Musician becomes first Israeli to be given a Palestinian passport

MIDDLE EAST:Conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim has accepted Palestinian citizenship, becoming the first Israeli to be given a passport by the Palestinian Authority. "I have . . . accepted it because I believe the destinies of . . . the Israeli and the Palestinian people are inextricably linked," he said.

"We are blessed - or cursed - to live with each other. And I prefer the first. The fact that an Israeli citizen can be awarded a Palestinian passport can be a sign that it is actually possible."

Former Palestinian information minister Mustafa Barghouti said approval for the passport had been given by the Hamas-led unity government before it was dismissed last June.

The Argentinian-born musician emigrated as a child to Israel where he trained as a concert pianist. Although residing in London during the 1967 war, he and his first wife, cellist Jacqueline du Pré, travelled to Israel to entertain the troops. But by early 1968 he was expressing opposition to the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.

Commenting on US president George Bush's reference to "the occupation" during his visit to the Holy Land, Barenboim said, "Now even not very intelligent people are saying that the occupation has to be stopped."

He formed a close friendship with the late Palestinian cultural critic, historian and pianist Edward Said. They established the Diwan orchestra with the aim of bringing together talented young Arab and Israeli musicians. Last December, Barenboim and a group of mainly European and US musicians were refused entry to Gaza by the Israeli military because one member was Palestinian. "A baroque music concert in a Roman Catholic church in Gaza . . . has nothing to do with security and would bring so much joy to people who live there in great difficulty," he said.

Barenboim has also upset some Israelis by pioneering performances in Israel of music by Richard Wagner, a great favourite of Adolf Hitler.