Christian Leaders Declare Solidarity with Israel

December 4, 2012

The Foundation promotes communication and information-sharing between parliamentarians and legislators the world over who share a belief that the State of Israel has the right to exist in peace within secure borders. Founded in 2006, the IIACF serves as the umbrella for coordinated activities of the nearly two dozen pro-Israel caucuses in governments around the globe, most of them directed by Christians whose belief in the Bible compels them to use their influence to engender support for the Land in which that Bible was written.

From different nations, continents, and cultures, and speaking many different languages, these committed legislators worked together to bring a unified voice on issues regarding Israel worldwide. The following historic declaration was drafted and presented to Israel’s Minister of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs.

Declaration of Solidarity with the People and State of Israel at This Critical Hour

A call for the unity of all peoples of goodwill to declare that those who stand together for freedom, democracy and justice must stand with Israel in its hour of greatest trial.

Whereas, members of the Jewish, Christian, and other faiths recognize the unique historic and spiritual significance of the Land of Israel and the City of Jerusalem to the Jewish People;

Whereas, Jerusalem has been the political and religious capital of the Jewish people since the days of King David, 3,000 years ago;

Whereas, men and women of conscience condemn the persecution and suffering of the Jewish People through the ages and resolve that a holocaust against the Jewish People must never be allowed to happen again;

Whereas, the Jewish State of Israel has served as a haven for Jews seeking refuge from persecution around the world and protects the rights of minorities within its borders;

Whereas, some 800,000 Jews were forced to leave the Arab world and Iran and that compensation for lost property should be part of any resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict;

Whereas, over 22,000 Israeli soldiers have sacrificed their lives since Israel’s independence in 1948;

Whereas, the Jewish State of Israel stands today as the only true pluralistic democracy in the Middle East, and though at war with Palestinian terrorists and their surrogates, Israel nevertheless has reached out to innocent Palestinian civilians with widespread offers of medical and humanitarian assistance, education, training, and jobs;

Whereas, Israel and its allies share the values of freedom, respect for human life, equal rights for men and women, equal opportunity, religious tolerance, and individual liberty;

Whereas, the moral and ethical bonds that unite Jews, Christians, and people of faith, worldwide;

Whereas, the Ten Commandments and the Hebrew Bible have served as a cornerstone of Western civilization and serve today as the moral foundation for societies around the world;

Be it affirmed that it is the sense of the signers that—

1. The People of Israel have an inalienable right to live in peace and security in their historic homeland, including Judea and Samaria where there has been a consistent Jewish presence for 3,000 years.

2. As a sovereign state recognized by the United Nations, Israel has the right to govern its immigration and naturalization policies and to encourage and receive Jewish people from around the globe who choose to return.

3. Jerusalem should remain the eternal, undivided capital of Israel and the Jewish People, and in recognition of this, all of the nations of the world should locate their embassies in Jerusalem.

4. While we all yearn for peace, we recognize that the pressure on Israel from the international community to negotiate and make concessions with those sworn to its destruction has not led to peace.

5. The Iranian regime with its developing arsenal of weapons of mass destruction and its stated goal of destroying Israel constitutes a clear and present danger to the existence of the State of Israel that must be opposed.

6. Israel’s protective military actions are lawful under international law and are consistent with Article 51 of the U.N. Charter, which reserves unto each nation the right to engage in acts of self-defense.

7. We support the Government of Israel as acting within its rights and obligations to its citizens when it stands resolutely in defense of its sovereign territory and acts preemptively, if necessary, to ensure the protection of its citizens and the survival of its national existence.

8. Social justice demands that the compensation claims of Jewish refugees from Arab lands be recognized on equal terms with those of Arab refugees from 1948.

Founder and Director of the IIACF, Rabbi Benny Elon Further, the parliamentarians committed to promoting the declaration in each of their nations and to educating their constituency regarding the importance of international support for Israel. Member of the European Parliament Hannu Takula spoke for the entire delegation when he said, “The Bible states clearly that God will bless Israel, and when we work to help Israel, we are ‘working’ for our nations as well.”

We want to encourage you to take time to thank those in attendance from your nation for drafting this strong statement of support for Israel.

USA:
Rep. Trent Franks
Rep. Elliot Engel

Canada:
MP James Lunney

EU:
MEP Hannu Takkula, Finland
MEP Magdi Cristiano Allam, Italy
MEP Bastiaan Belder, The Netherlands

Europe:
MP Wim Kortenoeven, The Netherlands
MP Kees van der Staaij, The Netherlands
MP Frank Heinrich, Germany
MP Miroslav Mikolasik, Slovakia
MP Vladimir Gjorcev, Macedonia
MP Maria del Carmen Navarro Cruz, Spain
MP Pilar Barreiro Alvarez, Spain
MP Joao Rebelo, Portugal

South Africa: MP Kenneth Meshoe

South America: Deputado Arolde de Oliveira, Brazil
Min. Ruperto Long, Uruguay

Israel:
MK David Rotem
MK Yoel Hasson
MK Robert Ilatov
MK Gila Gamliel

Photo Credit: Knesset Christian Allies Caucus