When Sir Paul McCartney received death threat from Muslim extremists over his trip to Israel, the former Beatle didn’t back down. Instead, he spent a lot of money on a security detail to keep him safe during the trip. Sources say that his 5,000-person crew is bigger than the Secret Service detail provided to George W. Bush. Take that, terrorists!
A £1.5million security operation has swung into action following Sir Paul McCartney’s arrival in Israel ahead of his first concert in the country tonight.
An astonishing 5,000 personnel will watch over the former Beatle during his stay in and around Tel Aviv.
The security drive dwarfs the protection given to U.S. President George W Bush when he visited the nation.
It comes after extremists including radical cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed urged Sir Paul to cancel the controversial visit out ‘of respect of the feelings of Muslims in Palestine’.
But the singer has not heeded calls to stop the show, the first by a Beatle in Israel since the ‘decadent’ Fab Four were banned there in 1965.
The 66-year-old said on his website that he hoped his concert at Tel Aviv’s Yarkon Park, which is being billed as part of Israel’s 60th anniversary celebrations, would ‘reawaken’ the idea of peace.
He said: ‘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.
‘Music can help people to just calm them down. I also think it can be very interesting for change.
‘Songs like We Shall Overcome have been very important for the civil rights movement so yeah, I think music is great and it can make changes.’
The 66-year-old, accompanied by his girlfriend Nancy Shevell, visited the Church of Nativity and a music school in Bethlehem yesterday.
Surrounded by bodyguards, his spontaneous stop-off at The Edward Said National Conservatory of Music surprised the students, who are aged between five and 14. McCartney chatted with the pupils and even joined in with rehearsals.
He said: ‘I’d heard about the great work of the school so I was really interested to actually see it for myself.
‘Music is a universal language and something everybody can unite over and enjoy together.
‘The work they do here is inspiring and important. The students are from different backgrounds and the school offers the opportunity to people that might not normally be able to get this kind of expert education.
‘As I’m in Israel I thought, “Well I’m not here everyday so I’d like to go and see some things,” so I used the opportunity to come to Bethlehem.’
Good for Paul for not being bullied. I don’t know if a concert is going to help bring peace in that area – even one from someone like Paul – but I’m glad he’s not backing down.
Paul McCartney is shown at “The National Magazine Company 30 Days of Fashion and Beauty Gala Party, at the Natural History Museum” on 9/16/08. Credit: Daniel Deme
This man is a class act and always has been. His intentions come from good place, and if he can afford that type of security (which he can), then by all means he should use all the resources that he has available to protect himself.
Years from now, we’ll refer to this as the beginning of The Macca Infatada.
5000? I understand sticking to your principles, but 5000 security personnel? 😯
Why not? He’s got the money.
What bothers me is the comparison to Bush’s security detail. Bush has that big of a security detail? What a waste of tax dollars!
5,000 isn’t security–it’s your own army!
But I’m proud of him for not being intimidated and standing up for himself.
Why not? Macca has done a lot more good for the world than George Bush or a lot of other politicians ever have.
I am so proud of Paul.
Now if only the rest of the world would follow his example and never allow themselves to be bullied by Muslim extremists.
Great quality stuff.
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