“I always love being here,” Butler told Walla! News ahead of the premiere. “One day I’ll come here for vacation and just stay until I’m called elsewhere. I’ll ask someone to burn my house down in Los Angeles so I won’t have anywhere to go back to, and I won’t have any choice but to stay in Israel.”In July, Butler was in Tel Aviv hanging out with his close friend, Israeli director Ariel Vromen. The pair’s friendship dates all the way back to 2000, when the actor appeared in the director’s short film, Jewel of the Sahara. Since then they have remained close and visited each other regularly.Before that, Butler was in Israel in 2013 to promote his film Olympus Has Fallen, and even met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a mimouna celebration at the home of the late film producer Leon Edery. Last year, Butler attended a Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) sponsored gala in Los Angeles, which brought in $54 million.
Gerard Butler hits Tel Aviv for premiere of 'Hunter Killer'
The acclaimed actor came to Israel for the local premiere of his latest film, which was produced by Israel-American Avi Lerner's Millenium Films.
![Gerard Butler [L] with Avi Lerner [R] (photo credit: RAFI DELOUYA)](https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/q_auto/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/430397 "Gerard Butler [L] with Avi Lerner [R]")