Christians pray and march for peace in the Holy Land

Pictured: Rev Helen Burnett Vicar Chaldon Church, Surrey, on megaphone, Rev Mo Budd curate at St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Addington, Rev Grey Collier, St John's Waterloo outside St James.

Christians from Anglican, Catholic, Unitarian, Methodists and Quakers, among other denominations, gathered at St James Piccadilly on Saturday, for a short prayer service, before joining the latest huge peace march through London to Downing Street - appealing for an end to Israel's deadly onslaught on Gaza and Lebanon and violent occupation of the West Bank. Police estimate about 125,000 took part.

As the main march came by the church, the Christian group joined in, behind the large Jewish Bloc representing many different Jewish organisations. Many Muslim groups, trade unions, communities and charities were also represented.

The demonstration passed a small static group of rival protesters, waving Israeli flags on the march route by Coventry Street near Piccadilly. They were separated from the march by a line of police and traffic barriers. Met Police said the protest and counter-protest passed 'without incident'.

The march was so large, many groups were unable to get into Whitehall. Outside Downing Street, protesters heard speeches from campaigners, aid workers and MPs - among them actors Juliet Stevenson and Khalid Abdalla, Oxfam CEO Halima Begum, Palestinian Dr Ahmad Mukallalati and MPs Kim Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn.

Juliet Stevenson said: "I've been coming on most of these marches because what we are seeing there is a humanitarian catastrophe. Doctors who have just come back from operating in Gaza, report amputating children's limbs without anaesthetic. It's a horrendous situation. We must demand a ceasefire."

Dr Ahmed Mokhallalati, shared first-hand accounts from Gaza and urged the British government for humanitarian intervention to end the bloodshed.

Corbyn told the crowds: "I say to our government: if you knowingly supply weapons to a government led by someone wanted for war crimes, the long arm of international law will extend to you too."

Speaking after the march, Canon Giles Goddard Vicar of St John's Waterloo told ICN: "I keep coming on these marches because I have to. Some people seem to be frightened of going but I've always found the experience peaceful and encouraging. People are very warm and welcoming."

Bella Cross from Brighton said: "I march with Christians For Palestine fundamentally to be in solidarity with Palestinians living through a genocide, partly bankrolled by the UK government. As Christians, its important to mobilise as a group to acknowledge and oppose the harm Christian Zionism has perpetrated - to march alongside our siblings of other faiths and send a message to Palestinian Christians that the global church stands with them."

Jenny Rossiter, a Catholic parishioner at Our Lady Help of Christians, Kentish Town, who works as a London guide told ICN: " When I'm on a march, I'm very conscious of the fact that Gaza is so small - just one third of the size of Greater London - yet already more people have been killed in Gaza than in London in the entire Blitz."

Rev Helen Burnett said: "To stand and pray and march and yell in solidarity with the people of Gaza on the Eve of Advent Sunday when we comitt as Christians to 'staying awake' was profoundly moving. The gathering yet again was a reminder of the enormous pain and resilience of the Palestinian people facing a second 'Christ Under the Rubble' Christmas. We used liturgy from the 'Save Al Makhour' and prayed through the names of Pal Action protesters currently in prison in the UK."

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