Jenan Taylor
13 February 2024
Hundreds of Melbourne Christians will call for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza during a global walk for peace this Lent.
Ceasefire pilgrims want a permanent end to Israel-Gaza hostilities, life-saving food, water and aid to be allowed into Gaza, and the release of detainees from both sides.
It comes as the Israeli military launched air strikes against Rafah, the last remaining area of refuge for Palestinians trapped in Gaza.
The Melbourne walk will be the first of several pilgrimages in 15 countries, and will symbolise the journey from Gaza city to the Rafah refugee camp.
Organisers plan to show solidarity with Palestinian Christians in Australia and the Holy Land who are calling for an end to the suffering.
Read more: Christians condemn bombing of Gaza Anglican hospital
Pilgrimage movement founder, James Harris said it was important to support the Palestinian Christian community to raise an even-handed awareness about the conflict.
He said they struggled to be heard amid depictions that it was a Jewish-Muslim clash.
“About 15 per cent of global Palestinians are Christians who can trace their lineage back to the early church, yet many feel alone and that they are, within the dialogue of the conflict, made to be invisible. What’s happened in Gaza has been terrible, and I want to show that there’s solidarity with them. That support shows Christians are serious about a just peace,” Mr Harris said.
Melbourne Palestinian Christian Njoud Abu Duou said in a statement that she longed for the world to realise that Palestinian communities were diverse.
She said she wanted people to know they were Christians as well as Muslims, and that they wanted peace and security for all people.
A cradle Anglican now connected with the Uniting Church in New Zealand, Mr Harris said he started the movement because of his personal connections with Gaza.
Read more: Growing urgency for medicine, water, aid in Gaza as ceasefire end looms
He said had friends there who were constantly being moved from place to place, and he wanted to walk in prayer with them and others affected by the discord.
Mr Harris said Melbourne organisers were inviting people of Jewish, Muslim and other faith backgrounds, as well as non-believers to join the pilgrims.
He said the walkers would start in the early hours of Ash Wednesday in Mernda, stop at range of places of worship, and finish at St Paul’s Cathedral that evening.
The walks would continue throughout Lent in other cities around the world including Cape Town and Oslo, Mr Harris said.
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