(May 14) - Israeli followers of the Falun Gong gathered yesterday at the Knesset to celebrate the ninth anniversary of the founding of the movement in China by Li Hongzhi.

They said they joined more than 100 million people in at least 40 countries who marked World Falun Gong Day with public meditation and calls on world leaders and the press to pressure the Chinese government to end its ban on Falun Gong.

Beijing outlawed the movement Falun Gong almost two years ago, and since then more than 200 Chinese citizens wishing to practice this form of meditation have reportedly been killed in protests.

"We have requested that [Foreign Minister Shimon] Peres make an official statement of condemnation [of China] on behalf of Israel," wrote Falun Gong representative Henry Markram in a statement.

Although Falun Gong takes a political stance against China, its adherents say that the practice is all about meditation and not politics nor religion."

Local enthusiast Yona Katz says that followers seek to improve their mental health through the practice of three fundamental principles - truth, compassion and forbearance.

"I did not know before meditating that something so big existed," Katz said. "I never knew that there was a method to clean the soul."

http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2001/05/14/News/News.26103.html