Sir Paul McCartney has survived his landmark gig in Israel unscathed, much to the delight of an audience of thousands. The ex-Beatles man told reporters he was "not nervous, but excited" ahead of his two-hour performance in Tel Aviv last night, during which the 66-year-old played Hello Goodbye, Eleanor Rigby and Back in the USSR before a crowd of 40,000. His choice of Let It Be to close the show was a poignant one given the circumstances surrounding his performance. 

The Beatles were banned from performing in Israel in 1965 because the government was worried about the potentially corrupting effect "Beatlemania" might have on young fans. The current government lifted the ban earlier this year, presumably less worried now about the ability of the surviving members of the group to induce mass hysteria in the Israeli public.

Source: The Guardian