Pro-Israel group mobilises Christians ahead of European elections

The European Coalition for Israel has launched a campaign to mobilise Christians ahead of the European Parliament elections which are to be held this week.

The campaign aims at mobilising constituencies in all 27 member states to take an 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," said campaign director Tomas Sandell. ”If we neglect our Judeo-Christian heritage we deny the very root which has carried our civilisation 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.

Mr Sandell said it was "alarming" that Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinehad had been invited to the recent UN conference against racism. During his address, Mr Ahmadinehad prompted a walk-out by the representatives of 23 EU member states when he called Israel "the racist perpetrators of genocide".

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

The campaign will build on the www.prayandvote2009.eu website, which informs voters in the 27 member states about where the various political parties stand on issues relating to Judeo-Christian values and EU-Israeli relations.

ECI said it was concerned EU attitudes towards Israel may again turn hostile after many years of good cooperation. The group said the electorate needed to send a strong message of support for candidates and parties in the European elections that support Israel and want to build Europe on common Judeo-Christian values.