Emails obtained by Amit Segal from a correspondence held between the representative of Natalie Portman and the Genesis Prize Foundation contradict Portman’s claim that she pulled out because of Prime Minister Netanyahu.
In her email to Genesis on April 2, the only reason Portman gave was blaming Israel for the events in Gaza. No where in that conversation does she mention or blame Netanyahu, or Netanyahu’s various policies.
Natalie Portman:
“We have been following the news from Gaza with growing concern and we are worried that it won’t be appropriate to hold the ceremony given the government’s actions and the latest escalation.”
The Genesis Prize Foundation wrote back:
“Regarding cancelling the ceremony, we have no plan to discuss that. The events in Gaza are the results of planned actions by Hamas, that are destined to sacrifice civilians for political benefit. Cancelling the ceremony of this most prestigious Jewish prize in the world will play into the hands of Hamas and will be a slap in the face of the nation in Israel.”
נטלי פורטמן טענה שביטלה בגלל נתניהו ולא בגלל פעולות ישראל בעזה. ובכן, מהמיילים ששלחו אנשיה. הנה תכתובת המיילים מ-2.4 בין אנשיה לאנשי בראשית. אין נתניהו ויש עזה pic.twitter.com/ngk64uUSd6
— עמית סגל Amit Segal (@amit_segal)