By Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondent
WASHINGTON - A new group in the United States, Christians United for
Israel,
will serve as an umbrella organization for Christian congregations that
support
Israel, and will lobby for Israel.
Some 400 Christian community leaders met in San Antonio, Texas, two weeks
ago to
establish the group, which Christians United officials said represents
about 30
million Americans.
The organization's main goal is to create a rapid-response network
"targeted to
reach every senator and congressman" in the United States. It is led by
evangelical leaders Dr. John C. Hagee and George Morrison; fundamentalist
Baptist minister Jerry Falwell; and Gary Bauer, president of the American
Values organization aimed at protecting marriage, family and faith.
All are renowned supporters of Israel, and considered hawkish. For
instance,
they will pressure the American government to move its embassy from Tel
Aviv to
Jerusalem.
Christians United members decided to hold meetings with legislators in
Washington for two days in July to tell them about the organization and its
platform, and express their support for Israel. They are also planning a
large
annual event called "A Night to Honor Israel" that will be held in several
cities simultaneously.
The event, according to the group, will give American Christians the
opportunity
to fight anti-Semitism and express "their debt of gratitude to the Jewish
people for their contribution to Christianity." The organizers stressed
that
the events are "non-conversionary."
"We see Christians in the United States as true friends and important
supporters
on the basis of shared values, and we welcome their efforts to strengthen
the
ties between Israel and the U.S.," Israeli Ambassador to the United States
Danny Ayalon said Wednesday.
Stephen Strang, publisher of Charisma magazine and a founding member of
Christians United, has said he wants the organization to be as strong as
the
pro-Israel lobby known as AIPAC.
[more]
<http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=686241&contrassID=1&subContrassID=1>
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George W. Bush _is_ a Christian. Get over it!
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