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McCartney in Israel: We Can Work It Out
September 25, 2008 8:42 AM
By Simon McGregor-Wood, ABC News Jerusalem
Sir Paul McCartney has finally arrived in Israel -- 43 years after the Beatles were banned from performing here.
When the band planned to come in 1965 the Israeli government feared the Fab Four would corrupt the country’s youth.
This year, Israel’s ambassador to Britain traveled to Liverpool, the Beatles’ hometown, to make a formal apology.
Sir Paul is set to perform in front of 40,000 adoring Israeli fans tonight at an open air venue in Tel Aviv. VIP tickets are selling for $1,500 each.
Because this is Israel and we’re in the Middle East the visit has been dogged by controversy.
Sir Paul’s decision to play in the Jewish state has been criticized by Palestinians. Some Muslim extremists have even threatened to assassinate him.
Security throughout his visit has been tight.
On Wednesday Sir Paul visited the Palestinian West Bank city of Bethlehem and went to the Church of the Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus. He lit candles for peace surrounded by photographers.
“This candle is for peace for people all around the world, especially Israel and Palestine,” he said.
Outside a group of delighted Spanish pilgrims performed an impromptu version of “The Yellow Submarine” before lining up to have their picture taken.
He took the opportunity to defend his decision to play his so-called Friendship First concert in Israel.
“I’m here to highlight the situation and to say that I think what we need is peace in this region, the two-state solution,” he said.
A reporter then asked whether the former Beatle would repeat his call for the creation of a Palestinian state during his performance.
“I dunno, I’ll be singing,” McCartney said before being whisked off to his motorcade for the journey back to his luxury hotel suite in Tel Aviv.
Israeli police are warning of traffic chaos around the concert site with many major roads closed for the event.
For Israeli fans who missed out on Beatlemania the first time around, rumor has it, they will be rewarded for their patience. Of the 30 songs he is expected to perform, almost all are expected to be Beatles hits.
Photo Credit: Associated Press
September 25, 2008 in Simon McGregor-Wood | Permalink | User Comments (11)
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Nothing but ARAB RACISM & ISLAMIC BIGOTRY is what Goliath Islamo Arab world's war against (mostly non Arab, non Muslim minority -) Israel is all about.
http://www.geocities.com/thearabmuslimlobby/ArabRacismIslamicBigotryAgainstIsrael.html
Posted by: Riana | Sep 25, 2008 9:57:11 AM
Paul is Brave. I don't know of any other legitimate "religion" on the planet who have thousands and thousands of members who in fascist style demand that others obey them, threatening to "kill them" otherwise. Islam, to me, bears more of a similarity to totalitarian ideologies than a religion as the west understands that term. Lest one think there isn't a real problem with this tribe, Islamic Terror is occurring today in some 16+ nations around the globe. Sadly, Ahmadinejad was given a forum at the U.N. That's like inviting Hitler back to speak to the organization that is supposedly opposed to Genocide and Terror.
Posted by: marat | Sep 25, 2008 12:40:39 PM
marat, I don't know much about the religion of Islam but I doubt if it is the religion itself that causes all the terrorism.
I think it is these extremists like Ahmadinejad, Bin Laden, and Saddam Hussein who glorify power and hate who have turned the religion into a Nazi regime. All they need are the swastikas.
Posted by: jfm125 | Sep 25, 2008 2:04:06 PM
Horray for Paul! I've never had as much respect for him as I do now!
I'm sure that Jesus himself would want peace between the two factions and not the unbelievable violence that always occurs there.
Posted by: ivan12356 | Sep 25, 2008 2:09:13 PM
Good for Paul! I am also hopeful that peace can happen with a two state solution. The only problem is, you can't get the Palestinians to stop shooting at the Israelis long enough for Israel and Fatah to get it done.
Thank Hamas and Hizbullah for making it next to impossible to attain a real peace.
Posted by: Larry | Sep 25, 2008 2:35:45 PM
Gee willickers! Paul is going to be singing! Just singing! Why do some Arabs have to make such a big deal out of Paul's visit to Israel? Gee do they have to have their nickers in such a knot to assasinate a singer/musician? Sheesh!
So I'm all for Paul! He's doing the right thing regardless what some of those idiot Arabs are saying.
Posted by: GWP | Sep 25, 2008 2:56:34 PM
Islam is not the basis of terrorism, hate is. All of the terrorists that are referred to as Islamic extremists are nothing more than murderers. They may claim to be Muslims, but they are not following the teachings of the Koran. They twist the meaning of what is written in the Koran in order to make others (or, more likely, themselves) believe that what they are doing is sanctioned by their 'religion'. I think it's time we started a movement to remove the term "Islamic extremist' from our vocabulary. If the media, world leaders, and politicians would stop using the term and use murderer or terrorist without any modifiers, it might be possible to start making a dent in the problem. In addition, whenever one of these killers makes a claim that they are doing the work of Allah (or anything similar), they should be challenged and called what they are - murderers.
Kudos to Paul for finally making it to Israel and supporting peace between Israel and Palestine.
Posted by: Bob | Sep 25, 2008 3:35:06 PM
Do not go to israel, its the land of occupation and attrocities
Posted by: ali alan | Sep 25, 2008 3:35:46 PM
Awose. He actually did that way to go
Posted by: Dunb damd | Sep 25, 2008 8:03:04 PM
Awose. He actually did that way to go
Posted by: Dunb damd | Sep 25, 2008 8:03:05 PM
I think that the problem is not in Islam as a religion, but it's on some of the Islamic people.
Also I you you want to see religious terrorisim see what Israel is doing to the children in Palestine and Lebanon...
Posted by: Palestine | Sep 25, 2008 11:18:05 PM
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