Paul McCartney Visits Israel With Massive Security Team

Paul McCartney Visits Israel With Massive Security Team

A £1.5million security operation has swung into action following Sir Paul McCartney's arrival in Israel ahead of his first concert in the country tonight.

An astonishing 5,000 personnel will watch over the former Beatle during his stay in and around Tel Aviv.

The security drive dwarfs the protection given to U.S. President George W Bush when he visited the nation.

It comes after extremists including radical cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed urged Sir Paul to cancel the controversial visit out 'of respect of the feelings of Muslims in Palestine'.

But the singer has not heeded calls to stop the show, the first by a Beatle in Israel since the 'decadent' Fab Four were banned there in 1965.

The 66-year-old said on his website that he hoped his concert at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park, which is being billed as part of Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations, would 'reawaken' the idea of peace.

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