Girard Mariano Lopezby Girard Mariano Lopez
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Photo Credit: Deo Montesclaros
ON SUNDAY, MAY 4TH, a Taiwanese Christian group led dozens of participants from different religions and faiths on a 41 km pilgrimage from Zhongli Train Station in Taoyuan City to Taipei City’s Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in solidarity with Palestine.
Photo credit: Deo Montesclaros
The route matches the length of the Mediterranean Coast of the Gaza strip, mirroring the journey of Palestinians evacuating from Israel’s attacks on the enclave. The march, organized by the Taiwan Olive Peace Collective, began at 7:30 am at Zhongli Station and ended at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall at 8:30 pm in the evening.
Throughout the journey, the group stopped at certain “checkpoints” which reflect the Israeli military checkpoints that Palestinians cross when they travel to their jobs on the other side of the Green Line, which demarcates the border between Israel and Palestinian territories.
Photo credit: Deo Montesclaros
The pilgrimage is part of the global Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage movement. It began in Australia last year when New Zealander James Harris raised 5,000 AUD for Palestinian relief. Since then, it has spread to Christian communities in 100 cities across 20 countries.
The Taiwan Olive Peace Collective made demands for a ceasefire, immediate flow of aid to Gaza, the release of all hostages, both from those held by Hamas and Israel, as well as an end to Israeli occupation. They said the march aims to raise awareness about the Palestinian struggle, raise funds for humanitarian relief, and confront the complicity of global Christian churches in the Gaza genocide.
Photo credit: Deo Montesclaros
“Jesus was never on the side of the empire,” pilgrimage organizer Pin-Tsun said. “And I don’t believe that Christians should stay neutral. This genocide, it is being funded by Christians, especially evangelical Christians in the West who believe in Christian Zionism. And I believe this ideology is also deeply anti-Semitic and genocidal towards Jewish people as well.”
Some participants expressed dismay on the lack of clear condemnation from the Taiwanese government on Israeli offensives in the Gaza strip and the lack of any embargo of military equipment from Taiwan to Israel.
“I feel that during this period of time, there has been no condemnation of Israel, nor has there been a review of relevant issues regarding the issuing of military spare parts to them,” participant Rong-Yu said.
Others said that Taiwan should disassociate from Israel entirely, especially as Taiwan aims to position itself as a champion of human rights.
Photo credit: Deo Montesclaros
“Taiwan could do much better than Israel,” participant Hanh Nguyen added. “I know that in Taiwan, people think that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. But it’s not, it’s an apartheid state against Arab people inside Israel, and against Palestinian people in Palestine.”
Israel broke its ceasefire with Hamas last March in a bombardment that killed 400 people. Critics say that the Netanyahu administration launched the attacks to distract from legal and political crises that he faces at home, and back out of the second phase of the ceasefire.
The ceasefire’s second phase would have included the release of all remaining hostages while Israeli troops fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip, leading to a permanent end to the war. Instead, Israel imposed a halt to aid flow into Gaza, which has led to international condemnation from governments and rights groups. Aid groups are warning of mass starvation as the blockade reaches its third month.