Israel woos Hollywood film stars

Reeve (right) met victims of suicide bombings

Israel is trying to attract celebrities to visit the country to help raise morale among its war-weary population.

The state's Los Angeles consulate praised Superman actor Christopher Reeve, who recently visited Israel.

Consul-General Yuval Rotem said: "Celebrities can go as an expression of solidarity with the people."

Mr Rotem said he got the idea after film director Oliver Stone spent three days with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat 16 months ago.

"The idea is that for 24, 48 hours, if you can do something to push morale, [it will be] a tremendous ... boost to the people of Israel," said Rotem.

"I do not expect them personally to support or endorse the Israeli Government policies.

"It's not a political statement to [say to] all the victims of terrorism: 'You are not alone'," he said.

Reeve's visit in July followed trips by director Quentin Tarantino, producer Lawrence Bender and singer Whitney Houston in May.

'Israel needs help'

Pulp Fiction producer Bender toured Israel, the West Bank and Egypt in June.

He met Israeli officials, then-Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Many celebrities shy from associations with the violent conflict

"I think they [the Israeli people] enjoy meeting people from Hollywood," said Bender.

"Obviously the Palestinians are suffering, but people need to understand that Israel needs help."

But public support for Israel in Hollywood remains rare as stars shy away from associations with the sensitive Middle East crisis.

But actor Josh Molina, one of the stars of political drama The West Wing, said he wants celebrities to speak their minds.

"I feel like the silence tacitly endorses the opinion that somehow Israel is the bully and the Palestinians are the underdog. It's politically incorrect to support Israel."

Screenwriter Andrea King, a consultant on TV series Sex and the City, agreed, and said supporting the Israeli people did not mean agreeing politically with every decision the government made.

Israel's diplomats in Hollywood said they would keep raising funds to pay for future celebrity trips like Reeve's.