Interfaith Freedom March in West Bank Spreads Message of Peace and Unity

Event Organizer Frank Romano says residents of the area are ready for a durable peace, even those who were not ready a year or two ago.

(WEST BANK / SALEM) - Voices of peace from multiple cultures will be heard during a special upcoming Interfaith Freedom March that will be held Monday, April 12th, 2010, in West Bank. Good friend of Salem-News.com, Dr. Frank Romano, a noted Author and Attorney, will lead the event as he does several times each year, to exhibit the idea of peace and unity that is possible in this war torn Biblical land.

The group will set out at 2:00 p.m. at the Main Square, Abu Baker Street, Jenin, West Bank. Frank Romano says the work is extremely important.

"My friends, it’s no longer possible to say, 'Ah, that’s the other side of the World, what does this place have to do with me, my family, my world….'.

"The people in the Holy Land, Muslims, Jews and Christians alike, are enshrouded by deep suffering, terrible restrictions on freedoms, limitation of circulation, restricted access, unfair confiscation of land, etc. Whenever that happens in the World, we all suffer because I truly believe, my friends, we are all connected. "When they are free (of suffering, etc.), only then can we be free!" As so many others believe, Frank says it’s time we all do something about it, in an effective, non-violent way.

"Let this march be a precursor to freedom through love and understanding by bringing all people together, as brothers and sisters and as children of the creator, showing the world that all people want peace in Israel and Palestine."

Frank Romano says everyone is welcome to participate in The Interfaith Freedom March on Monday, April 12th, 2010.

"The marchers will walk in the light of the creator, following the principles of non-violence and respect for all creatures which are common denominators among the Peoples of the Book (ahl al-kitab) who reside in the area, as it is written in their Holy Scriptures of the Qur’an, the Torah, the New Testament, and in other texts. Muslims, Jews, Christians, Sufis, Kabbalists, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, etc., and members of all faith communities are welcome."

He says the truth is that residents of the area are ready for a durable peace, even those who were not ready a year or two ago.

Romano compares it to the situation in Northern Ireland and other conflict areas. Residents of the area have become fed up with, as well as exhausted and disgusted by the violence. More and more he says, truly seek peaceful coexistence.

"As a result, many are laying down their arms, working on interfaith projects to take religion/spirituality out of the conflict and working within the political system to bring about change in a permanent, nonviolent way."

A purpose of this march he says, is also to counter-balance the filtered and false information about the suffering of the people in the area, notably Palestinians and Israelis.

"Their suffering has become invisible in the face of narratives with no basis in reality and exaggerated reporting on incidents of violence and subsequent retaliation, often dominating the news and distracting the world from focusing on the day to day suffering of the residents in the area."

He stresses how removing most of the West Bank settlements would help in diffusing the tension accelerating since 1967.

"As such, the occupation of the West Bank must end as a precursor to peaceful coexistence on the condition that adequate security measures are taken by both sides to secure the borders and preserve the peace."

Romano wants to see all active freedom/peace/human rights groups in this part of the world continue to work together, and he says the Interfaith Freedom March is dedicated to building humanitarian efforts and improving the education of people in the area in cross-cultural dialogues, mixed student programs, etc., and to improving the economic environment.

This is only the latest such event for Frank Romano, the author of "Storm Over Morocco". He knows the workings of this part of the world better than almost any other person that I know. He knows what it is like to live without freedom, and that is why this event will set up a concerted and consistent effort in furtherance of freeing the area from the terrible bondage of continued conflict.

As stated above, the group will set out at 2:00 p.m. at the Main Square, Abu Baker Street, Jenin, West Bank.

Learn more about Frank Romano and the Interfaith Freedom Marches in the Occupied Territories and Israel:

Dr. Frank Romano is the author of STORM OVER MOROCCO, autobiographical narrative about following spiritual path while living with extremist religious sect. You can purchase the book at: amazon.com Storm Over Morocco

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Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines.

Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com