J'lem annual march: 100,000 take to the streets

Last year Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianksi made his way through the city in a fancy Cadillac with corporate tycoon Arkady Gaidamak by his side. This year a horse-drawn carriage replaced the Cadillac and Gaidamak was missing but all this did not diminish the festive atmosphere of Jerusalem's 49th annual march, drawing attendance from thousands of guests from the country and abroad.

Close to 100,000 participants – many of them organized groups – made their way after Lupolianski's carriage and in other marches. Thousands more stood on the sidelines to watch the main parade which left Saker park and will end in Zion circle, where a ceremony attended by public figures and artists will be held.

This year saw a 100 percent increase in participants and the Jerusalem city council notes that almost 30,000 tourists arrived by airlift from abroad.

This year – following events in the north and south of the country – the event commended Israeli security forces and its soldiers in the north and south.

Lupolianski with his carriage, this year without Gaidamak (Photo: Haim Tzach)

Among the many participants are also 5,000 Evangelical Christians who arrived from over 80 countries to salute Israel and Jerusalem. They define themselves as Israel-loving Christians or Zionist Christians. Speaking with Ynet, Malcolm Hedding, head of the Christian embassy to Israel, explained what drives their support: "We share the same beliefs as the Jewish people. Our organization isn't involved in theories and speculations about the apocalypse. Our support of Israel is based on the promise that God made to Abraham 4,000 years ago. All Jews and Christians believe that one day the Messiah will come, and that it all so let us forget any disparities," he said, "Israelis need to know that they have friends and that the ones who came this week are Israel's finest friends."

During the war in Lebanon the members of the Christian embassy took a firm stance against Hizbullah. "We were one of the first organizations, early in the war, who came out with an international statement in which we denounced Hizbullah's actions and pointed a finger at Lebanon's government too," said Hedding.

Security officers with a friend during Tuesday's march (Photo: Haim Tzach)

Hedding tells that the embassy didn't just settle for statements but also worked opposite the international media, acting against doctored photographs and handing out free DVDs under the title "Behind the Front Lines" which showed "the destruction in Israel and the suffering of the Jewish people, the fear, destruction and death that the Katyusha rockets caused," said Hedding.

During the first week of the ceasefire the embassy raised 500,000 USD to help families in the north and revitalize the Galil. On the political level the embassy is in contact with Zionist Christian organizations in America, "and we are doing all that we can to ensure, through the democratic process, that US support of Israel stays strong," says Hedding.

The Christian Embassy has a clear opinion about the nuclear threat too: "We feel that what has happened now with North Korea will happen with Ahmadinejad too," says Hedding, "He plans to use the same type of weapon to wipe Israel off the map. But the world and the international community insist on being foolish."

Hedding emphasised that although they support Israel, the embassy does not meddle in Israeli political decisions. "We're not here to tell you where to set your borders or your checkpoints or how to solve your problems with other nations. That's your issue. We pray for you but are aware that its your issue and not ours."