Digital Phablet – Recently, American actress Gwyneth Paltrow stirred controversy on social media among pro-Palestine advocates and human rights supporters after appearing in an advertisement for “51 PARK,” a high-end residential development in Herzliya, located in occupied Palestinian territory.
The commercial showcases Paltrow’s morning routine, including a jog through a park in New York City. The video concludes with her stating, “There’s a reason the most iconic buildings in the world are near parks.” She then mentions “51 PARK” to a fellow actor, who asks, “New York?” Paltrow responds, “No… Herzliya, Israel.”
As reported by Jewish News, this project is a joint effort between the Israeli real estate firm Aviv Melisron and the Israeli creative agency Why Worry. The campaign was launched on LinkedIn by Gabi Attal, founder and CEO of Why Worry, who announced that Paltrow would be the face of the advertising campaign.
Gwyneth Paltrow has faced criticism for her involvement, with many arguing that the ad promotes the displacement of Palestinians and the building of luxury developments on land that is considered occupied territory. Social media users have expressed outrage, with one posting, “Stolen land from indigenous peoples.” Another said, “It’s shameful to promote development on stolen land. These actions continue the cycle of oppression and genocide against indigenous populations. Just today, a soldier reportedly shot a seven-month-old baby in the head. Don’t look away—this is your tax money at work.”