Israeli metal band wows fans in Turkey, despite spat (Reuters)

BAT YAM, Israel/ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Israeli heavy metal is rocking Turkey despite deep discord between the Jewish state and its Muslim former ally as hundreds of fans turned out to hear a group called Orphaned Land play a concert in Istanbul.

The group played to Turkish fans and others who came from countries across the Arab world on Saturday. Because the Israeli musicians can't enter many Arab states, they perform several times a year in Turkey, a hub for their fans.

Ankara has downgraded diplomatic relations with Israel and suspended defense trade following the Jewish state's confirmation last week that it would not apologize for its deadly 2010 assault on a boat challenging its Gaza blockade in which nine Turks were killed.

Band leader Koby Farhi, interviewed in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, on Wednesday, said music had the power to transcend political differences and his group was able to connect with people who would usually take an automatic anti-Israel stance.

"I think that music has the power to enter your heart like a bullet ... Usually we judge, usually we stereotype ... I am Israeli, they were raised the whole time not to connect with me. I am the enemy, I'm the bad guy and music has the power to break it," he told Reuters.

The group initiated a brand of music it called "Jewish-Muslim metal" that is derived from heavy metal. Many of the band's songs include prayer lyrics from Jewish liturgy, the Koran and other religious texts.

Farhi said there are hundreds of groups who play a similar genre operating out of sight of the authorities, mainly in more moderate Arab countries. Later this year Orphaned Land plan to tour Europe with metal bands from Algeria and Tunisia, he said.

The group is also considering holding a concert in Egypt after a Facebook poll showed 83 percent of their fans said they should.

In Istanbul on Saturday, Orphaned Land's fans were not disappointed. Some came all the way from Iran and Lebanon, waving their national flags.

"Music doesn't recognize closed doors. Once again, this has proven to be true. I believe all people here are supporting them and their performance is really good," one Turkish fan told Reuters.

"It takes courage to do what they are doing, coming here and performing for us. We will always be here with them and sing with them," another said.

(Writing by Ori Lewis and Naama Shilony; Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton)

Yahoo! News

Israeli band Orphaned Land rocks Turkey, despite discord (Reuters)

BAT YAM, Israel/ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Israeli heavy metal is rocking Turkey despite deep discord between the Jewish state and its Muslim former ally as hundreds of fans turned out to hear a group called Orphaned Land play a concert in Istanbul.

The group played to Turkish fans and others who came from countries across the Arab world on Saturday. Because the Israeli musicians can't enter many Arab states, they perform several times a year in Turkey, a hub for their fans.

Ankara has downgraded diplomatic relations with Israel and suspended defense trade after the Jewish state's confirmation last week that it would not apologize for its deadly 2010 assault on a boat challenging its Gaza blockade in which nine Turks were killed.

Band leader Koby Farhi, interviewed in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, on Wednesday, said music had the power to transcend political differences and his group was able to connect with people who would usually take an automatic anti-Israel stance.

"I think that music has the power to enter your heart like a bullet ... Usually we judge, usually we stereotype ... I am Israeli, they were raised the whole time not to connect with me. I am the enemy, I'm the bad guy and music has the power to break (the cycle of hatred)," he told Reuters.

The group initiated a brand of music it called "Jewish-Muslim metal" that is derived from heavy metal. Many of the band's songs include prayer lyrics from Jewish liturgy, the Koran and other religious texts.

Farhi said there are hundreds of groups who play a similar genre operating out of sight of the authorities, mainly in more moderate Arab countries. Later this year Orphaned Land will tour Europe with metal bands from Algeria and Tunisia, he said.

The group is also considering holding a concert in Egypt after a Facebook poll showed that 83 percent of their fans said they should.

In Istanbul on Saturday, Orphaned Land's fans were not disappointed. Some came all the way from Iran and Lebanon, waving their national flags.

"Music doesn't recognize closed doors. Once again, this has proven to be true. I believe all people here are supporting them and their performance is really good," one Turkish fan told Reuters.

"It takes courage to do what they are doing, coming here and performing for us. We will always be here with them and sing with them," another said.

(Writing by Ori Lewis and Naama Shilony; Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton)

Yahoo! News

Israeli supermodel's dad convicted in attack (AP)

JERUSALEM – A court has convicted the father of Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli for malicious damage over an altercation with paparazzi photographers.

The Kfar Saba Magistrates Court on Thursday convicted Rafi Refaeli, 57, for the incident that took place in 2007.

According to court documents, Rafi Refaeli received a call from his supermodel daughter complaining that she was being followed by photographers while driving to his house in Tel Aviv.

The documents say he broke one of the photographers' cameras and damaged one of their motorcycles when they reached his home.

A date has not yet been set for sentencing.

Yahoo! News

Israeli "idol" judge indicted in strongarm case (Reuters)

JERUSALEM (Reuters Life!) – Israel's "A Star is Born" TV singing competition has a new reality spinoff -- a criminal case against one of its judges, accused of using strongarm tactics to ensure she got a cut of a former contestant's earnings.

The judge, Margalit Tsanani, a popular singer in her own right, was indicted on Monday along with her alleged enforcer on extortion charges which both have denied.

The case has made front-page news in Israel, where the show, loosely formatted along the lines of the unaffiliated American Idol franchise, has been a ratings winner.

According to the charge sheet, Tsanani, popularly known as "Margol," co-managed along with a musical agent the lucrative career of one of the competition's former contestants.

But the agent withheld Tsanani's cut and she went to legal arbitration, which she won. The agent still refused to pay and Tsanani turned to an enforcer -- nicknamed "Tooth Puller" -- to collect, the indictment said.

Tsanani's arrest two weeks ago stunned the Israeli entertainment world, but parts of the indictment dealing directly with the singing competition could prove even more disturbing to fans.

Prosecutors alleged the judge awarded points to one contestant -- who did not win -- in accordance with a text message she received from tne enforcer during a live broadcast of the show.

And, the indictment said, Tsanani also did her enforcer a favor by making a friendly reference, during the show, to a convict watching the program in prison.

(Writing by Jeffrey Heller, editing by Tim Pearce)

Yahoo! News