By: Howie Edelson
Paul McCartney’s upcoming Israeli concert is drawing protests from the Palestinian group the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI).

The Jerusalem Post reported that PACBI issued a press release calling for McCartney to cancel the show, stating in part, “Performing in Israel at this time is morally equivalent to performing in South Africa at the height of the apartheid era… We strongly urge you to uphold the values of freedom, equality and just peace for all by joining this growing boycott against Israeli apartheid. Nothing less would do justice to the legendary legacy of the Beatles.”

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign is also protesting McCartney’s September 25th concert in Tel Aviv.

In response, the U.K. Israeli advocacy group StandWithUs also sent a letter to McCartney and his management, calling the Palestinian group’s accusations “blatant lies.” A spokeswoman for StandWithUs said, “The more they call for boycotts, the more people want to come out to prove how fruitless they are and to demonstrate that it is by contact and dialogue, and indeed by staging concerts such as yours, that things may hopefully improve.”

McCartney has not issued any response to the protests. His advance team will arrive in Israel later this week to begin preparations for the concert, which has already sold 25,000 tickets.

In other McCartney news:

Paul McCartney will jam briefly with Metallica and French first lady Carla Bruni Sarkozy on September 16th during their appearance on BBC’s music program Later… With Jools Holland. Its part of the show’s custom to have each episode’s musical guests and former Squeeze keyboardist Holland all perform together. McCartney’s performance will be the live debut of his alternative music alter-ego, the Fireman.

McCartney has finally introduced girlfriend Nancy Shevell to all of his children from his marriage to the late Linda McCartney, according to nowmagazine.co.uk. Prior to the meeting with McCartney’s adult children Heather, Mary, and James, Shevell had only met McCartney’s designer daughter Stella McCartney. A source told the UK tabloid, The News Of The Word that the meeting between Shevell and the former Beatle’s children went well, saying, “It was very relaxed and everyone had a great time. After (his former-wife Heather Mills), Paul doesn’t want to bring anyone to meet the family unless he’s certain.”

McCartney defended the vegan diet his and Heather Mills’s four-year-old daughter Beatrice eats to Britain’s Sainsbury’s Magazine, saying that he considered it “careful parenting” adding, “My youngest daughter is vegan, so I’m often looking for vegan food and I need to know if there’s any dairy products. I prefer to think of it as caring; it’s a good thing, you do it for the right reasons.”

MCCARTNEY WRITES SONG FOR SHEVELL

(www.wenn.com)
Paul McCartney
2008-09-02 13:30:10 -
SIR PAUL McCARTNEY has reportedly written a song about his girlfriend NANCY SHEVELL.
The former Beatle has been dating the American heiress since last year (07) and is now said to have expressed his feelings for the 48-year-old in a new track.
A source tells British newspaper the Daily Express, “Paul has written a song about his relationship with Nancy, which is expected to be on his new album next year. The title isn’t known yet but it’s obviously going to be pretty romantic. Paul has long been inspired by the women in his life and Nancy is no different.” McCartney’s late wife Linda was said to be the inspiration for his 1970 hit Maybe I’m Amazed, while Heather Mills - who he divorced earlier this year (08 - was reportedly the subject of Your Loving Flame in 2001.