By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem, Israel --- September 22, 2008 ..... The below letter is a direct response and an objective, accurate correction to Tony Greenstein's letter to Sir Paul McCartney. I will try not to copy each and every word of slanderous distortion, incitement and transparent hate for which Greenstein espouses.
But rather substitute a few words of his Disneyland propaganda spin with documented reality.

As someone who grew up in New York, I read with pleasure that you were to play a concert in Tel Aviv, Israel on September 25th.

Your announcement is headed: “My message is a peaceful one” as the very people who are the victims of unrelenting violence, suicide bomb attacks, terror attacks on buses, shopping centers and restaurants embrace you in defying life threats by Islamic clergy and suicide bombers in coming to Israel.
I refer to the people of Israel.

Forty-three years ago, when the Beatles were banned from playing in Israel, I like most people thought of Israel as some kind of communal, socialist experiment in the making. As someone who grew up as a Zionist, I believed and still do that Israel had made the desert bloom and was surrounded by those whose only wish was to destroy it. Successive defensive wars reinforced modern Israel's sovereign right to exist.

 

As for Palestine - what Palestine?
It has never been the name of a nation or state. It is a geographical term, used to designate the region at those times in history when there is no nation or state there.

Where were the Palestinians during Masada and Gamla?

The word itself derives from "Peleshet", a name that appears frequently in the Bible and has come into English as "Philistine". The use of the term "Palestinian" for an Arab ethnic group is a modern political creation which has no basis in fact - and had never had any international or academic credibility before 1967. All the same, in the name of peace, many in Israel would be pleased to see a Palestinian state, but one which represents democracy and freedom - not Islamic terror.

In fact, during the Israel War of Independence the Palestinians had rejected having their own state. Rather they chose to join (Israeli Arabs were never expelled) the armies of Jordan and Egypt which promised them more land in their victory.

As for making the desert blossom and contributing to humanity:

Israel, the 100th smallest country, with less than 1/1000th of the world's population, can lay claim to hundreds of humanitarian, non-profit, artistic and commercial successes.

The cell phone was developed in Israel by Israelis working in the Israeli branch of Motorola, which has its largest development center in Israel.

Most of the Windows NT and XP operating systems were developed by Microsoft - Israel.

The Pentium MMX Chip technology was designed in Israel at Intel.

Both the Pentium-4 microprocessor and the Centrino processor were entirely designed, developed and produced in Israel.

The Pentium microprocessor in your computer was most likely made in Israel.

Voice mail technology was developed in Israel. Both Microsoft and Cisco built their only R&D facilities outside the US in Israel. The technology for the AOL Instant Messenger ICQ was developed in 1996 by four young Israelis.

Israel has the fourth largest air force in the world (after the U. S, Russia and China). In addition to a large variety of other aircraft, Israel's air force has an aerial arsenal of over 250 F-16's. This is the largest fleet of F-16 aircraft outside of the U. S.

Israel's $100 billion economy is larger than all of its immediate neighbors combined.

Israel has the highest percentage in the world of home computers per capita.

According to industry officials, Israel designed the airline industry's most impenetrable flight security. US officials now look (finally) to Israel for advice on how to handle airborne security threats.

Israel has the highest ratio of university degrees to the population in the world.

Israel produces more scientific papers per capita than any other nation by a large margin - 109 per 10,000 people - as well as one of the highest per capita rates of patents filed. In proportion to its population, Israel has the largest number of startup companies in the world. In absolute terms, Israel has the largest number of startup companies than any other country in the world, except the U.S. (3,500 companies mostly in hi-tech).

With more than 3,000 high-tech companies and startups, Israel has the highest concentration of hi-tech companies in the world -- apart from the Silicon Valley, U. S.

Israel is ranked number 2 in the world for venture capital funds right behind the U. S. Outside the United States and Canada, Israel has the largest number of NASDAQ listed companies.

Israel has the highest average living standards in the Middle East. On a per capita basis, Israel has the largest number of biotech startups.

Twenty-four per cent of Israel's workforce holds university degrees, ranking third in the industrialized world, after the United States and Holland and 12 per cent hold advanced degrees.

Israel is the only liberal democracy in the Middle East.

In 1984 and 1991, Israel airlifted a total of 22,000 Ethiopian Jews (Operation Solomon) at Risk in Ethiopia, to safety in Israel.

When Golda Meir was elected Prime Minister of Israel in 1969, she became the world's second elected female leader in modern times. In contrast to Islamic Apartheid, women and people of other religions are treated equally in Israel.

When the U. S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya was bombed in 1998, Israeli rescue teams were on the scene within a day and saved three victims from the rubble.

Israel has the third highest rate of entrepreneurship and the highest rate among women and among people over 55 in the world.

Relative to its population, Israel is the largest immigrant-absorbing nation on earth. Immigrants come in search of democracy, religious freedom, and economic opportunity. (Hundreds of thousands from the former Soviet Union)

Israel was the first nation in the world to adopt the Kimberly process, an international standard that certifies diamonds as "conflict free."

Israel has the world's second highest per capita of new books. Israel is the only country in the world that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees, made more remarkable because this was achieved in an area considered mainly desert.

Israel has more museums per capita than any other country.

As for medicine, Israel scientists developed the first fully computerized, no-radiation, diagnostic instrumentation for breast cancer. An Israel company developed a computerized system for ensuring proper administration of medications, thus removing human error from medical treatment. Every year in U. S. hospitals 7,000 patients die from treatment mistakes. Israel's Givun Imaging developed the first ingestible videocamera, so small it fits inside a pill. Used to view the small intestine from the inside, cancer and digestive disorders.

Researchers in Israel developed a new device that directly helps the heart pump blood, an innovation with the potential to save lives among those with heart failure. The new device is synchronized with the camera helps doctors diagnose heart's mechanical operations through a sophisticated system of sensors.

Israel leads the world in the number of scientists and technicians in the workforce, with 145 per 10,000, as opposed to 85 in the U. S., over 70 in Japan, and less than 60 in Germany. With over 25% of its work force employed in technical professions. Israel places first in this category as well.

A new acne treatment developed in Israel, the Clear Light device, produces a high-intensity, ultraviolet-light-free, narrow-band blue light that causes acne bacteria to self-destruct -- all without damaging surrounding skin or tissue. An Israeli company was the first to develop and install a large-scale solar-powered and fully functional electricity generating plant, in southern California's Mojave desert.

All the above while engaged in regular wars with an implacable enemy that seeks its destruction, and an economy continuously under strain by having to spend more per capita on its own protection than any other county on earth.

Israel has the highest ratio of university degrees to the population in the world.

If we are honest Paul, where John Lennon may have inspired, you followed. When John Lennon gave back the MBE you were forced to do likewise. When he was dead and buried you were happy to accept a gong, a Knighthood, from Her Majesty. When John wrote in support of the struggle for Irish freedom, with songs such as Bloody Sunday and Luck of the Irish, you penned Give Ireland Back to the Irish.

It was always understood by most artists and entertainers that to play in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Syria was to endorse Islamic Apartheid regimes. Just like those who believe in peace and democracy today, many have asked that foreign musicians boycott those Islamic countries and not play there. After all, if one dares to express an opinion such as The Satanic Verses of Salman Rushdie the penalty is not mere censorship, but rather death. The same arguments applies today in relation to Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iran. Or have you not heard of the Arab only roads in Saudi Arabia?

It is therefore explicable that you should now decide to play in Israel, which unlike Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Hamas controlled Gaza and Hezbollah and Syria occupied Lebanon apartheid states. As someone who is Jewish, I have the right any time I want to 'return' to Israel, just as Palestinians who were born and brought up there are welcome. As all Christians, Muslims and Jews are free to pray in Jerusalem, in a democratic state.

Are you aware that discrimination against Israelis is not only systematic but the official policy of the Arab League in its attempt to preserve an Arab majority in the Middle-East. That every aspect of radical Islamic public life - education, housing, social services - is divided into Arab and infidel. Even today, more than half of the Jews who weren't expelled by the Arabs in 1948 now live in secure and recognized villages which are liable to immediate Islamic terror attacks as part of the program of 'Islamism' in the Negev and Galilee?

As you yourself admit on your Web-site, the original idea behind you playing came, not from the Palestinians or even Israelis opposed to Islamic terror attacks, but the Israel Ambassador in London, Ron Prossor, the official representative of a Government whose military defends both the Jewish and Arab Israeli citizens of Israel. A Jewish army which provides tons of food, water, fuel and medicine daily to the residents of Gaza, many who after eating this food still attack the children of Israel with Katusha and Qassam rockets even though Israel unilaterally left Gaza in a peace move.

But then again Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah and Iran have sworn to "wipe Israel off the map".
They are not interested in peace but rather Islamic global conquest. Just ask the survivors of the London, Madrid, Turkish, Moscow, Paris and 9/11 Islamic terror attacks.

The only conclusion that can be drawn from your decision to play in Israel, especially given that your tour was canceled only a few weeks ago, is that the most important question in your mind was not the money you would receive for playing but rather coming in a true and honest humanitarian peace effort. Your wealth needs not a few million more dollars. Rather you transcend that of a musical genius to an icon of freedom, democracy and artistic free speech. A true hero who defies death threats by Islamic terrorists as you seek to bridge differences through music as you set off for the Middle East.

As recent publicity made clear, you have far more money at your disposal than any human being could spend in one lifetime. Do you really need the money that this concert will provide you? No. It has occurred to you that not only could you have afforded to make this large sacrifice, as have many other artists have done who are far poorer than you, but that you have made a positive contribution towards bringing about a peaceful solution?

Perhaps the best comment that could be made about your decision to play in Israel is the title of a song which was addressed to you on John Lennon's Imagine.

**Give Peace a Chance**

As for Tony Greenstein, I believe that the only correct British term to describe you best would be a wanker.
You represent by far the lowest mental species that crawls the Earth as you spew out hate and incitement. Hate and propaganda which serves to divide Jewish children from Muslim children. Incitement which leads to terrorism and the loss of both Palestinian and Jewish lives.

Tony Greenstein is part of the problem, Sir Paul McCartney is part of the solution.
And every Jewish, Muslim and Christian artist who believes in the basic values and principles of democracy, free speech, artistic freedoms and liberty applaud Sir Paul in his brave, creative and peaceful "Friendship First" visit to the Holy Land.

Sir Paul McCartney said he will bring a message of peace during his historic visit to Israel. Sir Paul told Sunday's Jerusalem Post that any high-profile event brings some worries. But he said, "most people understand that I'm quite apolitical and that my message is a global one and that it is a peaceful one".

Lebanese cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed last week urged Sir Paul to cancel the visit out "of respect of the feelings of Muslims in Palestine".

"If he values his life, Mr. McCartney must not come to Israel," Bakri was quoted as saying. "He will not be safe there. The sacrifice operatives will be waiting for him."

Tony, is Bakri a friend of yours?

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