DUBAI: Hollywood actor and wellness entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow has been announced as the face of a new advertising campaign for a luxury residential development in the Israeli coastal city of Herzliya, drawing attention as Israel continues its military campaign in Gaza and Lebanon.
Paltrow fronts the marketing campaign for 51 PARK, a high-end residential project comprising two 51-story towers overlooking Herzliya Park. Developed by Israeli real estate company Aviv Melisron, the project is being promoted as a landmark luxury development featuring upscale amenities, including a swimming pool, cinema and retail spaces.
The campaign, filmed largely in New York, features the Oscar-winning actor jogging through a park before instructing her driver to take her to “51Park” in Herzliya. Advertising executives behind the project described Paltrow as a figure who embodies “international elegance” and a premium lifestyle.
The announcement comes as Israel faces mounting international criticism over its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. Human rights organizations, UN officials and a growing number of governments have accused Israel of actions that constitute genocide.
Last month, medical sources in the Gaza Strip said that the death toll from the Israeli offensive against the enclave had risen to 72,819 while 172,894 others have been wounded since the start of its campaign on Oct. 7, 2023.
Paltrow has previously expressed support for Israeli hostages taken during the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks and has publicly spoken about her Jewish heritage.
Reaction online was swift, with social media users questioning the timing of the campaign and the decision by a major Hollywood figure to endorse a luxury real estate project while the war in Gaza continues. Discussions on social platforms ranged from criticism of celebrity involvement in Israeli developments to broader debates about the responsibilities of public figures during conflicts.
US Iraqi beauty mogul Huda Kattan commented on social media: “She knows exactly what is happening there! This video is disgusting! Shame on her!”
US Palestinian model, creative director and human rights activist Alana Hadid, the sister of supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid, also took to social media to write: “Dude the level of unhinged capitalism is (expletive) astounding. Brutal. Girl. Have you opened a newspaper or watch the news. This is not even tone deaf it’s actually complicit.”
