Peace run marred

ULTRAMARATHON runner Pat Farmer has completed his 1450 kilometre Middle East Peace Run through Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and the West Bank.

But the run was not without controversy, with a group of Israeli runners barred from joining the former Australian politician during a section of the route through the West Bank.

Ari Briggs – an oleh from Sydney – had arranged for his group of six runners to join Farmer along Derech Avot in Area C, a section containing Jewish communities, between Nablus and Ramallah.

“We were told there was no problem to participate when we were in touch with Pat’s daughter the night before,” Briggs told The AJN.

“Once we arrived and started running with Pat for one kilometre, the Palestinians who had been running with Pat disappeared as did the accompanying vehicles. Pat suddenly was called back to the accompanying van.

“Our mate told us he had been requested to ask us to stop running as the Palestinians wouldn’t run with us and the Palestinian Olympic team were concerned for their safety if they were to run with us.”

Briggs said he was disappointed that Arabs and Jews had been allowed to participate together throughout Israel, however when it came to the West Bank the Palestinians had not reciprocated.

“It’s very sad that the Palestinian Authority would sooner attempt to hide the 375,000 Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria, instead of throwing their support behind a genuine attempt to promote peace and coexistence,” he said. “Till this occurred the run had being going exceptionally well with all credit going to the organisers. It is a real pity this happened in the area where the most effort needs to occur.

“Impact-wise, Jews running in Samaria with Palestinian Arabs would have made a strong statement for peace and coexistence.”

However, Farmer said politics were not involved in the decision but rather concern for the security of the run. Both Palestinian and Israeli security felt that it would be unwise for Israelis to run in Palestinian areas, he said.

His daughter Brooke told The AJN that Palestinian concerns stemmed from an incident a few days earlier when two Palestinian youths were killed after they protested on the border to mark Naqba Day.

“The Palestinian Youth Olympic team did not feel comfortable running next to Israelis with the incident that had occurred so recently,” she said. “Since Pat was running in Palestinian Territory he felt it right to respect their wishes. The most important thing for all the runners that run with Pat is their own safety.”

GARETH NARUNSKY

Pat Farmer has completed his 1450 kilometre Middle East Peace Run, but not without controversy.