Tel Aviv, May 2 (RHC)-- In Israel, the organizers for the Genesis Prize, known as Israel’s Nobel Prize, have been forced to cancel the upcoming award ceremony, after the winner of this year’s award, American-Israeli actress Natalie Portman, said she is refusing to travel to Israel to participate because of her concern over recent events. 

Portman has won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, and has starred in the new “Star Wars” trilogy, as well as the movies “Black Swan,” “Closer” and “V for Vendetta.” 

The Genesis Prize comes with a $2 million award.  Portman’s decision not to participate in the ceremony comes as the Israeli military is in the midst of a brutal and deadly crackdown against Palestinian protesters in Gaza.  Israeli snipers have killed dozens of unarmed Palestinian protesters over the past several weeks.