September 24, 2004.
Egypt has issued an order barring pop star Madonna from entering the country because she visited Israel.
Members of Egypt’s parliament have demanded Madonna, who has not requested entry into Egypt or announced any plans to visit the country, be barred from entering Egyptian soil. The parliament directed Egyptian embassies abroad to deny any visa requests from Madonna.
The demand comes after Madonna, aka Esther, visited the Jewish state last week making daily headline news with midnight trips to a Jewish cemetery, a quick drive by past the Wailing Wall, and even the arrest of her security detail.
The Material Girl praised Israel during her trip and urged people to visit the country.
Madonna said she was hesitant at first to tour the Holy Land, but upon her arrival, she said she realized “that it is no more dangerous to be here than it is to be in New York, and I would like to emphasize the fact that I feel very safe and very welcome …
I’d like to say how happy I am to be back in Israel. I promise not to stay away for another ten years.”
The singer was last in Israel for a 1993 concert.
Mort Klein, President of the Zionist Organization of America, was not surprised by Egypt’s decision, and called on the U.S. to speak out against Egypt’s anti-Israel actions. “America has plenty of leverage with Egypt,” Klein told WorldNetDaily.
Egypt has received more than $50 billion in U.S. aid since singing a peace agreement with Israel in 1978, but the country routinely vilifies Israel in its media, has not stopped terrorists from building weapons smuggling tunnels into Palestinian territory, and has suspended formal relations with Israel.
