ECI - Pray for the Jewish people and for the state of Israel as they again face an existential threat from Persia

1 Tim. 2:1-4. Prayer and intercessions. Shalom and thanks Israel - you give hope to all of us ♥ ECI calls on an Easter Fast on the day of Jewish purim

"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."

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.

Europe, in particular, has a moral and historical responsibility to take the lead against a regime which not only denies the existence of the Holocaust but, paradoxically, is fully committed to repeating it.”

In this regard, ECI commends the new European Parliament President, Martin Schultz, for having officially banned Holocaust denial in the European Parliament.

Today, on the eve of Purim, ECI is also launching a global campaign to petition the United Nations to ban Holocaust denial in its own institutions.  In its place, it is urging the UN to help start educational campaigns to raise awareness of the historical validity of the Shoah and the history of anti-Semitism. The petition will be part of the three year campaign to combat new forms of anti-Semitism which was officially launched in Berlin on the 70th anniversary of the Wannsee Conference, on January 20th, 2012.

Next week an ECI delegation will travel to New York to have its first meetings to discuss the initiative for a UN ban on Holocaust denial, similar to the one which was recently put in place in the European Parliament.

-‘If the UN fails to follow suit, it is denying the very principles on which that world organisation was founded’, concludes Sandell.

Those who wish to collect signatures for the petition can contact the office of ECI at info@ec4i.org


European Coalition for Israel

http://www.ec4i.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage



Photo: Kerstin L. (the Menora)