While some Hollywood stars have called for boycotts of Israel over its war in Gaza, one Academy Award-winning actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, is charting a different course. 

Over the weekend, the 50-year-old “Titanic” star achieved a significant milestone in his ambitious eco-friendly luxury hotel project at Herzliya, Israel, which he’s developing alongside an Israeli real estate giant, Hagag Group.

The marina-front development — in which Mr. DiCaprio holds a 10 percent stake — received final approval from the Tel Aviv District Planning and Building Committee on Sunday, clearing the way for construction to begin. 

The approval expands construction rights for the site to nearly 550,000 square feet and permits building heights of up to 14 stories, matching the scale of the neighboring Oceanus and Ritz-Carlton hotels, according to YNet News. 

The luxury property is expected to boast 365 hotel rooms across two buildings, a central swimming pool, several fine dining restaurants, and even a yacht marina with direct access to the hotel. 

Mr. DiCaprio, a leading environmental advocate, was drawn to the project’s commitment to meeting U.S. Green Building Council standards. The Oscar winner officially joined the venture in 2018.

“Green environmental development is a significant part of building communities that work in partnership with nature and not against it,” the actor told the Jerusalem Post when announcing his involvement in the project six years ago. “As we seek to create a future that heads off the most severe effects of climate change, we need projects that push for new developments in environmental design.” 

He emphasized, “This project, designed by David Rockwell and which meets the gold standard of LEED, will serve as a model for environmentally friendly hotel development for the entire world.”

Mr. DiCaprio’s environmental activism naturally aligns with Israel’s leadership in the space. Constrained by limited natural resources and an arid climate, the Jewish state has emerged as a global pioneer in environmental and agricultural technologies, achieving breakthrough advances in water management, renewable energy, and climate technology.

Mr. DiCaprio’s financial — and personal — ties to Israel extend far beyond this latest project, however. The celebrated actor first forged connections with the Jewish state during his relationship with an Israeli supermodel, Bar Refaeli, between 2005 and 20011. During their seven-year relationship, Mr. DiCaprio visited the country multiple times and even met with the president at the time, Shimon Peres, to discuss environmental issues. 

His interest in Israel outlasted the relationship. In 2011, DiCaprio invested in an Israeli tech startup, Mobli, and a decade later he joined an Israel-based agricultural innovator, Aleph Farms, as both investor and board member.

The actor, unlike some of his peers in Hollywood, has stayed silent on the war in Gaza. The war, which broke out in October 2023 after Hamas invaded Israel and launched a large-scale attack on Israeli civilians, has divided Hollywood, with many A-list celebrities calling for a boycott of Israeli cultural institutions.