Faith Leaders to March to Gaza: Diverse Religions Join Call to End the Siege

On December 31st, the Gaza Freedom March will bring together more than 1,400 people from across the globe to march alongside Palestinian peoples living in Gaza. This nonviolent demonstration to break the siege of Gaza represents the largest gathering of international solidarity activists in the Middle East in history. The Interfaith Gaza Satyagraha is an affinity group of the march: more than 40 participants from a dozen U.S. states plus Canada and Australia have already signed up to give religious witness to the need to open the borders and break the siege.

"Our common ground is a deep concern about the disastrous impact of the blockade of goods and services upon the people of Gaza," said Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, co-founder of the Shomer Shalom Network for Jewish Nonviolence. For more than two decades, Gottlieb has led interfaith delegations to Israel and Palestine, and has traveled both to Gaza and nearby southern Israeli villages. She added, "As an American Jew, I am particularly concerned about the huge number of deadly U.S. weapons, including white phosphorus and DIME bombs, which were used in Israel's assault on Gaza a year ago."

In addition to Gottlieb, other North American marchers include: Mark Johnson, executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation; Maher Musleh of the Muslim Public Affairs Council of Wichita, Kansas; Roman Catholic peace leaders, including Jesuit priest Fr. John Dear and Franciscan priest Fr. Louie Vitale; Rev. Odinga Maddox, pastor of Mount Hope AME Zion Church in White Plains, NY; Jewish/Wiccan best-selling author Starhawk; numerous Quakers, including David Hartsough, executive director of Peaceworkers; and several members of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship.

"As a multi-faith witness, we share a common belief that collective punishment, blockade, and military attack not only does not provide peace and security for anyone in the region, these actions are illegal according to international, humanitarian, and religious law," said Mark Johnson. He noted that members of the Interfaith Gaza Satyagraha are committed to reconciliation initiatives as well as advocacy in Congress, direct nonviolent action, and other forms of protest against the siege. Johnson said, "In this season of renewal, may hope be renewed for open borders, an end to occupation, and a new era of justice and peace."

More information about the Gaza Freedom March is available online at www.gazafreedommarch.org.

The Fellowship of Reconciliation, founded in 1915, is the oldest interfaith peace and justice organization in North America. More information about FOR is available online at www.forusa.org.

Media Contacts:

• Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb, 805-259-5030 (cell, until Dec. 27)
• Mark Johnson, 845-405-6470 (cell, until Dec. 22)
• Ethan Vesely-Flad, 845-688-7331 or 510-701-5267 (cell, after Dec. 22)