In an astonishing move, the Israeli-American film star Natalie Portman, 36, informed an Israeli foundation she would not show up at the awards ceremony for Israel's equivalent of the Nobel Prize, because, as the JTA reports:

The [Genesis] foundation said that Portman's representative notified it that "[r]ecent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her and she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel" and that "she cannot in good conscience move forward with the ceremony."

The statement is surely a reference to Israel's killing of nearly 40 unarmed Palestinian protesters in Gaza, which have shocked Jews around the world.

The story has garnered instant international attention. CNN, the Guardian, the Forward.

Genesis has cancelled the awards ceremony, out of "fear that Ms. Portman's decision will cause our philanthropic initiative to be politicized."