Paul McCartney was yesterday preparing for his previously reported first gig in Israel, which is set to take place tonight, despite pleas from protesters for him to boycott the gig over the country's West Bank occupation. Presumably he has a lot of enemies this morning, because one Muslim speaker Omar Bakri Muhammad, told reporters that he would become "the enemy of every Muslim" if he went ahead with the concert.
McCartney has also visited Palestine ahead of the gig, despite the view held by many residents that he was not welcome. "I have come here to Bethlehem deliberately to see Palestine with my own eyes," he said. "Anyone who knows me knows I support peace for all people. This visit is meant to counter those that criticise me for going to Israel".
On his website he also said that he hoped the concert would convey a message of peace. A hope which I suspect may be a vain one. Though Bono and Bob Geldof did make poverty history, so perhaps Macca can solve the Middle East crisis.
Anyway, here's what he wrote: "The world knows about the conflicts that have been in that region and I like to think that if I go to a place it becomes evident that my message is a peaceful one and I hope that the idea will spread", he wrote, "It often does happen you know - you'll go to a place and it can affect the audience. It reawakens the idea - so that is definitely my message and when I am talking to people, that will be my message and I am sure it is a message shared by a lot of the audience too. People ask this question through the years. 'Do you think music can change things?' I think it can. I think it's good for people's souls".