A RELIGION, NOT A RACE:

Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman has refused to travel for Israel to accept a $2 million award, citing her "Jewish values" as an imperative to stand up for justice amid an increasingly deadly conflict with the Palestinians.

The Hollywood superstar said she did not want to be seen as endorsing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom she accused of carrying out a wide variety of misdeeds.

"The mistreatment of those suffering from today's atrocities is simply not in line with my Jewish values," she said in a statement late Friday, just before the start of the Jewish sabbath. "Because I care about Israel, I must stand up against violence, corruption, inequality, and abuse of power."

Tweet   @brothersjudd