Longing for peace defeats fear of terrorism
South Koreans march in Jerusalem: "Peace between Israel and Palestine is the way to world peace".
Jerusalem (AsiaNews/JP) The road to world peace needs the reconciliation between Israel and Palestine. This is why, despite risks of terrorist attacks, about 2,500 South Korean Protestants took part in the Holy City in the "Jerusalem 2004 March" from August 7 to 10.
"We Koreans understand," said Han-Woo Choi, director of the Institute of Asia Cultural Development, the religious-cultural organisation behind the march, "because this [the Israeli-Palestinian conflict] problem is a world problem. If we can bring here peace, that means we achieve global peace." "We have suffered, too, divided for over 40 years between North and South", Choi added.
The pilgrims left in late July against the wishes of their own government. Seoul had urged them not to go out of fear that they might be targeted in terrorist attacks against Christians. Still recent is the memory of Kim Sun-il, the young South Korean man decapitated in Iraq on June 22 by Muslim militants.
Pilgrims marched from Jerusalem to Bethlehem involving the local population along the way. Police and army security was tight.
Israel's Tourism Ministry helped organise the march and Tourism Minister Gideon Ezra greeted the pilgrims. He walked with them part of the way and thanked them for their solidarity.
In the week leading up to the event, many of the pilgrims stayed with Palestinian families, prayed with them for peace, and brought them medicines.
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