The World Council of Churches (WCC) has urged Christian pilgrims visiting the Holy Land to go beyond a mere homage to ancient sites and instead show concern for the Palestinian people living there who are suffering grave injustices.

"Justice tourism" to Jerusalem is what a group of 27 theologians, Palestinian Christian activists, tourism organizers, and advocacy representatives called for after a May 18-21 meeting in Chavannes-de-Bogis near Geneva.

"Justice tourism concentrates on political realities. Only by living what Palestinians experience all the time can a visitor recognize the injustices that are their daily bread," Rami Kassis, executive director of the Alternative Tourism Group told the WCC news service.

"With this understanding comes a desire to help end the accumulated injustices in Palestine," he added.

Israeli occupation impacts Palestinian life drastically, the group says, noting the 400 Israeli military checkpoints and the separation wall that hinder Palestinian travel for work, school, family visits, and health care.

Israeli authorities also block West Bank Palestinian Christians, whose families would normally celebrate Easter and other Christian feasts by worshipping in Jerusalem, from entering the city during those observances.

The group further expressed its concern over the monopoly that Israel exercises over Holy Land tourism and the restrictions the country imposes on Palestinian tour operators, hotels, and guides.

According to the group, pilgrims coming to the Holy Land on Israeli-organized mainstream tours often ignore the Palestinian people and their situation.

That they only hear and then reinforce the Israeli narrative can contribute to the problem, they said.

"They think they are bringing hope, but they are actually taking away hope from the whole region," said Rifat Kassis, representing Kairos Palestine.

As a solution, the group is recommending that pilgrims follow the Code of Conduct for Tourism in the Holy Land, a document drawn up by a Palestinian network that gives guidance about trip preparation, behavior, and follow-up actions.

Through following such guidelines, the group says that a trip to the Holy Land can become a "pilgrimage of transformation" that invites pilgrims to a genuine encounter with the Body of Christ by connecting with Palestinian sisters and brothers in faith.

The group's meeting comes ahead of a major WCC initiative for Middle East peace that begins on Saturday.

The World Week for Peace in Palestine-Israel, which runs from May 29 to June 4, aims to bring a "just peace" to the longstanding conflict between the two nations by ending the "illegal occupation of Palestine in accordance with U.N. resolutions" and demonstrating a "commitment for inter-religious action for peace and justice that serves all the peoples of the region," according to the WCC website.

Peaceful activities planned for the week include seminars, public discussions, public demonstrations and open forums about the urgent injustices that fill the Israel-Palestine conflict.