Gwyneth Paltrow has built a wellness empire by encouraging people to put questionable items into their bodies. The Goop founder has promoted goat milk cleanses, jade eggs for vaginal use, and rectal ozone therapy. Now, critics say her brand has shifted from colon cleansing to ethnic cleansing.
Paltrow went viral this week for starring in a commercial for 51 Park, a luxury development in Herzliya, just north of Tel Aviv. The two 51-story towers feature a swimming pool, Pilates pool, wine room, and gym. Filmed in New York, the ad has drawn sharp criticism given the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the West Bank.
Context of the Controversy
The parent company, Melisron, also owns a commercial project in the Ma'ale Adumim settlement in the occupied West Bank, built on land where Bedouin communities were forcibly displaced. Just miles from 51 Park, Palestinians face record levels of killing and displacement. Oxfam reports more Palestinians killed in the last three years than in the previous 17 combined. The UN notes over 100 West Bank villages partially or fully emptied between January 2023 and April 2026, with over 7,000 displaced.
Amnesty International released a 149-page report accusing Israel of state-sanctioned ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, stating settler violence is an integral part of organized state policy. The term "ethnic cleansing" is used deliberately, following UN definitions of a purposeful policy to remove civilian populations by violent means.
Gaza's Dire Conditions
Gaza, only 50 miles from 51 Park, faces even worse conditions. Before October 2023, it was one of the most densely populated areas. Now Israel controls 60% of the territory, with plans to seize 70%. About 1.7 million people are homeless in crowded tent camps with no proper toilets and a destroyed sewage system. UNICEF reports over 70,000 cases of rodent and ectoparasitic infestations in 2026 alone. Newborn babies are being attacked by rats in filthy camps while Paltrow promotes luxury amenities.
Backlash and Motivations
Paltrow's ad has generated intense backlash, but controversy is nothing new for her. She once told Harvard Business School she can monetize eyeballs from viral uproars. However, promoting luxury real estate amid accusations of genocide differs from previous controversies like vaginal steaming. Paltrow hasn't promoted the ad on her personal Instagram, suggesting she anticipated anger.
Possible reasons for her involvement include personal sympathies—she expressed support for Israeli victims of the October 7 attack but not for Palestinian or Lebanese civilians killed by Israel. She may believe the controversy will fade, as she once said about dubious wellness ideas: "Five years later, everyone's fine with it."
Broader Trends
Paltrow recently hosted the co-founder of military tech company Anduril on her podcast, aligning with a rightward turn in Silicon Valley and wellness culture. The Israeli government has established an agency to facilitate "voluntary" removal of Palestinians from Gaza to realize Donald Trump's vision of a luxury riviera. Critics fear Paltrow may eventually advertise resorts built on mass graves, with taglines like "Price so good, it feels like a steal."
