European Coalition for Israel

Brussels 20 May 2009 – European Coalition for Israel is today launching a massive campaign to mobilize, inspire and inform Christians about the upcoming European Parliament elections, which are to be held on 4-7 June. The campaign aims at mobilizing constituencies in all 27 member states to take active part in the election campaign by educating themselves about the issues and by engaging in dialogue with the candidates.

The primary concerns of ECI and its supporters are the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe and the current nuclear threat to Israel as well as the erosion of Judeo-Christian values in Europe as a whole.

“- We believe there is a link between a weaker church in Europe and less of an interest in our Jewish roots”, says campaign director Tomas Sandell. ”If we neglect our Judeo-Christian heritage we deny the very root which has carried our civilization for over two thousand years.”

ECI believes that a commitment to Judeo-Christian values and spiritual renewal in Europe should go hand in hand with a deep concern about the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe and the current nuclear threat to Israel.

“- It is alarming that a leader which promises the destruction of the Jewish state can be invited to address a UN Conference against Racism here in Europe,” he said. “Christians in the 30´s probably had more of an excuse not to know what Hitler was up to at the time than the world community today which is perfectly aware of the plans and intentions of the Iranian leader Ahmadinejad.”

In the election campaign ECI is encouraging their supporters to raise issues, such as the nuclear threat to Israel, with their candidates.

The campaign will build on a website www.prayandvote2009.eu which informs the voters in the 27 member states about where the various political parties stand on issues relating to Judeo-Christian values and EU-Israeli relations. Each party office has been presented with five questions and their replies of those who have answered can be found on the website. The website will also give the candidates an opportunity to post short video clips where they present themselves. It will be updated with new material daily until the election dates as the results from the different parties are coming in on a continuous basis.

As the turnout in the European elections is expected to hit record lows again this year every vote will be of crucial importance.

“- If we don’t vote someone else will vote in our place,” states the text on the website.

Extremist parties are again expected to gain new ground in the elections. A well known Holocaust denier from France, Jean-Marie Le Pen, is very likely to become the oldest member in the new European Parliament and would according to EP rules have the right to preside over the inaugural session of the new European Parliament in July. This, however, has been blocked by the other members but reveals nevertheless, how serious the situation is in Europe today.

The popularity of political personalities like Jean-Marie Le Pen further underscores the main message of the campaign, which is to say that we as Christians have a duty to pray and vote. This means that we also need to engage in the political process in order to shape the future of Europe.

There is currently a growing concern that EU attitudes towards Israel may again turn hostile after many years of good cooperation. Recent remarks in Brussels about the new Israeli government have been anything but warm.

Now it is important that the electorate send a strong message in the EU-elections in support for candidates and parties which support Israel and want to build Europe on our common Judeo-Christian values.

Elections to the European Parliament will be held in the 27 member states of the European Union between 4 and 7 June. 736 members of the European Parliament will be elected by proportional representation to represent some 500,000,000 Europeans, making these the biggest transnational elections in European history.

Photo: Lukas Riebling