The tightest of security operations was in force around Alexandra Palace last week as President Bill Clinton swept in for a charity dinner to celebrate the centenary of the Edgware-based Jewish National Fund (JNF).
Despite fears he might not attend in light of the events of September 11 and the worsening Arab-Israeli conflict, the former US president caused a frenzy of excitement among the 1,500 guests as he entered the main hall on Wednesday last week.
Celebrities Maureen Lipman and Esther Rantzen were seen mingling with senior members of London's Jewish community, including Chief Rabbi Dr Jonathan Sacks.
The Alexandra Palace event, said to be the UK's largest ever kosher sit-down meal, was the third charity dinner in as many days for Mr Clinton, following events in Glasgow and Manchester, netting him an estimated £100,000.
The privilege of simply attending the dinner set guests back at least £250, with a place at the head table going for more than £5,000.
The three events are helping to raise £1,250,000 to build a reservoir in Israel's Negev desert.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators had burned an effigy of Mr Clinton outside the hotel in Glasgow where he was speaking on Monday last week. Protests in London were limited to muted demonstrations outside Alexandra Palace.
During his after-dinner speech Mr Clinton thanked the British for helping the Americans "build a kind of coalition against 'terror' that gives us a chance to move away from the darkness that too often shades the light of the Middle East today and came across America on September 11".
He said: "No-one can tell you there will be no more terrorist attacks: there probably will, but the defences are getting better. Far more attacks have been prevented than have occured."
JNF President Gail Seal said Mr Clinton's visit was a "dream come true". She said: "Post-September 11, many of us doubted that Mr Clinton's commitment would be fulfilled, I personally had no doubt."
From its head offices in Edgware Way, Edgware, the JNF works to fund road building, reservoir construction and land reclamation projects in Israel.
December 17, 2001 16:46
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