After 43 Years, Israel Finally Invites The Beatles

I came across an interesting article today regarding the Beatles. Apparently in 1965, as “Beatlemania” swept across the globe, the fledgling State of Israel did not permit them to play in their newly founded state. However, after 43 years, Israel is extending their apologies to the remaining Beatles, along with the relatives of the late John Lennon and George Harrison. The Israeli Ambassador to Britain, Ron Prosor, is trying to get the Beatles and their families to join Israel in celebration of their 60th anniversary as an independent state. He met with Julia Baird, John Lennon’s sister, yesterday to hand her a letter apologizing for the great misunderstanding that took place between their nation and the band 43 years ago.

There is no doubt that it was a great missed opportunity to prevent people like you, who shaped the minds of the generation, to come to Israel and perform before the young generation in Israel who admired you and continues to admire you. We would like to take this opportunity, to rectify a historic missed opportunity which unfortunately took place in 1965 when you were invited to Israel. Unfortunately, the State of Israel canceled your performance in the country due to lack of budget and because several politicians in the Knesset had believed at the time that your performance might corrupt the minds of the Israeli youth.

There is a lot of speculation as to why the Beatles did not go to Israel in 1965. Most sources simply blame a lack of budgeting to attract the Beatles to come. Other sources state that the Knesset just did not want the Beatles, along with their “Beatlemania” to invade their country for they feared that it would have corrupted the minds of the youth. Instead I think for an accurate answer to this, one might read “The Show That Never Was” by Yarden Uriel. Yarden, an Israeli author of two books about the Beatles, raises good points on why the Beatles never got their chance to play in Israel. He basically illustrates that the Beatles were in fact invited and they were all set to come when money became an issue between the Beatles and Israel. Yacov Ori was the promoter for this event and had everything settled with Brian Epstein, the Beatles manager.

Yacov Ori got Brian’s approval in early March, 1964. But there was one problem. Israel was short of foreign currency and had a strict supervision on every dollar that went out. So Yacov Ori couldn’t get the foreign money to pay NEMS, who wasn’t interested in the local money – the Israeli lira. But there was a possible solution. Ori made an official application to a governmental committee whos only function was to decide which foreign artist should be given those rare dollars and which shouldn’t.

This is point where the media aggrandized the whole event saying that Israel banned the Beatles from ever coming. This committee decided that it wouldn’t be prudent at the time to spend money so frivolously when national security was by far the greatest interest. Especially, when the Beatles were rumored to corrupt the youth with their long hair and pop music.

Nevertheless, here we are, 43 years later and Israel is trying to make good on an invite and appearance that never took place. I guess with all the war-like activities that Israel has to experience on a daily basis since their founding, they are finally finding time and money to apologize to the Beatles and their fans. After all, there is “The John Lennon Peace Forest” in Israel. What other country can boast that?