THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED

Zahi Damuni, one of the co-founders of the pro-Hamas terrorist group Al Awda, the Palestine Right of Return Coalition, could scarcely contain his excitement in an email he sent the membership announcing that British rock stars and even model-actress celebrity Kate Moss had performed at a “charity benefit for Palestine” in the UK.


Al Awda’s motto, used in its worldwide campaign against Israel, is “From the River to the Sea” –in other words, all of Israel is to be “Palestine,”. The organization speaks of terrorism as “legitimate resistance.”


Singer Tom Jones was the special guest at the event. Given the UK climate of anti-Israel actvism and support for terrorists whose charters call for the annihilation of Jews and the destruction of Israel, not peace, such an event marks a new low in the once great Welsh singer’s career.


Other rock stars appearing included Pink Floyd guitar stars David Gilmour and Roger Waters, both of whom have been mentioned repeatedly by the International Solidarity Movement as being strong supporters of the Gaza Flotilla boats designed to enable Hamas to bring in weapons from Iran. One ISM communiqué even suggested that the guitar masters might be on the boats.


The event took place at the home of a woman of Jewish descent, Jemima Khan, the former Jemima Goldsmith, daughter of a wealthy British Jewish industrialist. Although she was raised in the Protestant faith, she reportedly converted to Islam during a brief marriage to another British celebrity, Imran Khan. Jemima Khan took to wearing
the veil and lived for a while in Lahore Pakistan with Imran Khan’s family, ultimately returning to the UK with two sons because she could not tolerate the Islamic lifestyle of a Pakistani woman. Independently wealthy, she spends most of her time today arranging charity events.


While this particular “charity event” is billed by the Hoping Foundation as being for “Palestinian children,” it should be noted that fundraisers in the UK and the US that generate money for the likes of Hamas are always billed as charitable events for “Palestinian children.” This is because such funds, once they reach the Middle East,
are fungible and nearly impossible to trace.


Don't be confused--this was not a charity event to also help the Israeli children of Sderot who have had missiles fired at their schools for years and as a result have experienced a near epidemic of juvenile onset diabetes. Why were they excluded? The message of this “charitable” event, if anything, is that the celebrities involved are only interested in helping the Palestinian movement, Otherwise, the event might have been classified as being for all “Middle East children” and sent a real message of peace.


Wealthy attendees placed auction-style “bids” for rock stars to sing their favorite ballads. The Pink Floyd duo garnered 50,000 British pounds from one wealthy donor for singing one of their classics. Other British rock stars included Nick Cave and Jamie Hince. Also in attendance was film actor James Fox. 400,000 British pounds were raised at the event, which is about $600,000 US.


The International Solidarity Movement and Al Awda’s leadership that includes Zahi Damuni have launched a deliberate campaign of trying to get rock stars to boycott Israel. At their last West Coast conference in the US, Al Awda’s leadership crowed that rock star Elvis Costello and the rock group the Pixies had canceled scheduled concerts in Israel in support of “Palestine.” On the other hand, R&B star Missy Elliott has just arrived in Israel and both British rock superstar Elton John recently played to a sold out crowd in Tel Aviv saying he would not support a boycott and rock star Madonna performed to tens of thousands in the Jewish state. Her recently divorced husband, British director Guy Ritchie, appeared at the Jemima Kahn fundraiser with his new girlfriend.


Israel should arrange its own charitable event and bring in rock stars to perform and help the Jewish children of Sderot and other endangered areas in Israel, The world has gone mad when entertainers and rock music artists use their fame to support groups who seek the destruction of the Jewish state while claiming they are concerned about children.

One can only wonder if Tom Jones-or any of his misguided celebrity friends-have seen the way these Arab children are educated towards violence and hatred of Israel and its children.

One can only wonder if Tom Jones-or any of his misguided celebrity friends- think about whether he will bear some of the responsibility when of those “children” in Hamasland that he sings for so uncritically grow up to be suicide bombers the likes of which carried out the 7/7 bombings in London.