Holy lands sown with Australian sacrifice
IN Monty Python’s classic Life of Brian, People’s Front of Judea leader Reg asks accusingly, “What have the Romans ever done for us?” It was supposedly part of Reg’s cunning plan to have Judeans rise up against the Roman oppressors, though his followers were having none of it.
Frustrated, Reg responds, “Apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the freshwater system, and public health ... what have the Romans ever done for us?”
“Brought peace!” yells an interjector.
The region has and continues to have as many aliases as a Gold Coast conman, depending on the allegiances of the user.
Peace remains elusive in the lands described on British maps as the Middle East, or Moyen-orient on French maps.
“What,” its multifaceted citizens might ask, “Has Australia ever done for us?”
Two kilometres north of The Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemene lies the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery on Mount Scopus, containing 144 Australian graves.
Others are buried in Haifa, Be’ersheva, Jericho and Bethlehem German Cemetery, as well as the neighbouring countries from what was then described as Egypt,
Palestine including Jordan, Syria, Mesopotamia (Iraq) and Gaza.
This weekend is also a multifaceted religious weekend, Pesach for Jews, Easter for those who profess Christianity, and Ramadan for Muslims.
Muslims tell us Islam means peace, a word with many forms in traditional Islamic greetings: salaam, ma’ salaam, and in the name of Australia’s Asian ally, Negara Brunei Darussalam.
The Jewish Pesach feast, also called Passover celebrates the Jewish flight from Egyptian slavery.
Jesus of Nazareth held what Christians call the Last Supper on Passover the night before his crucifixion.
Muslims are observing Ramadan, a month of daylight fasting, prayer, reflection and community.
In Australia this weekend each of those religious communities will mark their particular religious observance.
“Christian” Australia will effectively shut for four days, gorging on that supposedly Easter speciality “Hot Cross buns”, which have been in stores since New Year’s Day.
In Jerusalem it will pass like any other Friday, save for increased crowds traversing The Way of the Cross and a second good Friday next week for Orthodox rite Christians.
For Australian UN observers and personnel with the Multinational Force and Observers it will be just another workday in 110 years almost continuous military involvement in the Middle East.
Service and sacrifice for an uneasy peace are what Australians have done.