Madonna: Let's end the hatred

Madonna called for world peace yesterday at a conference on Jewish mysticism in Israel.

The Kabbalah devotee and her husband, film-maker Guy Ritchie, attended the event in Tel Aviv as part of a five-day visit to the Holy Land with 2,000 students of Kabbalah.

She admitted to the 1,000-strong gathering she was hesitant to come to Israel 'after seeing so many news reports about terror attacks' and reading official travel warnings.

'I realise now that it is no more dangerous to be here than it is to be in New York,' she said.

Madonna said the people she met during her visit 'have one thing in common - we want to create peace in the world'.

She added: 'We want to put an end to hatred with no reason.'

Earlier, Madonna made a pilgrimage to the grave of a Jewish sage and saw the sacred Western Wall. Israel hopes the star - the biggest pop celebrity to visit in years - will revive tourism battered by four years of Middle East violence.

But some have opposed her visit and involvement in Kabbalah, a type of Jewish mysticism that has a growing celebrity following. Critics say the raunchy, materialistic values the singer has promoted in the past are contrary to religious values.

Madonna, who has adopted the Hebrew name Esther and wears a Kabbalah red string on her wrist, insists she is serious about her belief.