Academy Award-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow is facing backlash online after starring in an advertisement for a luxury Israeli real estate project called 51 Park, a 51-story building in the coastal city of Herzliya, just north of Tel Aviv.

Backlash and Controversy

Paltrow, who was raised in an interfaith Jewish-Christian family, appears in the promotion for 51 Park, which was shot in New York and released this week. Although she did not post the ad on her own Instagram page, users of the social media platform flooded her latest posts with outrage over her promotion of a project in Israel, citing the country’s war in Gaza and its impact on Palestinians.

Some critics posted pictures of Palestinian flags and statements of ‘Free Palestine’ in several languages. Paltrow has been open about celebrating Jewish holidays like Hanukkah and has shown support for Israel in the past, including writing a letter to then-President Joe Biden urging him to help free hostages held in Gaza after a Hamas-led terror attack in 2023.

The backlash highlights the risk of being associated with Israel in this way, especially given the country’s complex and often contentious relationship with its neighbors and the international community. Israel has been accused by several human rights organizations of committing genocide in Gaza, and is facing a genocide trial at the International Court of Justice, although Israeli leaders have repeatedly denied these allegations.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.