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Politics : Proof that John Kerry is Unfit for Command -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JakeStraw who wrote (9945)	9/16/2004 2:11:36 PM
From: Ann Corrigan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 27181

Yikes: Opponents United in Protest Against 'Pilgrim' Madonna By Inigo Gilmore in Jerusalem 16/09/2004 Madonna was due to arrive in Israel last night on a five-day pilgrimage to practise her new-found faith, Kabbalah, an ancient form of Jewish mysticism. But she has already achieved the rare feat of uniting both sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict in opposition. The American pop singer's schedule includes stops at the Western Wall in Jerusalem; the northern city of Safed, a centre of Kabbalah, and Rachel's Tomb, the traditional burial place of the biblical matriarch in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Palestinians have accused her of ignoring their suffering, while Orthodox Jews have labelled her as religiously insensitive. More than 1,000 police officers serving in one of the most demanding security environments in the world have been drafted in to protect the singer, her family and more than 2,000 participants from the Los Angeles-based Kabbalah Centre for one of the biggest worldwide gatherings of Kabbalists. Madonna has adopted the Hebrew name Esther, a biblical heroine who saved the Israelites. She now wears a red thread on her wrist to ward off the evil eye and is reported to refuse to perform on the Sabbath. During her long career, the Catholic-born New Yorker's persona has moved from "material girl" to sex goddess to yoga devotee and children's author. But she insists that she is serious about Kabbalah and is irritated by accusations that her faith is a celebrity fad. Her latest concert tour was called "Re-Invention". Her trip has already been overshadowed by controversy, particularly over Rachel's Tomb. The Bethlehem shrine has been a flashpoint during the Palestinian uprising. It is surrounded by huge slabs of concrete within a military compound, with watchtowers, razor wire and sniper positions nearby. Israel's so-called security barrier is being erected close to the tomb and Palestinians living in the area have accused the Israeli authorities of forcing them from their homes and of using the shrine to annex land under the guise of security. Israeli peace activists turned out at Rachel's Tomb yesterday to voice their concerns that Madonna's visit to the shrine might be used to legitimise Israel's occupation. They carried banners which read "Rachel's Tomb, Madonna, is a new settlement" and "It's the occupation, Madonna". Angela Godfrey Goldstein, an activist with Israeli womens' peace groups, said: "We hope she will not ignore the real victims, who are the Palestinians." Michel Nasser, a Palestinian leader of Bethlehem's Christian community, echoed her sentiments. "Rachel's Tomb has become a symbol of our misery," he said. "What they are doing when they come here to the tomb is endorsing the misery. "Madonna can come and go to this shrine but I cannot even get out of Bethlehem to go to the churches in Jerusalem. These people are naive. They probably will not meet Palestinians here and they see things only from one side." But Rabbi Shaul Youdkevitch, who heads the Kabbalah centre in Tel Aviv, rejected accusations that Madonna was naive and possibly being used for political ends. "When we go anywhere, we go with love," he said. "It is not a political statement. I think this claim is ridiculous." Madonna has also incorporated Jewish symbols in some of her music videos, much to the consternation of many religious leaders. Many religious Jews view her as an imposter who does not understand the true significance of Kabbalah. Rabbi Yitzhak Kadouri, a leading Kabbalist and revered rabbinical sage, said non-Jews, and women in general, were banned from studying Jewish mysticism. "It is forbidden to teach a non-Jew Kabbalah," he said. The visit is being organised through the Kabbalah Centre, which now has 24 locations in 12 countries. The organisation has also been accused of using cult-like tactics to retain members and raise funds. During her trip, Madonna will not sing but is expected to give a speech at an event bringing together Israeli and Palestinian children. Organisers have ordered news reporters to wear white clothes and not to take notes when covering Madonna's events during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, which began last night. The Israeli tourism industry has naturally welcomed a rare celebrity guest. Tourism, a key sector of the economy, has been battered by four years of fighting between Israel and the Palestinians. On Sunday, the tourism minister, Gideon Ezra, is expected to give the singer an ancient oil lamp and a coin from the Byzantine period. "There's no question having stars in the country is a wonderful way to show the world the wonders of our nation," said Rami Levi, a tourism ministry official. The ministry was hoping that Madonna would agree to be filmed for a video to promote tourism, he said. telegraph.co.uk