security barrier, a day after thousands of Korean Christians marched for peace from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, where the Bible says Jesus was born.
Cybercast News Service (CNSNews.com) quoted Minister Gideon Ezra as saying that tourists should not only visit "historical, religious and popular sites, but also tour Israel’s" barrier, which the government says is the best protection against potential suicide bombers. (Picture source: ICEJ)
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution against the fence last month after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to torn it down and pay compensation to Palestinians harmed by it. Israel’s government has made clear it wants to keep the barrier.
"We spent a lot of money on this fence — a billion shekels [about $225 million]," Ezra told CNSNews.com. "A billion shekels is not a small amount, and it’s got a lot of meaning because…one of the reasons it’s peaceful here is the fence," which is expected to stretch more than 400 miles (640 kilometers) when completed.
KOREAN CHRISTIANS
On Monday, August 9, the minister watched how an estimated 2,300 Korean Christians from several churches in South Korea and the United States marched from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, singing "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know" and other evangelical songs in Korean. They disregarded warnings from their government not to travel to Israel because of security concerns in a show of defiance that was reportedly welcomed by Israel’s Tourism Ministry.
Minister Ezra said he was upset by the re-issuance of the United States advisory to its citizens to stay away from the Holy Land. "To tell you the truth? Yes, I was [upset], and I didn’t understand exactly the reason — what happened now," Ezra said, as he saw singing Koreans passing a checkpoint. "I understood that Gaza is not allowed to American people. I don’t understand why Israel [is]," he added.
The warning from the U.S. State Department come at the height of the summer holiday and a little over a month before the start of the Jewish High Holy Day season, when thousands of Jews and Christians from the U.S. and around the world visit Israel.
SECURITY CONCERN
Rev. Timothy Ahn, who was part of some 200 Korean Americans in the group admitted there was "concern for security." However "the government of Israel (and) the government of Palestine promised security for our people," said Ahn, who also brought 12 other people from his church of 1,000 in New Jersey on the tour and the march, CNSNews.com reported
"We feel quite safe here, to my surprise," he was quoted as saying. The Koreans were dressed in turquoise and light blue T-shirts — which organizers said was the color symbolizing peace — and carrying large banners that had slogans such as "We Bring Peace to Palestine and Israel" and "March for Jesus, March for Peace,".
They reportedly streamed across the checkpoint unhindered into Bethlehem in large groups as Israeli soldiers stood guard nearby. They were not part of the Christian Zionist movement, represented by organizations such as the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), which has become a favorite within the Israeli tourism industry.
CHRISTIAN ZIONISTS
Christian Zionists believe that the modern state of Israel represents the fulfillment of God’s promises in the Bible to return the Jewish people to the land of Israel. Other Evangelical scholars caution that current Israel may be a part of the Promised Land, and notice that Jews still have to fight for their current state, with one of the highest defense budgets in the world.
Hwang Won Joo, spokesman for the organizing committee of the Jerusalem 2004 "March for Peace" sponsored by the Institute of Asian Culture Development, said the Christians had come from various churches in South Korea to bring a message of peace to the troubled region.
"We are South Korean Christians, and our country has been divided [into] South and North Korea since 1953," said Joo. "We have [the] experience of conflict between South and North Korea, and that’s why we appreciate the value of peace so much…"This land has been going through difficult times and conflicts, and people are suffering, and we want to be here today and present the meaning of peace between two sides," he said, CNSNews.com reported.
