Will he come to Israel? Elvis Costello
Costello invited to tour Israel
Pro-Israel group offers pop singer VIP tour, says cancellation of show undermines peace
International Israel education organization StandWithUs has extended an invitation for a five-star VIP tour of Israel to Elvis Costello, to coincide with his wife Diana Krall's performance in Israel in August.
StandWithUs is also offering to work around Costello's schedule if that date is inconvenient.
The offer was made after Costello cancelled his June 30 and July 1 performances in Israel, citing "political reason" and criticizing Israel's policy vis-à-vis the Palestinians.
"Misinformation about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is rife, particularly in Costello's England where the press often misrepresents history and current facts on the ground," said Roz Rothstein, co-founder and CEO of StandWithUs. "Our mission is to correct this misinformation and educate the public so they can make informed decisions."
"We would like to do this for Costello, whose decision undermines peaceful coexistence instead of promoting it," he said. "As a celebrity, he has a special responsibility to make sure his public positions are based on accurate information and are fair."
'Voice for peace'
StandWithUs urged Costello to consult with fellow Brit Paul McCartney who rejected Palestinian and Arab pressure to cancel his 2008 tour, and with Madonna, who called Israel "the energy center of the world" before a crowd of 50,000 Israelis during her performance in 2009.StandWithUs will continue to extend the invitation so that Costello can become a voice for peace and understanding instead of a voice for continuing misinformation, divisiveness, and hate, the group said
Founded in 2001, StandWithUs is an international, non-profit Israel education organization based in Los Angeles, with offices across the US, in Israel, and in the UK.
