Madonna Creates Political Spat in Israel  5/16/05

Madonna has inadvertently sparked a major rift within Israel's government after the Foreign Minister's wife failed in her quest to be photographed with the pop singer.

Silvan Shalom's spouse Judy Shalom Nir Moses ordered her aides to arrange a meeting with the Material Girl - who is as famous in Israel for her music career as she is for her devotion to mystical Jewish offshoot Kabbalah - during her visit to the war torn country.

However, when Shalom missed her opportunity, she reportedly flew into a rage and fired a senior member of staff at Israel's Washington embassy for failing to fulfil her wishes.

Instead, Madonna was snapped with Ehud Olmert, Israel's Deputy Prime Minister.

In response to the media frenzy ignited by the political spat, Shalom has vehemently denied she played any part in the US Embassy aide's sacking - and claims she's been made the scapegoat.

She says, "I don't get involved. It's not me. You know, it's very easy to blame me for everything."