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Natalie Portman Attacks Re-Elected Israeli Prime Minister

Actress Natalie Portman has lashed out at newly-re-elected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, insisting she is not a fan of the politician.

The Black Swan star, who was born in Israel and takes a keen interest in the nation’s politics, admits she was upset when Netanyahu returned to the country’s top office.

She tells The Hollywood Reporter, “I’m very much against Netanyahu. Against. I am very, very upset and disappointed that he was re-elected. I find his racist comments horrific.”

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The Prime Minister apologised to Israel’s Arab citizens shortly after the election in March (15) for an inflammatory comment he made on the day he learned he was to serve another term.

In a last-minute election push, Netanyahu warned that unless his supporters went out to vote, his right-wing party could lose because Arabs were heading to polling stations in large numbers.

He said, “The right-wing government is in danger. Arab voters are coming out in droves to the polls. Left-wing organisations are busing them out.”

He later insisted he had no problem with Israel’s Arab minority exercising its right to vote, but his initial remarks upset Arab leaders.

Portman admits she has to be careful what she says about the country of her birth – because she doesn’t want to be seen to be criticising Israel.

She explains, “I don’t want to use my platform (the wrong way). I feel like there’s some people who become prominent, and then it’s out in the foreign press. You know, ‘S**t on Israel’. I do not. I don’t want to do that.”

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