Madonna,
Mr. Big and Richard Gere
By Am Johal
25 September, 2004
Countercurrents.org
The
Israeli Tourism Authority, thinking of creative ways to lure visitors
back to the Holy Land, has taken to organizing the high profile visits
of Hollywood stars and pop divas to mixed reaction.
Earlier this year,
Richard Gere arrived for a film festival, attended a seminar, had posters
of his face plastered all over Israel and generally left with rave reviews
especially from the female human rights activists. They didn't question
the intentions of his visit or give him too much flak for not taking
any public positions on human rights. They work on human rights every
day of the year, but he was RICHARD GERE!
A few months later
Chris Noth, Mr. Big, was on the pages of Haaretz being whisked away
by helicopter to see the sights of Israel all paid for by the good folks
at the Israeli Tourism Authority. In fact, they were even armed with
pro forma statements about how much the visit would boost Israeli tourism.
Then came "Esther,"
pilgrim Madonna, donning the latest Kabbalah outfit, raising a storm
for visiting Rachel's Tomb, having her cab mobbed by fans resulting
in her planned visit to the Old City of Jerusalem being cancelled -
such is the price of fame in the Holy Land.
Fresh off the "Reinvention
Tour," Madonna is reportedly wearing a red thread to ward off the
evil eye and refuses to play on the Sabbath. She has received rough
treatment by religious Jews and Palestinian activists questioning the
intentions of her visit. A security team of 1,000 police officers were
drafted to protect her entourage of 2,000 from the Kabbalah Center in
Los Angeles.
Madonna's visit
to Rachel's Tomb was particularly drawing the ire of human rights activists
as the Separation Barrier annexes the shrine and because the Palestinians
are under full closure for the entire month of the Jewish High Holidays.
Next to Rachel's Tomb is Ayda Refugee Camp which has 5,000 residents
residing there who are refused entry into Israel. Her willingness to
come to the West Bank with security forces and not comment on human
rights issues there is particularly drawing criticism. Unlike her former
husband Sean Penn who has visited Iraq and spoken out against the war,
Madonna never been one to take political positions for fear of hurting
her celebrity status.
With all her moves
from Sex Goddess to Yoga diva to children's author to British den mother
to an endorser of Wesley Clark didn't dim the willingness of the "Israeli
street" to question her newfound Kabbalah addiction and for religious
Jews to dismiss her use of Judaism as a cheap marketing ploy. For her
efforts on her five day tour, "Esther" received an ancient
oil lamp and a coin from the Byzantine period from the Israeli Tourism
Authority.