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Biblical understanding about Israel
Christians for Israel Italy and ECI organize historical meeting in the Senate Building in Rome
Approximately 130 Italian politicians, Church leaders and journalists met in Rome on June 30th for a symposium on the theme: Israel, Palestine and the "Arab Spring" - Geo-political aspects in the changing Middle East.
Experts from Italy, Canada and Israel considered the implications for Israel and Europe of the changing political order in the Middle East, including the so-called Arab Spring, and the likely recognition of a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state in September.
The symposium was organized by Christians for Israel Italy, in partnership with the European Coalition for Israel and Italian Senator Lucio Malan, and was part of an on-going information campaign concerning Israel’s legal rights, in preparation for the UN General Assembly vote in September.
The overwhelming opinion at the symposium was that the creation of a Palestinian State which is hostile to Israel would not only threaten the very existence of Israel as a Jewish State, it would constitute a further undermining of our basic Western values.
Dr. Edda Fogarollo, Chairperson of Christians for Israel Italy and initiator of the conference, opened the symposium by outlining Italy’s long and turbulent history of dealings with the Jewish people. In 135 AD Jerusalem was renamed by Roman Emperor Hadrian, who called the city Aelia Capitolina. He also sought to erase the Jewish connection with the land by renaming Judea Syria Palaestina, thus laying the foundations for the current misuse of the term "Palestinian". Over many centuries, the Holy Roman Empire and the Vatican consistently persecuted the Jewish people. In the period leading up to WWII, Italy as an ally of Germany cultivated ties with the leader of the Arab opposition to the restoration of Israel, Haj Amin Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem. Thousands of Italian Jews were transported to the gas chambers and killed during WWII., "It is time for Italy to take responsibility for her own history and take a stand on behalf of the Jewish people in their hour of need," according to Fogarollo.
Tomas Sandell, Director and founder of the European Coalition for Israel, explained that the Rome symposium was part of a broader campaign to defend Israel’s legal rights in the face of increasing delegitimization. Conferences and meetings have so far been held in several European capital cities, and a meeting is being planned in New York in September 2011. "Those who seek to delegitimize Israel are growing in numbers and influence. It is of vital importance that Christians across Europe unite to to raise a credible voice on behalf of the Jewish people in the halls of political power," said Sandell.
In his keynote speech, international lawyer Dr. Jacques Gauthier presented the conflicting legal claims to Jerusalem which, according to his research – spanning some 25 years – belongs to the Jewish people. In his speech he pointed out the critical role played by the Government of Italy after the First World War in paving the way for the rebirth of the Jewish nation, and ultimately the establishment of the State of Israel. Italy was one of the members of the Supreme Council of the Allied Powers which hosted the historical San Remo Conference in April 1920, resulting in the grant of legal title to the land of Israel to the Jewish people under international law. Italy is today one of only a few EU member states that have clearly stated that they will oppose a unilateral declaration at the UN in September.
Italian Senator and academic Luigi Campagna emphasised the importance for Italians of embracing their own Judeo-Christian values. "Italians must embrace the Zionist ideal, and support the re-establishment of the Jewish nation. The history, identity and future of Israel and Italy are deeply interwined", he said.
Dr. Mordechai Kedar, Research Associate at the Center for the Study of the Middle East and Islam, at Bar-Ilan University, Israel, spoke about the place of Jerusalem and the Jewish people in the Koran. According to Dr. Kedar, the conflict is essentially not about land, but a conflict between Judeao-Christian values and Islamism. The power of Islamism comes from a deep-seated religio-cultural system that few in the West or in Israel are able to fathom. Not least of the reasons for this is that few in the West understand Arabic language or history. "Islam is the ultimate replacement theology, as it denies the validity of Christians and Jews. Amongst other things, this means that it is simply impossible for Islamic fundamentalists to accept the existence of a Jewish State in the Middle East", he said.
Former president of the Italian Senate, Marcello Pera, expressed the sentiment of the symposium well when he stated that "our Western democracies will not prevail unless we re-embrace our Judeo-Christian heritage." He said that "our support for Israel should not be based on guilt, but rather on pride in our common roots and values." "Defending Israel simply means defending our values and our way of life," he concluded.
Pera was the first person to sign an open letter to the United Nations, which asks the Secretary General and the leaders of the UN member states to reject recognition of a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian State at the UN General Assembly in September and instead to promote direct negotiations between the Israeli Government and the Palestinians. Earlier in the week the open letter was also signed by the Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, MEP Gabriele Albertini, indicating that there is strong opposition to the current official EU policy, which according to most observers, is regarded as biased and pro-Palestinian.
MEP Magdi Cristiano Allam noted in his speech that "a Palestinian state was proclaimed at the UN once before in the eighties, but with very little effect. Proclamations do not change the realities on the ground," he said, and urged the EU-member states not to vote for Palestinian statehood at this time.
Executive Director of Christians for Israel International, Andrew Tucker, spoke about the mystery of Israel’s fall and restoration as described by the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 11. "Paul warned us that the Gentile believers have been engrafted into the true olive tree, of which Israel is the natural branch. We should not boast but be humble. It is surely no coincidence that Paul wrote about the importance of Israel in his letter to the Romans at the commencement of the church, shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. And here we are now meeting in Rome at a time when God is restoring Israel and preparing His church in readiness for the coming of Jesus. I believe the church in Italy has a special responsibility now to embrace the mystery of Israel and to act accordingly," he said.
Conference host Senator Lucio Malan asked those attending the conference ”to defend Israel unless we want to give up our roots, our freedom and our democracy.” He called on all the participants to sign the Open Letter to the leaders of the United Nations.
About the organizors:
Christians for Israel Italy
Christians for Israel Italy was registered as a charitable organization in Italy in May 2011. The objectives of Christians for Israel Italy are to raise awareness and understanding in Italy about the Biblical and historical foundations of Israel and the Jewish people.
www.c4israel.it
European Coalition for Israel (ECI)
The Rome symposium was part of a campaign launched by the ECI, and supported by several Christians for Israel branches, to defend Israel’s legal rights in the face of increasing delegitimization. Conferences and meetings have so far been held in The Hague, Brussels, Berlin, London and Paris. A campaign is being planned in New York in September 2011 to coincide with the UN General Assembly meetings at which a unilateral Palestinian State will be considered.
www.ec4i.org