Ahead of their Tel Aviv gig, the members of the American rock band land in Israel & travel straight to Jerusalem’s Holy Jewish site.

By Or Barnea

They’re finally here: More than 10 years after their called off a planned concert in Israelat the last minute, the members of American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers landed at Ben-Gurion Airport in a private jet Sunday afternoon.

Anthony Kiedis at Western Wall – Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg

Flea at the Wall

From the airport they traveled straight to Jerusalem, bumping into fans at the Western Wall. After touring the Wall, the band members left for Tel Aviv hotel.

Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith and Josh Klinghoffer arrived in Israel from Turkey, and are scheduled to perform to tens of thousands of fans at the Yarkon Park on Monday evening.

Red Hot Chili Peppers on Jerusalem balcony – Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg

This will be the band’s first gig in Israel. Last week, the Peppers performed in Lebanon and irked pro-Palestinian organizations due to their scheduled Israel concert. The different groups pressured the band’s Lebanese opening acts, urging them to call off their performance as a show of solidarity with the Palestinians and against “the occupation”.

Chad Smith in Jerusalem. ‘Uplifting people through our music’

One of the local bands did cancel, but the concert was held as planned. Band member Chad Smith commented on the incident on his Facebook page: “In any city of any country we play, our sole purpose is to uplift people thru our music. Nothing more. Nothing less…that’s it.”

Israel is the Peppers’ last stop in their current European tour, and it’s still unclear what the band members plan to do with their free time here.

From the Holy Land, the band members will travel home to Los Angeles and embark on their US tour in about two weeks.

View original Ynet publication at: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4279166,00.html