is actually anti-Jewish to its core.

    So too, the Genesis prize is obviously not the “Jewish Nobel”; it is, perhaps, the “Zionist Nobel”.

    lazy-boy
    Active Member
    lazy-boy
    5 years ago

    the current thought in US is that having a group opinion about any ethnic group or religious group is racist and therefore wrong.

    How ever it not only stifles personal opinion, but smothers free speech.

    To give vent to the opinion that Blacks are (generally) mentally inferior or Muslims believe in killing infidels (see Koran) is considered in the US as racist and therefore WRONG.

    this brainless actress has absorbed the prevailing thoughts of the US pop culture; however, we who live and support Israel know that the truth is not what the masses (or messes) think!

    5 years ago

    Jews have no Nation state. Jews are not defined by a State nor a capital but by religion. I doubt she understands but shes defntly raising a strong point.

    grandbear
    grandbear
    5 years ago

    Why are we subjected to hear what actors have to say about anything but their career,

    qazxc
    qazxc
    5 years ago

    I hope this news doesn’t shock any of you but disagreeing with Bibi does not qualify as anti-Israel, anti-Zionist or anti-Semitic.

    In and American model of government Bibi would not be PM. Only the financial interests of the Charaidi parties keep him in office.

    fat36
    fat36
    5 years ago

    My neighbor who is a Mexican thinks otherwise

    Moishe_Mechel
    Moishe_Mechel
    5 years ago

    just like everyone else in the entertainment industry make statements in order to procure continuous work. she herself doesn’t believe in what she says.
    #FAKEJEWS

    RobertS
    RobertS
    5 years ago

    Natalie Portman is to Israel what Jane Fona is the USA. Another celebrity denigrating the very culture that awards media celebrity status by giving aid and comfort and propaganda value to the enemy.