Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio is facing intense backlash for a media report that claimed that the actor is co-financing a luxury eco-hotel in Israel, even as the country continues its genocide in Gaza.
The Tel Aviv District Planning and Building Committee gave the $10 million project its final approval, according to Israeli media outlets such as Globes and The Jerusalem Post.
Designed by Rani Zeese Architects, the eco-certified Herzliya Marina Hotel will be 51,000 square meters, with 14 stories, 365 rooms, a central swimming pool, high-end restaurants, retail stores, and a conference center. DiCaprio, known globally for his environmental activism, is reported to hold a 10 percent stake in the development, which is being spearheaded by Israel’s Hagag Group alongside investors Ahikam and Lior Cohen.
The project was initially announced in 2018, with a significantly smaller scale: 180 suites in two six-story buildings but has since been dramatically expanded.
The timing of the announcement has triggered widespread outrage, with critics calling DiCaprio’s involvement deeply insensitive if not outright complicit as Israel’s ongoing genocide on Gaza approaches its 22nd month, leaving over 60,000 Palestinians dead and nearly two million displaced.
Writer and activist Shaun King was among the first to speak out, posting on X:
“While Gaza starves, Leonardo DiCaprio is building a 14-story luxury hotel in Israel.”
He went on to accuse the actor of “profiting from apartheid during a genocide” a sentiment echoed by thousands online.
Online users did not hold back. One post stated: “Built on the bones of children. Hotel Evil.”
Another called him a “climate hypocrite”, referencing the contradiction between his environmentalist persona and the optics of investing in a war-afflicted zone.
Another stated: “People starving to death a few miles from there. Stop the genocide!!!”
Another post on the X wrote: “ Leonardo Di Caprio is a sleazy, misogynistic, soulless, piece of shit. No shock to hear he’s building a luxury anything on the fresh blood of massacred Palestinians.”
The actor has not issued any public statement addressing the backlash. His long-standing connection to Israel is resurfacing. Questions concerning DiCaprio’s political ties were raised in 2014 after he was pictured with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a high-profile event organized by an Israeli businessman.
As public pressure mounts, DiCaprio joins a growing list of celebrities facing scrutiny over ties to Israel amid its ongoing actions in Gaza. For many, the timing of his financial move has rendered his role as a UN Peace Messenger deeply ironic.
