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Joey
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" Sir Paul McCartney has landed in Israel ahead of his first concert in the country on Thursday.
He told fans at Ben-Gurion airport that he wanted to bring "a message of peace and love" to the Middle East, according to Israeli Public radio.
The 66-year old toured the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem where he took pictures and lit two candles for peace.
Protesters had asked Sir Paul to cancel the one-off gig over Israel's occupation of the West Bank.
"A lot of Palestinians who adored The Beatles are let down," said Lisa Taraki, a professor at Bir Zeit University in the West Bank and an activist on the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel.
"Despite appeals, he has not made a single gesture to the Palestinians," she added.
Ms Taraki's group believes that Israel should be subject to a boycott similar to those imposed on South Africa during the apartheid era.
We've been rehearsing some songs we've not done for a while
Sir Paul McCartney
But outside the church, Sir Paul responded to the criticism by saying that his trip to Bethlehem showed he was showing favouritism.
"I'm here to highlight the situation and to say that what we need is peace in this region, a two-state solution," he said.
Beatles ban
Enthusiastic fans turned out to greet Sir Paul outside his hotel in Tel Aviv on Wednesday - and the star stopped to sign autographs and flash peace signs at the crowd.
Inside, he met the press, throwing a variety of rock star poses and joking with reporters: "It is me."
Israel's radio stations have flooded the airwaves with classic Beatles tracks ahead of Thursday's show, which is dubbed Friendship First.
The Fab Four had been due to play in Israel at the height of their fame in 1965, but the country's government pulled the show over fears it could corrupt the nation's youth.
Speaking before his arrival in Tel Aviv, Sir Paul said the band were "very amused" by the incident - but had felt sorry on behalf of their Jewish manager, Brian Epstein.
Up to 50,000 people are expected for the concert
"His family in Liverpool, I'm sure they were mortified, but we didn't really mind," he said.
In January, Israel apologised for the cancellation of the 1965 concert in letters to the two surviving members of the Beatles - Sir Paul and Ringo Starr - and the families of deceased members John Lennon and George Harrison.
Thursday's show is expected to draw up to 50,000 fans, even though the most expensive tickets cost almost £800.
Sir Paul has promised a few surprises, saying: "We've been rehearsing some songs we've not done for a while but that's all I'll tell you.
"We always try and custom-make the show to the people we are playing to.
"What I normally do is meet with a translator before the show and try and get some local phrases, local dedications, hopefully… I've got to learn them yet though!"
Security around Sir Paul is likely to be tight. On Monday night a Palestinian man rammed his car into a crowd of Israeli soldiers in Jerusalem, injuring 19.
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McCartney's life in danger if he plays Israel (Read 3,717 times)
