04322
July 16, 2004

Palestinian wall hunger strike gets support of Christian volunteers 

by Ross Dunn 
Ecumenical News International

Jerusalem — Christians from around the world this month joined a Palestinian hunger strike against Israel’s West Bank security barrier, as international efforts continued in a bid to halt the project which is mired in controversy.

      The weeklong hunger strike had ended on 9 July, the day of an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice at The Hague, which ruled against the barrier and called for the dismantling of sections built inside the West Bank.

      Christians taking part in the hunger strike hailed the decision, which led to a new debate on Friday on the issue at the United Nations general assembly which had asked for the court’s advice.

      The foreign Christians participating in the protests against the barrier came from the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programmed in Palestine and Israel, an initiative of the World Council of Churches (WCC). This had received support from Europe and North America and during June four volunteers from South Africa for the first time joined the program.

      One of those who are part of the program is Larry Fata, 38, a New York high school teacher, a volunteer for the program before becoming a paid member of the staff. “I think that a lot of Israelis believe it is for security and I believe that this fence, or wall in some places, cannot be possibly simply for security,” he said. “If it is being constructed in Palestinian areas, how can that be for security, if it is separating Palestinians from Palestinians.”

      He said faith had motivated him to take part in the program. “As a Christian you can’t watch injustice being done to Christians and Muslims and think that is acceptable.”

      Matt Robson, a freelance television cameraman from England, who is taking part in the WCC initiative said: “I’m a Quaker and a pacifist and this is unjust.” He gave the example of A-Ram, a Palestinian area on the edge of Jerusalem. “In this area it is separating Palestinians from Palestinians and it is going to deny the people of A-Ram their traditional access to the city of Jerusalem, where they have traditionally shopped, had medical care, have family and it will just divide that community,” he told Ecumenical News International.

      Robson said he understood the Israeli need for security but this did not take away from the hardship the barrier was causing to Palestinians. “I understand the fear they have that they might be the next victim of a terrorist attack,” he said. “I would have a lot less objections [if it was being built only inside Israeli territory].”

      At the same time, Robson said that in the long term the barrier was bad for both sides. “If you have a high fence between you and your neighbor, you are never going to be able to communicate or understand each other,” he said.

      Another participant is Martin Smedjeback, 31, a Lutheran from Sweden. “It [the barrier] is terrible for the Palestinians. And in the long-term it will cause more death on both sides,” he said. “There will be less security.”

      He has interrupted his job as a teacher to take part in the EAPPI. “I work in non-violence and for me non-violence is a very much a way of the faith and to see how Jesus [would have] acted [in similar circumstances],” explained Smedjeback. “During a hunger strike, it shows the pain you feel, showing your pain to the world through non-violent actions. It can also be a very powerful spiritual action.”