New York, May 23rd, 2012 – On Monday, the European Coalition for Israel concluded a week long mission to New York and the United Nations with a special briefing for selected UN ambassadors on the legal rights of the modern state of Israel and the future status of Jerusalem. Dr Jacques Gauthier, who has spoken at previous ECI events in Europe and Japan, stated that ”the rights given to the Jewish people under International law have to be honoured by the UN.” While defending the right of the Jewish people to their undivided capital Jerusalem, he also said that ”Jews have every right under international law to settle in the disputed territories, even if those territories were later to become part of a future Palestinian state.”
‘There is a clear double standard in the international community. Jewish people are constantly pushed back whilst Palestinian leaders speak openly about expelling Jews living in the areas which they seek to control’, concluded Gauthier.

On Friday, May 19th, ECI organised a separate luncheon for Jewish and Christian leaders to present a new book written by international lawyer, Dr Cynthia D. Wallace. The book launch took place at a special event in connection with the Jerusalem Banquet hosted by Robert Stearns and Eagles Wings, where former Governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee was the keynote speaker. In a private conversation between the author and Governor Huckabee, the prospective candidate for US Vice-President was promised a personal copy of the book.

At the luncheon Dr. Wallace elaborated on the foundations of the international rights of the Jewish people and the state of Israel, which is the title of her new book, written in collaboration with the European Coalition for Israel.
‘While many who support Israel present compelling emotional appeals, most fail to substantiate their arguments with hard evidence’, she explained. At the luncheon she gave a brief summary of the historical and legal facts surrounding the conflict in the Middle East. The new book has already been praised by a number of prominent Christian and Jewish leaders, including Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel, Danny Ayalon.  He writes in his foreword that ”Dr Cynthia Wallace and the European Coalition for Israel have done a great service to those interested in facts and not in myths. Through her well-researched and clearly presented document, Dr Wallace has significantly contributed to a common understanding, grounded in history and international law.”

The book presentation was followed by a speech from Swedish Member of Parliament Mikael Oscarsson about the need to continue the unfinished work of Swedish Diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg.  Wallenberg saved tens of thousands of Jews from the Nazis in Budapest in 1944, but was later jailed and died in a Russian prison. He is today an honorary citizen both of the United States and Israel, as well as one of the Righteous Among the Nations at Yad Vashem. This year marks the 100th anniversary of his birth.
‘The work of Wallenberg must continue in our days as anti-Semitism is growing and the Jewish state is facing an existential threat’, Oscarsson concluded.

The book launch and the ambassadorial briefing were the first official meetings organised by ECI in the US. ECI is now increasingly involved at the United Nations in New York in order to support Israel from any new attempt to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state. Whilst in New York, the ECI delegation met with several UN missions to convey the message that ”a unilateral declaration has to be rejected and that any peace agreement between the Israeli government and the Palestinians will have to be negotiated and based on historical facts and international law.” The ECI delegation consisted of Dr Gregory Lafitte, Judy Littler Manners and Tomas Sandell.

All inquiries about how to order the new book entitled ”Foundations of the International Legal Rights of the Jewish people and the State of Israel and the implications for the proposed new Palestinian state” can be sent to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it