Palestinian group urges Rolling Stones to boycott Israel

HAHA! Israelis in Ramallah? do you even know what you're talking about? I lived in Givat Zeev, right next door to ramallah. they eat jews for a living, and the reason for the many road blocks is because the majority of bombs come from that town....dumbass. you're probably american, thinking you know about things that you don't have a clue about.

Nelson Mandela in 1999 said this to the Palestinian Assembly: "The histories of our two peoples correspond in such painful and poignant ways that I intensely feel myself at home amongst my compatriots." South African author and ex-political prisoner Breyten Breytenbach wrote in 2002:" I recently visited the occupied territories for the first time. And yes, Im afraid they can reasonably be described as resembling Bantustans , reminiscent of the ghettoes and controlled camps of misery one knew in South Africa ." South Africa's own Bishop Desmond Tutu and others have referred to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian Christians and Muslims as "Israeli apartheid." In a 2002 speech, Tutu said "the humiliation of the Palestinians at checkpoints and roadblocks, suffering like us when young white police officers prevented us from moving about."

I've been a Stones fan for many years, been to many live concerts and bought many cds, but if they perform in apartheid Israel I will never let another Stones song cross my brain pan. It's time to boycott Israel for its brutal oppression and illegal occupation of the Palestinians.

Hitler LOVED Beethoven, even compared himself to him...........little good it did him though, he was a complete monster! Some of the nicest, most warm hearted and good people I know are rock n roll fans. Don't knock it and attribute the worlds plight to being from rock n roll. That's ignorant.

I am getting my healthy laughs in today!! Even mentioning rock n roll can make you think of something disparaging and bigoted against the palestinians.............??? SOOOO christian-like! Religious extremism has done more to divide the world and more to incite vilence and racism than any rock n roll songs. Bach and mozart is great too, but for crying out loud lady/ Ignorance coupled with religius radicalism is really doing a number on people. Such darkness they live under and misperception. sad. LOL.............oh boy,

and not lend an air of normalcy to Israel.

Writing from the little shtetl of Teaneck, NJ, I truly hope the Rolling Stones appreciate that performing in Israel would be like performing in apartheid South Africa. They should not do it. Israel is a racist nightmare and should be opposed and boycotted, isolated until it is forced to end Jewish exclusivity and ethnic cleansing.

Rolling Stones are a great band, too bad they wont be playing in Israel, but Im happy to see that they follow their beliefs. Israel is treating the Palestinians like animals and have them live worse than the worst mis-treated pet in the states, so its refreshing to see that others know and see that as well and act upon it.

With all the bloodshed and misery in the Middle East, it is good that Haaretz can devote some space to an issue of whether some 60+ year old rock n rollers are going to come to israel to sing their old songs of teenage agnst. Lots of opportunities for your readers to demonstrate their attempts at humor (and bad puns on song titles)---Good Show!

You say that "Moderate Palestinians with whom the Israeli government could work more closely are very poor insurance risks." Do you believe that their is a solution or approach without taking any risks at all?

I love the Stones 2 and I believe every1 should get a chance to see them live, but How do you call a boycott that is aimed at ending an already illegal occupation, land confiscation and colonization of the West bank "succumbing to terrorist pressure"?? Can you please explain?

Any reason why you are asking such a stupid question?

if no one's called you an idiot recently; please consider it done. shalom

are these palestinians favorite songs.....do gideon levy, amira hass and condi rice know that these songs are really played in palestinian radios/tv.they 've poisoned the palestinian people's mind. ...........israel don't need junk music by rollling stone........rock and roll music has ruined the world since 1950's.....admit it- bad music affects our mind in a wrong way.do people work in the bank or office play rock and roll music?why not beethoven,bach,mozart music.

The Stones should play Beruit and call it the "Under My Thumb" tour. Mick could dedicate "Sympathy for the Devil" to Netanyahu, "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" to Olmert and "Gimme Shelter" to the Palestinians and Lebonese.

The world does not revolve around the "peace loving" Palestinians.Live with it. There will be peace but not on the terms of Hamas the elected govt.of Palestine and their Islamo-fascist supporters. Now be a good,honest poster and tell everybody how the Rolling stones got to knowingly hire a KKK security firm and how those people picked out a black man,just killed him out of hand and got away with it.

Both the Israelis and Palestinians need a little rock 'n roll. But dress appropriately. I remember my first (and last) Rolling Stones concert in Toronto in the early-mid 90's and as I approached the stadium with my friend, this guy marketing something starts yelling there's Donna Karan (N.Y. designer who designs sleek black etc.), and I'm laughing embarrassingly, because I wasn't dressed like everyone in jeans and t-shirt, so dress appropriately and hang loose - you deserve it in the Middle East!

their Arab brethren. It never ceases to amaze me how people accuse others of having the faults that the accusers have. This is a classic example. Who on earth has colonized more than the Islmacists? Who continues to attempt to do so, even with forced conversions? How multi-cultural are Arab societies? Where are the Jews, Christians and others in those socieities. How are these others treated. But for oil, I say that the target of the boycott would be incredibly clear and it would be the PALS and their brethren.

Ok he's not Jewish.

They can't call themselves Throwing Stones. The Dead already did a song of that title.

The Stones will never play in Israel.

Who used for security in America members of the KKK resulting in the death of a black man at one of their concerts. Should feel at home in Israel. They could even throw a Palestinian into the crowd for extra entertainment

Mick and the boys are from the old school and they are conservatives, closer to the right than left. I love the Stones, saw them in concert in Nashville TN. and man they were on top of their game that night. The Stones were one of the first groups to perform benefits after 9-11. Believe me, the Stones will perform in Israel.

Please give me a break They would listen to this Apartheid (why do all the minorites like Druzes, Circassians, Bahaim, Bedouin, ... prefer living in Israel und even serving in the IDF to living with the Palestinians?) group only if Mick Jagger's group would be called the THROWING Stones...

With Hamas prayers dancing Honky Tonk Women!!!! Of course, lots of fire display. Just don't take'em hostages

Ivan, you are asking what is called "terrorist pressure". May I ask you what is it that you call "palestinian people"? Are you talking about arabs living in the Middle East for hundreds of years or the "islamic" scums from all over the world? The later are those that you are not so sure about.

It will be the rolling thunder by September as people are already swearing at the IAF & IDF in cyberspace. Their brutality is barbaric and they are inflaming hearts and minds all over the world . They shouldn't have to worry about the Arabs pushing them into the Sea anymore --others are offering to do it for them instead. Hence they are sealing their own coffins if they don't stop. Dutch

Somehow I do not think the Stones would have a chance to even set up the stage before the "Hamas morality squad" would close the place down.

It won't just be the Rolling Stones it will be the rolling thunder by September. Israeli forces are despicable in their brutality and oppression of the Palestinian people . They have outrage people all over the world . And their present escalation of the violence has inflamed hearts and minds beyond belief. People are offering a helping hand to the Arabs to push them into the seas. Dutch

A nice change of pace! Sure beats shooting someone who may be innocent.

I must say that is a great name for a band. I'm pretty good at Karioke,wanna be my manager???? (Burp!)

Israelis AND PALESTINIANS both have work to do. Now; when do we see you complain about the Palestinians who don't respect law or life?

What occupation? The Jews have been there as long as the Palestinians. Let the Palestinians learn some social respect and then come and complain when Israel doesn't give them that same respect. No one should accept being condemned for someone else's ignorance; and that works BOTH ways.

It only shows the opinion in which Israel is held by a sizeable amount of the Western public.

Don't you have disdain for brainwashing children to kill themselves and "the enemy" while their parents sit at home moaning about their lives instead of taking a POSITIVE CONSTRUCTIVE STAND?

Maybe the Rolling Stones should boycott Israel when the Palistinians boycott violence and anti-semitism?

Israel is most probably the only country in the Middle East featuring this classic rock band. This useless outcry has nothing to do with Palestinians, but all to do with Islamic values. I sure hope that the Rolling Stones will play in Israel, the only democratic and free country in the Middle East.

Who wants to see a bunch of sexaginarians jumping around making fools of themselves? The Stones should retire and go play with their grandchildren.

I think you have countries mixed up. Who will not allow Jew in there country. Who will not sell land to a Jew. Who did on the church walls what others do in the bathroom. Israel left Gaxa with a working econony. Who distroyed it and shoting rockets into Israel. Who danced in the street waving a check when their child killed and got killed. That is child abuse. PLease do not think we are stupid , THey may cancel because of the culture of deaths threats

While a dysfunctional government, and a host of other issues, are obviously more important than a Rolling Stones concert, this is not trivial either. There are evil forces in the world seeking to isolate and delegitimize Israel, and ultimately cut Israel off from the outside support it needs. Like him or not, the Stones are a rock-and-roll icon, and getting them to play Israel will be a victory of sorts over those who are attempting to organize boycotts.

Crikey, Mick and his merry band of drug addled octagenarians have no relevance whatsoever in todays music scene. They are a writhered anathema who whine and drone on, and of which no one has really liked since 1967 ....hey rather like Israel and Israelis! As far as i'm concerned you can keep mick, keef et al; put them up some place nice in sderot, at least that will keep them out of London. P.s. I hear that Mick is quite tight fisted with his cash, so you'll guys have alot in common.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/talking/51_apartheid.html The term ?apartheid? refers to the official government policy of racial segregation formerly practiced in South Africa. The whites sought to dominate the nonwhite population, especially the indigenous black population, and discriminated against people of color in the political, legal, and economic sectors. Whites and nonwhites lived in separate regions of the country. Nonwhites were prohibited from running businesses or professional practices in the white areas without permits. Nonwhites had separate amenities (i.e. beaches, buses, schools, benches, drinking fountains, restrooms). Nonwhites received inferior education, medical care, and other public services. Though they were the overwhelming majority of the population, nonwhites could not vote or become citizens. By contrast, Israel?s Declaration of Independence called upon the Arab inhabitants of Israel to ?participate in the upbuilding of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions.? The 156,000 Arabs within Israel?s borders in 1948 were given citizenship in the new State of Israel. Today, this Arab minority comprises 20% of the population. It is illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of race and Arab citizens of Israel are represented in all walks of Israeli life. Arabs have served in senior diplomatic and government positions and an Arab currently serves on the Supreme Court. Israeli Arabs have formed their own political parties and won representation in the Knesset. Arabs are also members of the major Israeli parties. Twelve non-Jews (10 Arabs, two Druze) are members of the Seventeenth Knesset. Laws dictated where nonwhites could live, work, and travel in South Africa, and the government imprisoned and sometimes killed those who protested against its policies. By contrast, Israel allows freedom of movement, assembly and speech. Some of the government?s harshest critics are Israeli Arabs in the Knesset. Arab students and professors study, research, and teach at Israeli universities. At Haifa University, the target of British advocates of an academic boycott against Israel, 20 percent of the students are Arabs. Israeli society is not perfect ? discrimination and unfairness exist there as it does in every other country. These differences, however, are nothing like the horrors of the apartheid system. Moreover, when inequalities are identified, minorities in Israel have the right to seek redress through the government and the courts, and progress toward equality has been made over the years. The situation of Palestinians in the territories is different. While many Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip dispute Israel?s right to exist, nonwhites did not seek the destruction of South Africa, only of the apartheid regime. Unlike South Africa, where restrictions were racially motivated, Israel is forced by incessant Palestinian terrorism to take actions, such as building checkpoints and the security fence, to protect its citizens. Israel has consistently demonstrated a willingness, however, to ease restrictions when violence subsides.

Tehy should play in Gaza. All they got to do is get really stoned and go out and play. When al the Palestians get ready to throw rocks at them they can say, "no need for that, we got really stoned before we came out" Rolling Stones..the icon of the peace symbol

They should play in Gaza. What a bad idea that would be. First they would get stoned(by rocks that is) then probably dragged through the streets and finally beheaded. Then HAMAS can show a video of the beheading's and praise Allah for the chance to make it happen. How can you listen to a group about a boycott when this same group wants to destroy and and kill another country. Rock on Rolling Stones

It's true, it's all pop. No wonder some people declare Jihad.

They DO exist. You can deny, deny, deny. israel does discriminate, does ignore Int'l law...but expects everyone else to comply. Acting like it doesn't exist won't help Israel.Dealing with it on the other hand could strengthen Israel, But too many extremists and radicals are shaping the country. Israeli/Palestinians BOTH have lots of work to do..... These palestininas are resisting PEACEFULLY. Do you have a problem with that? or doesyour mind just naturally gravitate towards the negative regarding palestinians? Becaue I see many many people dooming the Pals to a substandard existence just as surely as the militant jihadists in their mist. Many Pals resent and do not support Hamas or fatah. israel doesn't encourage anything BUT armed resistance. No land grbs w/out it. Violence serves many radical zionists dream of eliminating all pals from the area. Deny it all you want. It is the truth. They prove it with their actions.

"Moderate Palestinians with whom the Israeli government could work more closely" are very poor insurance risks.

All the Pals need do is spread rumours that the Stones will advocate gay rights and the ultra-orthodox will get the show banned for the Pals.

And to think I was worried about such trivia as our corrupt disfunctional government, our national security, the chaos and murder of innocents amongst our neighbors, the Iranian threat, etc... Now this "calamity." Just, what is this world coming to?

Isn't a peaceful protest such a boycot request better than firing qassams. Are these not the moderate Palestinians with whom Israel should work more closely with?

How can you have disdain for Israeli apartheid and human rights abuses when they don't exist?

the way you never miss a chance to hurt jews and israel by any means surely bespeaks of a deranged and tormented soul.

Your desription of Rolling Stones fans is rather off the mark.I am a Rolling Stones fan from way back and I am capable of more then drug induced navel gazing as are many others.I think the stones should ignore these Palestinian hypocrites.

With their Mickey Mouse causes. If only they spent time trying to get each other to stop shooting one another. Or, better yet, spent some time trying to better themselves rather than making themselves the world's sorriest victims. Victims of oppression? More like victims of their own, futile selves.

Your Pal favorites by The Stones were funny. Here are a few more: Start Me Up- as in detonate my bomb belt Has Anybody Seen My Baby- yeah, he's wearing a suicide bomber costume 19th Nervous Breakdown - before I blow myself up Girl With The Faraway Eyes- real far away, when she blew herself up in a mall parts of her flew everywhere

BRAVO!!!!!

Who cares if the old farts show up or not! If they do come lets have the concert in Sderot!

Im not sure what the Pals are all frothing at the mouth for - the Stones songs are stuff they like! Gimme Shelter - pal terrorists hide behind kids Midnight Rambler - reminds them of Midnight Bomber Satisfaction - they cant have any till the Jews are gone Under My Thumb - All the Jews holy sites are under our thumb Sympathy for the Devil - Dont have any for those Zionists Jumping Jack Flash - Of light when the suicide bombs go off Beast of Burden - Jews are like animals - beasts of burden These are tunes the PALS love - why are they upset? Maybe Abbas wasnt offered a part in Pirates of the Carribean?

These are the very Western core values that Islamists such as Hamas despise and seek to replace with Sariah law!

You assume incorrectly I only have disdain for Israeli apartheid and human rights abuses.....go have a read.

Yes -- they call themselves 'Palestinians' these days, though. Generally practice Islam.

Sending letters is an excellent way to protest. It gets the point across in a peaceful, yet serious manner. It is non-violent, and can work. Sending rockets while at the same time calling for total destruction of your more powerful neighbor, does not have the same effect and will not have the same result.

The reason so many people are suckers for "Palestinian" propaganda is that they want to see the Jews exterminated; they just want somebody else to do the messy work. Then they can trun around and pretend to be decent and devastated.

Judging by their past the Stones usually don't give a monkey's for trendy politics and PC, and neither do the the real Stones fans on this talkback. So lets leave aside the pop politica and instead discuss the set-list we want to hear them play this summer.

I agree that racism is racism, but what does that have to do with the Stones appearing or not appearing in Tel Aviv?

Islam, it seems to me, has no response to how Muslims live as a minority within a pluralistic society. There is little historic precedent for this with the exception perhaps of India and, although a majority, in Albania. That is one question. That question has nothing to do with Israel's occupation. Might I remind you, iof you care to go back and investigate, when and how did the political balance in Palestine change from minority support of Hamas to a larger minority support, which gave them the lead position among parties? What factors intervened. When Israelis were driving in droves along the Jerusalem road to the casino in Jericho or eating in the restaurants of Ramallah without incidient, what intervened and suddenly made such outing far more dangerous? You speak about the islamofacist plans of hamas, well, Israel is doing one hellava job carrying out a policy that denies the palestinians any chance of every hoping to be rid of the chain of occupation around their neck.

A lot of people on these talkbalks do.

You will see one of the greatest rock-and-roll shows the world has ever seen if the Haredim don't protest it out of existance and nobody gets trampled to death outside the gates.

Let them play in Sderot with the Tea Packs as the opener.

Being against Israeli apartheid is like being against Santa Claus and the Eastar Bunny. Give me one example of Israeli apartheid. Israel has taken is Ethiopeans, boat people, refugees from Darfur. Jews can't set foot in Saudi Arabia. Moslem and Christian holy sites in Israel are protected. During the 19 years that the Jordanians held Judea and Samaria, they routinely desecrated Jewish holy sites and used Jewish tombstones to build latrines.

Are you going to guarrantee the safety of the Rolling Stones from feral Islamist lunatic thugs.?

I was going to say, before some glitch in my computer posted my incomplete comment for me, that it is the "Palestinians" who OPENLY seek to dispossess, oppress, and ultimately ethnically cleanse the JEWS from their homeland. If they ever finish with the Jews, God Forbid, they'll start on the French and the English and the Spanish. The Israelis are fully prepared to give the "Palestinians" their SECOND autonomous homeland, any time the "Palestinians" agree to quit killing Jews.

Muslims approve of the Rolling Stones? They are on friendly terms with them? What do the religious clerics think about this? Maybe they can perform in Palestine. Do you know what Al Qaida would like to do to the degenerate Rolling Stones? They would like to cut off more than just their heads. Wait until Ahmadinejad and Nasrallah hear about this. I can just see Jagger gyrating both his body and his long nasty tongue in Gaza. Ugh! But then, Ahmadinejad is buddy-buddy with Putin, who is a gangster and an athiest, and Nasrallah believes he is the Mick Jagger of Lebanon. (What is wrong with Islam?) Bin Laden must be chewing his beard in anger. I kind of wish they would boycott Israel. Can you imagine owning a poster of Mick, Haniyeh, Nasrallah, and Ahmadinejad, all of them with their tongues hanging out, a la Kiss. Priceless.

I was going to say, before some glitch in my computer posted my incomplete comment for me, that its the "Palestinians" who QUITE OPENLY

"continue to fight the Jews until the last of them is gone from Palestine." Hamas in Haaretz to day. That's Apartheid the same Arab apartheid that has been around for over 100 years in Palestine. The apartheid and its consequences that is so fashionable to ignore.

The Stones should play a gig in occupied Palestine and in Israel. But I guess they haven't the nerve to play in Ramallah or Gaza city Lyrically the Stones are politcially astute -listen to My Sweet Neocon on Bigger Bang album.

But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.

I'm not as sure as you are that the people who take that kind of thing seriously are "gullible" or "well-meaning."

Any "Palestinian" group has terroroists to back it up.

Let them give their concert in Ramallah. If Israelis wish to attend then they will have to go therough the gaunlet of road blocks, but they should not appear in Tel Aviv. They should boycott. Racism is racism, Shuki Weiss or no Shuki Weiss.

What massive human rights abuses? The Kassam rockets? If Mick Jagger is afraid of the Kassams, all he has to do is not go to Sederot.

I don't know if the Stones are political, although Gimme Shelter & Indian girl are anti war and anti Castro ("where is your mother, where is your father? Fighting for Mr. Castro in Angola?". If they do not perform it will be due to potential arab violence not political preference. This will backfire on the arabs.

The left's singular fixation with hyping up the Palestinian cause does not make it the most important issue preoccupying the man in the street.A lot of people see both sides to the situation and do not necesarily see it as peace loving Palestinians only wanting to live in harmony with their neighbours.Some "non intellectuals" may have actually read the Islamofascist plans of Hamas or the secular version by Fateh. A lot of people in Bangkok would probably be more concerned with where the next Moslem bomb will explode,while in Britain the endless parade of would be home grown Moslem terrorists does not necessarily engender sympathy. On the contrary there are a lot of angry Britons who do not like what is happening in England one bit.Ignore it at your peril.

I believe there is growing concern in the UK about Hamas' explicit goal of destroying Israel and its massive human rights abuses, within Gaza and in its rocketing of Israeli cities and towns. ...Given Hamas' escalation of the rhetoric and violence they may very well have to pull out for security reasons. Pity, but the Palestinians have suckered so many into seeing them as innocent victims.

apartheid LIGHT? If you are against apartheid in Arab states then surely you understand Israeli apartheid is no better.

Why did Shuki Weiss decline to comment? Why didn't he say that Israel is the least apartheid country on the planet and anyone who sees it as an apartheid country has no business going out without his Seeing Eye dog? The statement speaks of "Israel's colonial and apartheid designs to further dispossess, opress, and ultimately ethnically cleanse the Palestinians from their homeland." Its the other way around, dummy, and if Mr. Weiss doesn't have the knowledge or the guts to say so, he's in the wrong job. Its the "Palestinians" who, QUITE OPENLY

The kind of people who go to Rolling Stone concerts couldn't give a damn about "Israeli Occupation", the Palestinians or anything else in the Middle East. Oh yes, they do wish the Arabs and other Muslims living in the UK would return to their lands of origin. And yes, they do wish to see the British Army out of Iraq.

ES. WHAT A SUPRISE NICK WITH THE ANTI ISRAEL PRESS NOW IN ITS 60TH YEAR NOT QUITE AS OLD AS THE STONES !! I AGREE ITS REVOLTING WITH PERFIDIOUS ALBIONS AMNESIA ABOUT ITS RECORD AS A NATION FROM THE 16TH CENTURY ONWARDS EVEN UNTIL TODAY IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN ITS BLATANT HYPOCRISY FROM MORONS LIKE YOURSELF WHO HAVE BECOME HOLIER THAN THOU MERCHANTS !! IN ANY CASE THE 1970S RECORDS ARE BETTER THAN TODAYS SEILE TOUR !!

Don't think so...

I'm just sorry so many of you see Arabs as racist terrorists - that's a great injustice to millions and millions of good men, women, and children, human beings like you. The Palestnian lands (only 22% of the original Palestine before 1948) should be set free and becauseyou don't want that, it would be a great message to all of you if Mick stayed away. After all Israelis are supposed to support democracy, free speech, free movement and all the other social and economic rights you are so proud of. Well, the palestinians want just the same things. Simple. You can't be democrats while holding another people down. So make peace- and stop bombing palestinians - there will be no boycott calls then.

The Rolling stones are a bunch of old geezers trying to look cool. They refuse to play for Live Aid, enter Comedy Relief etc... because there was no money in it, this just goes to show their level of political commitical commitment. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards don't really give a damn about Israel or Palestinians. This just goes to show the unfortunate addiction that Palestinian politics have of Public Relations and their failure to address more serious issues.

Their decision will be an interesting one, for I believe there is growing concern in the UK about the Israeli Occupation and its massive human rights abuses. The band is going to have to weigh up very carefully which way the wind is blowing on this one. Mick Jagger is a pragmatic guy so I don't expect him to make a decision based on the rights and wrongs of the Occupation. Commercial interests are what drive him, but he wouldn't want to be found supporting the status quo just at the moment it comes under attack. Given the anti-war movement in the UK right now, as well as the upswell of revulsion over the Occupation, so as not to cause offence to anyone, I reckon he and the band will cite security reasons for pulling out nearer the date.

Steve, Pals is just the abbreviation (that I learned on Ha'aretz talkbacks) of a much used word, like TA or Is in my address. There's certainly no disrespect implied. If disrepect is nevertheless implied, I'll gladly revert forthwith to Palestinians in future.

If there are any idealists left in the music industry,at least in the top end of the music industry they are more about Global warming and Africa.There is no way the Stones would boycott Israel.They are too connected with friends of Israel and the person that resurrected them for their second and twenty second coming was a jew. Why dont the Palestinians suggest they play in the arab capitals too.Dont think Keif would go down well there though.

On their 1998 Bridges to Babylon tour, the Stones played in Istanbul. I don't recall any Armenian groups protesting b/c their appearing in Turkey somehow gave support for Turkey's denial of the Armenian genocide. PACBI, come to grips with reality: the Rolling Stones want to play in places where tens of thousands (and for Israel maybe 100 000, since its the band's first show there) will come out casuaully dressed and screaming to their music, where drinks are readily available before and afterwards, where they don't have to worry about attacks from extremists for appearing and promoting "sinful lifestyle". One of the only such places in the ME where this criteria satisfies the band is Israel- maybe Beirut without sporadic violence would be OK too. But your certaintly not gonna get a crowd if you play in Ramallah, Jenin, or Hebron- the nutcase Jews who live their also wouldn't go.

Islamic Jihad?,Fatah? Sound like the first people the Rolling Stones would turn to for moral guidance. Mick Jagger does not seem to have too much time for lefties either.

I have no use for the rolling stones, I much rather go and learn torah. Or even watch the grass grow. Nevertheless, Israel is not run on what I like. When it comes to stones, I guess the Palestinians want to be the people connected to stones in the Middle east. The rolling stones try and make people happy with their music. The Palestinians try and kill people when they throw stones. Maybe the Palestinians are scared that the world will get confused?

Anybody heard of ANY rock band in ANY Arab country? Or would they be instantly, nomem omen, STONED? The RS, before going to Israel will perform in my native city Warsaw, Poland. Can't wait to see them! In the meantime, keep on rocking!

Yeh bring on the Stones ! its about having a good time, drinking a few beers and chilling to the music. Who cares about politics Ruby Tuesday

couple of weeks ago according to the "Haretz". Boycotting Israel won't get the "Stones" onto a pal stage anyhow.

There is virtually no epithet missing in the propaganda war against Israel: "Ethnic Cleansing", "Apartheid", "Nazi Ghettos", "War Crimes", "Crimes Against Humanity", "Genocide"... Did I miss any? Gullible, well meaning people are not accustomed to these names being used lightly -- that is why their smear tactics works so well...

thats why I get such pleasure when I read of an academic or cultural boycott.

Hi, have fun in Israel with the Stones. I saw them several times, once I was so lucky to be 2 meters from the Stage. Only great. The Stones wont be so bloody stupid and let anyone tell them whom to boykott. If anyone needs a signature for a list to ask the group to come to Israel - you will get mine. I find more and more international groups should come to Israel. They can sing for peace if they want to, but ignore Israel? Never.

what u call "terrorist pressure"? I think u are confused with the boycot made by israel and the international community against the palestinian people. Boycot which violates the international law.

how does a request made by a palestinian group to boycott isreal equate to "terrorist pressure"?

Airplane hijackings. Dividing the passengers between Jews and Non-Jews. Kidnapping diplomats and executing them. Palestinian Al-Zawahiri Al-Qaeda #2 behind slaughtering 3000 Americans on 9/11. Remember these are just terrorists that can change their tactics but not their stripes. Colonialism? You mean the Egyptians and Syrians that moved into Palestine at the same time the Jews arrived? Where was Arafat born? Look it up! Oh! And let's not forget their latest contribution, the suicide vest!

Hope to see the Stones here in the summer and as for the PACBI, lets hope Mick, Keef and Charlie show no Sympathy for the Devil

Is ther any reason why you refer to Palestinians as "Pals"?

The Stones are a 'creative' force, something the destructive Arab/Muslim world just can't handle.

Why are the historians not publishing the truth, that Israel has always had Jews. Massacres and forced Conversion failed to deter the millions who wanted to go home since the second temple was destroyed. Aparteid is a catch phrase being used to spread disinformation.

Why do they not want the Stones to play in Israel? Is it because they wish to free up the Stones schedule and be able to perform in Mecca, Cairo, Damascus, or Jenin? I wonder how a Stones concert would go over in these cities? Would Nasrallah attend?

PACBI is doing more harm than good! It's precisely the academic and cultural circles in Israel where the greatest support for Pal causes can be found. It's a pity that the Pals are shooting themselves in the foot again.

Howdy all. I hope they play in Israel. I worked security for the stones when they came through Phoenix last year. The show was great and the guys (as they always are) were awesome. I hope they don't succumb to terrorist pressure and you get to see what is truly one of the greatest rock n roll shows the world will ever see.