Paul McCartney promises Israel gig will go ahead despite death threats

Despite several threats by extremists, Paul McCartney has refused to cancel an upcoming concert in Israel. He will go ahead with a gig in honour of the country's 60th anniversary.

"I do what I think and I have many friends who support Israel," McCartney told Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth this weekend.

His comments come in response to a Sunday Express interview with the militant Islamic activist Omar Bakri Muhammad. "If he values his life Mr McCartney must not come to Israel," said Bakri, who has been barred from returning to the UK. "He will not be safe there. The sacrifice operatives will be waiting for him."

After living in the UK for 20 years, the Syrian-born activist left in 2005 and now lives in Lebanon.

"Instead of supporting the people of Palestine in their suffering, McCartney is celebrating the atrocities of the occupiers," Bakri said. "The one who is under occupation is supposed to be getting the help."

Omar Barghouti, of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, called Bakri's threat "deplorable". And for his part McCartney seems unfazed. "I was approached by different groups and political bodies who asked me not to come here," he said. "I refused."

The September 25 concert in Tel Aviv will be McCartney's first in the country. Although the Beatles had been scheduled to play there in 1965, the government cancelled the performance due to budget reasons and, per an official document, "because several politicians in the Knesset believed at the time that [their] performance might corrupt the minds of the Israeli youth". The country recently issued an apology to the two surviving Beatles, McCartney and Ringo Starr.


Original article here

Paul McCartney is preparing to play his first concert in Israel, after he arrived in the country at 2am (local time) today (September 24).

The former Beatle is set to play to 50,000 fans in Tel Aviv tomorrow, despite protesters asking him to boycott the gig because of Israel's occupation of the West Bank.

Extremist Muslim speaker Omar Bakri Muhammad said that McCartney would become "the enemy of every Muslim" if he played the gig, reports Ynetnews.

After landing at Ben Gurion Airport this morning, McCartney was taken to his hotel.

He managed to evade the waiting paparazzi by sending a decoy car to the front of the hotel, while he entered via the back entrance.


Original article here

Paul McCartney gave his very first concert in Israel today (September 25) for thousands of cheering fans.

The former Beatle kicked off the controversial Tel Aviv gig with The Beatles' 'Hello Goodbye' and played many of his former band's classics including 'Yesterday', 'Hey Jude' and 'Back In The USSR'.

He also dedicated 'Give Peace A Chance' to the song's composer John Lennon, and encouraged the crowd to sing the chorus alone. During his performance of the James Bond theme 'Live And Let Die', fireworks exploded overhead, reports the Associated Press.

McCartney played for a crowd of approximately 40,000 people, many of whom wore shirts saying 'I Love Paul'. He addressed the crowd at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park in a mixture of English, Hebrew and Arabic.

Despite protesters asking him to boycott the gig because of Israel's occupation of the West Bank, McCartney went ahead with what he dubbed the Friendship First concert, saying he's seeking peace between Israel and Palestine.

"I get criticizsd everywhere I go, but I don't listen to them," McCartney said. "I'm bringing a message of peace, and I think that's what the region needs."

Paul McCartney played:

'Hello Goodbye'
'Jet'
'Drive My Car'
'Only Mama Knows'
'All My Loving'
'Flaming Pie'
'Let Me Roll It'
'My Love'
'Let Em In'
'The Long And Winding Road'
'Dance Tonight'
'Blackbird'
'Calico Skies'
'I'll Follow The Sun'
'Mrs Vanderbilt'
'Here, There and Everywhere'
'Eleanor Rigby'
'Something'
'A Day In The Life/Give Peace A Chance'
'Band On The Run'
'Back In The USSR'
'I've Got A Feeling'
'Live And Let Die'
'Let It Be'
'Hey Jude'
'Lady Madonna'
'Get Back'
'I Saw Her Standing There'
'Yesterday'
'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'


Original article here