FORMER Okehampton College geography teacher Maurice Hopper will shortly be spending three months in Israel-Palestine with church peace groups.
As part of a World Council of Churches team of nine people from the UK, and others from Europe, he will be working with both Israeli and Palestinian groups.
These groups aid the concerted advocacy efforts to end the occupation in the West Bank and activities may include helping farmers to get to their land where it has been cut off by the Israeli separation fence or wall. This is especially important at this time of the olive harvest.
Other tasks may also involve accompanying children to school or people to hospital ? it has often been difficult for Palestinians to move about due to check points and curfews.
The World Council of Churches initiative, known as the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel, is part of a response to a request for support by churches in Jerusalem. It is hoped it might be the foundation for developing a long-term peace in the future.
Mr Hopper, who has received a great deal of support for his visit in Devon, is planning a programme of talks to students, church and other groups when he returns.