Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) on Friday sent a letter to Israeli-born actress Natalie Portman, after she announced she would not attend the ceremony in which she was to be awarded the Genesis Prize.
Portman cited "recent events" in Israel which she claimed were "extremely distressing" to her, though she did not provide details on what those events were. She added that she "does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel" and "cannot in good conscience move forward with the ceremony."
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)