Australian activist to walk 727 km for Palestine

MELBOURNE

An Australian human activist is set to walk 727 kilometers (452 miles) from Melbourne to Adelaide to promote efforts for Australia to recognize Palestine.

After completing the Run for Palestinian Human Rights event in the southeastern city of Melbourne, John Salisbury began his long trek to Adelaide.

“The walk between the two cities will take about a month,” Salisbury told Anadolu Agency.

“I plan to finish it on Dec. 16 in front of the Adelaide Congress Center, where the recognition of Palestine issue will be discussed. My walk is designed to support those efforts for change.”

The main opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP) will be hosting a meeting in Adelaide that will include a discussion of recognition of the Palestinian state.

"Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's decision to move the country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is wrong,” added Salisbury.

“This is something that Israel wants, it won’t help the Palestinian cause at all. It’s completely the wrong way to go. What we need to do is to send the message to Israel that they can't have all they want.

“The Palestinians, they need a place of their own and we should support them in their efforts. Because the Palestinians have suffered so much for so long."

This is Salisbury’s third trek for the cause, as he has twice completed a 286-km (178 mi.) hike between Sydney and the capital Canberra for Australia to recognize Palestine.

Reporting by Recep Sakar by Seyit Ahmet Aytac