The North African-born French singer Enrico Macias found himself at the center of a political storm Saturday with pro-Palestinian groups calling for a boycott of a concert he is due to give here Sunday and political and human rights groups springing to his defense.
The concert in this small northern French town where a third of the population is of immigrant origin has become a focal point for the passions that have been aroused by the latest fighting in the Middle East.
Macias, who is Jewish, was named a UN "peace messenger" in 1997 and though pro-Israeli has called for the Palestinians to be granted their own homeland.
Pro-Palestinian groups have called the boycott in protest at what they describe as the singer's pro-Israeli positions as evidenced, they say, by his taking part in a pro-Israeli demonstration in Paris on October.
Abdellatif Imad, a spokesman for the Palestinian lobby, said a "peaceful gathering" had been scheduled outside the theatre where the concert was due to take place, and that there was "no question" of preventing people from entering."
With tensions running high in the town, local authorities have laid on heavy security for Sunday's concert, originally intended to promote cross-cultural relations, and Roubaix mayor Rene Vandierendonck warned that "the smallest gathering will immediately be dispersed."
Vandierendonck has criticized the boycott call, as have several parties and community relations organizations.
The MRAP (Movement against racism and for friendship among peoples), LICRA (International league against racism and anti-semitism) and CRIF (Representative council for Jewish organizations in France) have charged that the boycott call is racially inspired.
The association France-Israel has urged a large turnout for the concert in response to the "barrage of hate" directed at "an apostle of peace."
The local Socialists have denounced the "blackmail directed at the singer's visit," while the Greens have said that Macias "has nothing to do with the Israeli right wing and bears no responsibility for the present situation in the Middle East."
The Left Radicals and the Citizens Movement have also criticized the boycott call, the latter describing it as "an attempt to bring the Middle East conflict to France."
Macias meanwhile told AFP he would go ahead with the concert "even if (he is) alone in the concert hall."
"It's true I'm Jewish and that I support Israel, but I also support the peace efforts including the demand for the Palestinians to have a country of their own," he said.
Macias is no stranger to political conflict. Long banned in Algeria, the country of his birth, he had to abandon a proposed tour there last March for reasons of security.
He had been planning a series of concerts in tribute to the Arab-Andalucian music of his father-in-law Raymond Leyris. – AFP.
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
