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Roseanne Barr blasts Natalie Portman for refusing to accept ‘Jewish Nobel’ prize, calls decision ‘sickening’

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been named as this year’s Genesis Prize recipient.

By David Jablinowitz, World Israel News

Jewish American actress, comedian, writer and television producer Roseanne Barr is making headlines in a different sort of way. This time, she is in the news for attacking Israeli-born actress Natalie Portman.

In a recent interview, Barr called Portman “repulsive” for refusing to attend an award ceremony last year in her honor because she didn’t want to appear to be approving of the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Portman had canceled her appearance in Jerusalem to accept the 2018 Genesis Prize, which was referred to by Time Magazine as the Jewish Nobel Prize. The prime minister presents the award at the ceremony.

The prize is given annually to an individual in recognition of philanthropic work and a commitment to combating anti-Semitism.

Responding to criticism of her decision at the time, Portman stated on Instagram “I am not part of the BDS movement and do not endorse it. Like many Israelis and Jews around the world, I can be critical of the leadership in Israel without wanting to boycott the entire nation. I treasure my Israeli friends and family, Israeli food, books, art, cinema, and dance.”

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Speaking recently to Israel Hayom, Barr blasted Portman, saying that her decision “was really sickening.” Taking a personal blow, Barr added: “I find her repulsive. She was raised in incredible privilege of safety in the Jewish state and knows nothing about anti-Semitism.”

Barr went on to describe the Oscar-winning actress as a “darling of the left.”

This year’s Genesis Prize recipient has been named as Robert Kraft, who has used his position as owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots to promote Israel. He brought American football players to visit the Jewish state and built two sports complexes in Jerusalem, including a regulation size football field, among other pro-Israel activity.

In November 2015, Kraft ordered that a moment of silence take place at the beginning of a Patriots game on Monday Night Football in memory of Ezra Schwartz, an American yeshiva student and an avid Patriots fan from Massachusetts who was murdered in a terror attack in Israel a few days earlier.