Jerusalem – Pounding his piano in blue-tinted sunglasses before nearly 50,000 screaming fans, Elton John took center stage in a battle over Israel’s image.
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The legendary British rocker’s concert on Thursday night followed a string of cancellations by artists like Elvis Costello and the Pixies. Resisting a growing wave of calls from pro-Palestinian activists to boycott the Jewish state, John gave Israelis a rare reason to smile amid their increasing sense of international isolation.
“Ain’t gonna stop me from coming here, baby,” he told the cheering crowd in Tel Aviv, saying he believed music should spread peace and bring people together: “That is what we do. We do not cherry-pick our consciences, OK?” he added, in an apparent swipe at the artists who have canceled concerts in Israel.
John’s concert was notable precisely because Israel seems to be losing the battle against the country’s isolation worldwide. That isolation was exacerbated after Israel’s May 31 naval raid on a flotilla trying to break the blockade of Gaza spiraled into violence that left nine Turkish activists dead in a clash with troops.
It wasnt 50000 it was 200,000 from bnei brak, meai sharim- all the charedim came out yesterday for Elton John. I saw all those pictures how they marched for Him.
what a kiddiush hashem they did welcoming him.
הן עם לבדד ישכון
it’s a fact!
He just played at Rush wedding for 1 million bucks, nice.
Will always remember your appearance, when others stepped back because of Arab socialist pressure. Go Elton John Go, Rock on.
I strongly disagree with his personal lifestyle, but you’ve gotta give the guy credit for showing up there last night.
Good to have a public figure on our side. Glad I don’t have to trash his CDs like I did Annie Lenox’s.
Rock on Rocket Man! Wonder if he sang about the chareidi nut jobs? Mona Lisas and “mad hatters” or the Motzei Shabbos night activity “saturday nights all right for fighting”?
“Am Levadad Yishkon.” I don’t believe it bodes well for us when we find solace in an avowed mushchas.
kinda like him alot – not his preferred partners – but his music is awesome and like others have stated – its nice he didn’t wiggle out like other losers. Kol hakavod even if not 100% torah approved 😉
GShabbos
anothe one standing up for the ציונים
thank you but no thank you. I am not listening to this gay guy anymore.
I’m so glad in my former life I went to 2 of his concerts.
Actually, I’d go again if i could get away with it. I think he & Lipa should perform together…2 great headliners!
Foolish story. EJ was nearly bankrupt several years ago due to his degenerate and expensive lifestyle. He paid for nonstop parties with young boys and large quantities of Cocaine. Now after losing his mansions he is being forced to pay massive tax debts to the IRS and other creditors. This story was not straightforward with the emes. EJ is is bankrupt degenerate who would do anything for a dollar. Sad. Sad. Sad.
How sad that it takes a gay american entertainer to step up to the plate and teach the American president the diplomacy that he himself has yet to learn.
Wow he impresses me twice in one week. First he sings at Rush’s wedding and now this. Whatever his motives were you can’t help being appreciative. Though the poor guy will probably be shunned by his fellow libs.
Now that the Sand Hill Indians are claiming that Manhattan & the Northeast US are illegal occupied territories wiil the “enlightened” limosine liberl-leftistist now boycott the Jewish settlements of the Upper West Side, Boro Park, Kew Gardens Hills, the 5 towns, Great Neck???
Elton John loves Israel because Israelis treat minorities with equal rights. He said it in many interviews that he stands with Israel because they’re the only country in Middle East that don’t murder gays and other minorities and give them legal protections. If Israel was in the hands of the increasing rioting Charedi lunatics that fight over pagan bones and would probably allow stoning of gays on shabbos, I’m sure that Elton John would not care to defend Israel.