Israeli actress Gal Gadot was awarded Israel's Genesis Prize in recognition of her strong support for the country at a time when many in the entertainment industry criticized her for war in Gaza.
Calling herself “a proud Jew and a proud Israeli,” the “Wonder Woman” star, who has at times paid a personal price for her advocacy work, said she would donate the $1 million prize to organizations seeking to help Israel recover from the trauma of the two-year war against Hamas.
“Israel has endured unimaginable pain,” she said in a statement released by the prize on Tuesday. “Now we must begin to heal—to restore hearts, families and communities.”
The Genesis Prize, dubbed the “Jewish Nobel Prize” by the magazine, is awarded annually to an individual for their professional achievements, contributions to humanity and commitment to Jewish values. Winners donated their awards to promote causes close to their hearts, such as fighting anti-Semitism, promoting women's rights or fighting for economic justice.
The war in the Gaza Strip erupted with a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, in which militants killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and took more than 250 hostage.
Although Israel received some international sympathy in the early days of the war, world opinion quickly turned against it as its counter-offensive intensified. Health officials in the Gaza Strip say more than 69,000 Palestinians have been killed and the area has suffered widespread destruction. Last month, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire.
Negative sentiment toward Israel has also been reflected in Hollywood, where hundreds of industry workers, including some top directors and actors, have recently pledged boycott the Israeli film industry.
Throughout the war, Gadot, who served in the Israeli army after graduating from high school, remained an outspoken defender of Israel. She advocated for the release of hostages held by Hamas and met with hostage families freed hostages and helped promote the Los Angeles screening of a graphic film documenting the Hamas attack.
From time to time she faced pressure and criticism for this support.
Gadot, who played the wicked stepmother in “Snow White,” said she believes anti-Israel sentiment was a factor in the film's poor performance earlier this year. When she received star On the Hollywood Walk of Fame last March, Israeli and Palestinian supporters clashed nearby. And in August, hundreds of film industry representatives signed a letter calling for the Venice Film Festival revoke the invitation to Gadot. The festival director declined the offer, although Gadot was not present.
Stan Polovets, co-founder and chairman of the Genesis Prize Foundation, praised Gadot's “moral clarity and unwavering love for Israel,” saying it came at great personal and professional risk.
A date for next year's awards ceremony was not immediately announced. The last winner, Argentine President Javier Miley, arrived in Jerusalem in June to receive the 2025 award.
Previous winners include former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; actor Michael Douglas; violinist Itzhak Perlman; sculptor Anish Kapoor; directed by Steven Spielberg; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft; former Soviet political prisoner Natan Sharansky; Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla and entertainer Barbra Streisand.
