ECI expresses its condolences to the families of the victims in Toulouse and its concern over remarks made by the EU High Representative, comparing the attack in Toulouse with Gaza

Brussels, March 20th, 2012 – On Tuesday, the European Coalition for Israel expressed its condolences and deepest sympathy with the families of the victims of the brutal murder in Toulouse and with the Jewish community in Toulouse and in Europe.

- It is a profound tragedy when Jewish children can no longer live in safety in Europe. Regardless of whether this is an isolated act of terror by a madman or by an ideologically motivated killer, the targets were hardly picked at random. The day that Jewish children are no longer safe in their playgrounds in Europe is the day that we have failed in our values as a European Union, ECI director Tomas Sandell said in a comment on Wednesday.

Whereas world leaders such as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the US administration have expressed their condolences to the families of the victims, in a speech to Palestinian youth on Tuesday, the EU High Representative of Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, indirectly compared the brutal murder in Toulouse with the fate of Palestinian children in Gaza.

ECI calls for an Esther fast on the day of Jewish Purim

Launches global petition to ban Holocaust denial

Helsinki,  March 6th, 2012 – Today, on the eve of the Jewish feast  of Purim, the European Coalition for Israel is calling upon its members and supporters to fast and pray for the protection of the Jewish people and the state of Israel as they once again face an existential threat from Persia. Purim is the Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from destruction in the ancient Persian Empire some 2,500 years ago, in the wake of a plot by Haman, a story recorded in the Book of Esther.

In Helsinki, Finland ECI director Tomas Sandell issued the following statement:

”- History teaches us that Jew-hatred occurs irrespective of time and place. It can be found in extreme right wing ideologies, such as National Socialism, as well as in modern left wing activism, in radical Islam as well as in radical Christian Replacement Theology. What seems to unite all these ideologies is their common hatred of the Jewish people and the opposition and denial of their historical and legal rights to their ancient homeland. Just as in the time of Esther, we need to pray and fast as we urge our leaders to stand up for the protection of the Jewish people. As Christians we have too often failed our Jewish friends during critical times. As a grassroots movement, ECI is in no position to advise our governments on what political route to take to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons; however we can pray that they will have the wisdom and courage to do the right thing. Under no circumstances can the Jewish state be left isolated to face the nuclear threat from Iran:  the international community has a duty and obligation to intervene.

New President of the European Parliament

"- First responsibility is to defend the Jewish people"

Brussels, January 27th, 2012 – A full week of meetings commemorating the Wannsee Conference in Berlin and the victims of the Holocaust came to a climax in Brussels on Tuesday night, when the newly-elected President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, gave an official speech. In his speech, one of the first as a newly-elected president, he stated that ”his first obligation as President of the European Parliament is to defend the Jewish people and the State of Israel.” The statement came in his opening address at the 8th Annual Holocaust Remembrance Day in the European Parliament, co-organized by the European Coalition for Israel.

The new president spoke from personal experience when he said that ”Germans born after the war are not guilty of what happened 70 years ago, but nevertheless responsible for remembering and passing on the remembrance to the next generation”. In a private interview with ECI on Tuesday night he explained that ”anti-Semitism is still very much an issue that needs to be monitored in Europe”. Earlier in the week he had taken measures to ban Holocaust denial in the European Parliament, a decision that was criticised by some, but applauded by others.