Gwyneth Paltrow, the Oscar-winning actress turned wellness entrepreneur, is facing a fierce backlash after appearing in a promotional video for 51 Park, a 51-storey luxury residential development in Herzliya, just north of Tel Aviv. The ad, which Paltrow narrates, features her praising the appeal of park-side buildings and, when asked if the building is in New York, replying: “Herzliya. Israel.”
The clip has sparked widespread condemnation on social media, with critics accusing Paltrow of being tone-deaf and complicit in what they describe as Israeli actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The backlash has been amplified by the ongoing conflict, which has seen thousands of Palestinian casualties and widespread displacement. According to a recent Oxfam analysis, more Palestinians have been killed in the last three years than in the previous 17 years combined.
Celebrity and Activist Reactions
Several public figures have joined the chorus of criticism. Alana Hadid, activist and sister of models Bella and Gigi Hadid, called the campaign “tone deaf” and “complicit.” Influencer Matt Bernstein slammed Paltrow for her participation, saying: “The level of greed and depravity is truly incomprehensible.”
Livia Giuggioli, the ex-wife of actor Colin Firth, announced she had cancelled Paltrow’s upcoming visit to her farm in Italy. In an Instagram video, Giuggioli said: “Making an ad for a luxury condo is as disgusting as it can be for someone [with] privilege. How detached are you from reality? You’re either so detached that you need to be cancelled, because you live in another world. Or you’re actually a really, really nasty person. Or you are stupid. Which are you, Gwyneth Paltrow?”
Paltrow, who was raised in an interfaith Jewish-Christian family, has not publicly responded to the backlash. Her Instagram feed has been flooded with Palestinian flags and “Free Palestine” messages, despite her not posting the ad herself.
Broader Context of Celebrity Investments in Israel
Paltrow is not the first high-profile figure to face scrutiny over business ties to Israeli projects. Last year, Leonardo DiCaprio faced similar backlash for co-financing a luxury eco-hotel in Israel. DiCaprio had previously invested in Israeli startups, including Mobli and Aleph Farms. The controversy comes amid ongoing international pressure on Israel over its policies in the occupied territories. The EU Commission recently proposed trade restrictions on Israeli settlement goods, and France barred Israeli Minister Smotrich amid a broader Western crackdown on settlement expansion.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have accused Israel of carrying out a campaign of “state-sanctioned, state-driven and state-implemented” ethnic cleansing in the occupied West Bank. The International Court of Justice is also examining the legality of Israel’s occupation.
The backlash against Paltrow underscores the growing sensitivity around celebrity endorsements in conflict zones, particularly as the war in Gaza continues to dominate global headlines. For many, the ad for a luxury tower in Herzliya—mere miles from the violence—symbolizes a disconnect that is increasingly hard to ignore.
