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| By Israel Insider staff April 28, 2008 |
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Organizers of Israel's upcoming 60th anniversary celebrations were surprised and disappointed when entertainer Barbra Streisand abruptly pulled out the jubilee event. She had accepted an invitation by Israeli President Shimon Peres to perform at a festive Jerusalem conference next month. She had been expected to sing the Hebrew prayer Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father, Our King).
Peres's office today announced Streisand cancelation but didn't provide an explanation for her sudden change of heart. The guest list still includes heads and former heads of state, such as Bush and Tony Blair, cultural celebrities and business tycoons such as Google founder Sergey Brin and Facebook head Mark Zuckerberg.
World Net Daily cited sources at the Jerusalem municipality involved in planning the event said workers suspect the singer backed out once she learned Bush was going to attend the gala event at which she was scheduled to be a headliner. "From what we understand, when she first accepted, Streisand didn't know she would sing at an event where Bush would be involved," said one municipality source.
Streisand's spokesman, Dick Guttman, told WND the performer canceled her Israel appearance due to "personal obligations" and hastened to add that it was only personal. "Ms. Streisand, a devoted supporter of Israel since her earliest youth, very regrettably was compelled to advise President Peres' office two weeks ago that personal obligations would prevent her participation in Israel's 60th anniversary celebration. She celebrates as always the nation's courage and purpose and flourishing democracy and is saddened that she cannot be there to do so in person," Guttman said.
Pressed about whether Bush's attendance played a role in Streisand's cancellation, Guttman replied, "We assure you that that is not the case." Streisand has fiercely opposed Bush and of America's war in Iraq, once comparing the Bush administration to "witches." |
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