Protest at Rachel's Tomb ahead of Madonna's arrival

(15 Sep 2004)

1. Wide exterior of Rachel's Tomb
2. Israeli army jeep passing by
3. Sign reading 'Rachel's Tomb'
4. Various of protestors with flag reading 'Peace' in Arabic and Hebrew
5. Israeli troops around Rachel's Tomb
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Larry Fatah, World Council Of Churches, Ecumenical Programme:
"There's not a problem with her (Madonna) spreading the word of Kabbalah. There's nothing wrong with that. The issue is, as a public personality, she should be aware of the fact that there's a lot going on here and that this is not a place that's just a holy site, it's now become a political situation and there's a wall going up right there to cut people off from their homes. This is Bethlehem and people from this side will not be able to get into their home and they can't get into Jerusalem on that side, so they're being caged in and she should be aware of that."
7. Israeli soldiers next to protestors from Mahsoum Watch (left wing Israeli group)
8. Close up of protestors singing
9. Protestors holding placards
10. Close up of placard reading 'It's the occupation, stupid! (crossed out) Madonna!'
11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Angela Godfrey, Mahsoum Watch:
"I think that if she's going into Kabbalah, as I understand it, Kabbalah is about awareness, Kabbalah is about doing your own 'tikoum olam' (internal corrections), to make your own internal corrections in order to correct the world. If she's learning awareness then I think perhaps it's useful for her, as an international figure, to be aware of what she's doing politically."
12. Close up of placard reading 'Rachel's Tomb (Madonna) is a new settlement'
13. People going into Rachel's Tomb
14. Wide of protestors

STORYLINE:

Protestors from a left wing Israeli group gathered at Rachel's Tomb near Bethlehem on Wednesday ahead of Madonna's expected visit to Israel and the West Bank.

Protestors said they wanted to make Madonna aware of the political situation on the ground ahead of her visit to Rachel's Tomb, the traditional burial place of the biblical matriarch in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.

Madonna, a student of Jewish mysticism, was due to arrive in Israel for the Jewish New Year, which begins at sundown on Wednesday.

Israelis have reacted with a mix of excitement, bewilderment and anger to the five-day visit, which will include trips to graves of rabbinical sages.

Madonna isn't Jewish, but has taken an interest in Kabbalah,or Jewish mysticism, in recent years.

She has adopted the Hebrew name Esther, wears a red thread on her wrist to ward off the evil eye, and reportedly refuses to perform on the Jewish Sabbath.

She has also incorporated Jewish symbols into some of her music videos, to the consternation of many religious leaders.

The organisation hosting her in Israel ordered news reporters to wear white clothes and not to take notes when covering Madonna's appearances during the New Year's holiday, or Rosh Hashanah.

Madonna is joining a group of some 2,000 other students of Kabbalah from 22 countries, according to the Kabbalah Centre which is sponsoring the trip.

Designer Donna Karan and Marla Maples, an ex-wife of Donald Trump, are among the other celebrities expected to take part in the visit.

Police said some one-thousand officers were being deployed for the Kabbalah delegation, but no special arrangements are being made for Madonna; she will be accompanied by private security guards.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...