“Israel is grateful to our Christian friends around the world for their passionate and unwavering support for the Jewish State and the Jewish People," said WJC-Israel chairman, Gad Ariely.
By GIL HOFFMANUpdated: FEBRUARY 14, 2018 16:53Pro-Palestinian demonstrators carrying a sign reading "DBS" (Divestment, Boycott, and Sanctions) march against US aid to Israel(photo credit: ROBYN BECK / AFP)
The MKs of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus and World Jewish Congress (WJC) will give a lifetime achievement award to South Carolina State Representative Alan Clemmons, who drafted the first bill prohibiting boycotting, divesting from, and sanctioning Israel. The award will be presented at a dinner at Jerusalem’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel ThursdayThe bill was the model for legislation that has passed in 25 US states, and trillions of dollars have been regulated against the BDS movement as a result. He also authored and spearheaded the Israel plank of the Republican platform, which set the stage for US President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.“It has been my great honor to lead the policy efforts of the tens of millions of pro-Israel Americans who stand with you as a matter of faith and principle," Clemmons said. "What I can promise with certainty is that our support for Israel’s well-being is of overwhelming concern, and will never be sold out or abandoned. We stand with Israel proudly, now and always.”Additionally, the caucus, together with the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, will present award-winning journalist and author Christine Darg with the “Night to Honor our Christian Allies” Tourism Award. Darg is the founder of Exploits Ministry and the co-founder of the media ministry Jerusalem Channel. Darg’s Exploits Ministry has been bringing Christian groups to Israel at least three times a year for over two decades.“The Church has a divine mandate to pray that God will fulfill Israel’s calling and destiny. Already Israel is a beacon of democracy and stability. Israel is a shining light of hope for both her neighbourhood and the world,” Darg said.The event will also be co-sponsored by Israel 365, which works to build relations between Jews in Israel and Christian Zionists. Speakers at the event will include MKs Nachman Shai (Zionist Union), Yehuda Glick (Likud) and the caucus's chairman, Robert Ilatov (Yirael Beytenu).“Israel is grateful to our Christian friends around the world for their passionate and unwavering support for the Jewish State and the Jewish People," said WJC-Israel chairman, Gad Ariely. "They have stood with us in good times and bad. When Israel is vilified and Jews are targeted, we know that we can always count on them—just as they know that the imperiled Christians in the Middle East have no better friends than the people of Israel.”
