Gary Fitleberg, December 23, 2003

Some 3,000 members of the Inter-religious and International Peace Council arrived in Israel over the weekend. Thousands attended a rally sponsored by the organization in Jerusalem's Independence Park to encourage understanding between the region's religious faiths and peace in the Middle East.

The group, 1,200 of whom are from the U.S., 700 from Europe, 500 from Korea, and 620 from Japan, will tour Jerusalem and the Galilee and leave Israel on Tuesday.

Tourism Minister Binyamin Elon welcomed the group's initiative and expressed the hope that they would bring many additional tourists to Israel.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2003 Gary Fitleberg