Gwyneth Paltrow has become the center of both acclaim and controversy following her appearance in a new promotional campaign for a high-end residential project in Israel.
The 53-year-old actress is featured in a video advertisement for the development, where she is seen waking up in a luxury high-rise apartment and preparing for her day. During the ad, she highlights the advantages of living adjacent to a park.
“There’s a reason the world’s most iconic buildings are by a park,” Paltrow states in the video. She is then seen instructing a driver to take her to ’51 Park,’ a prestigious residential development located in the affluent city of Herzliya, Israel.
Paltrow’s partnership with Israeli real estate firm Aviv Melisron has sparked debate on social media. Critics have accused her of aligning with a nation involved in conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
One user on X commented, “Gwyneth Paltrow promotes $10M penthouses in Herzliya while Gaza burns and Lebanon bleeds,” while another criticized her for being “consciously uncoupled from morality.”
Another online critic expressed, “There’s something deeply disturbing about this affluent, white woman seizing any opportunity to collaborate with a state accused of committing atrocities across two regions.”
‘She signed a $10M contract with the murderers of 17,000 children in Gaza,’ an X user said.
But other social media users came to Paltrow’s defence, praising her for remaining proud of her Jewish heritage and showing support for Israel at a time when there has been a surge in antisemitism around the world following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attacks.
Gwyneth Paltrow (pictured) is facing backlash after starring in a new campaign for a luxury residential development in Israel
In a video for the project, the American actress, 53, is shown waking up in a high-rise apartment building
Paltrow’s collaboration is with Israeli real estate group Aviv Melisron, which is developing a major luxury residential development in the affluent Israeli city of Herzliya
Screengrab shows Park 51, the residential development being promoted by Paltrow
‘Paltrow, who is Jewish, has spoken out consistently against antisemitism and raised her voice to free the hostages,’ one X account wrote.
‘So many has-been celebs demonize Israel to revive failing careers. The biggest stars know that refusing to dehumanize Israelis isn’t just great business. It’s the right thing to do,’ the social media user added.
Another said: ‘Props to Oscar-winning actress @Gwyneth Paltrow for agreeing to be the face of an advertising campaign for an apartment complex project in Herzliya, Israel.
‘Gwyneth has not allowed woke cancel culture prevent her from showing her Jewish pride or using her platform to raise awareness of the Israeli hostages’ plight as she did after October 7. So this doesn’t surprise me. Thank you Gwyneth for standing on the right side of history.’
Paltrow has previously spoken publicly about her Jewish heritage and support for Israeli hostages who were taken into Gaza.
The October 7 attacks saw 1,200 Israelis killed and dozens abducted, and plunged the region into a devastating war.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and displaced most of the population of some two million, often multiple times, before a fragile ceasefire took hold in October.
Its latest war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon has killed some 3,500 people and displaced over 1.2 million.
Both campaigns have drawn allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which Israel has adamantly denied.
