Several hundred Christians in Norway rallied for Israel outside the national parliament in the capital Oslo, amid Israel's ongoing war against the Hamas terror organization in Gaza.
The Norwegian branch of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ)organized the rally, which was hailed as a historic event for the Scandinavian country where there has typically been strong support for Palestinian organizations, such as the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) and later the Palestinian Authority (PA). Several Christian denominations joined the demonstration, including members of the Lutheran, Catholic and Pentecostal churches.
“It was an historic demonstration of Christian support for Israel in our nation due to the wide range of Christian leaders and organizations involved. Nothing like this has ever happened in my lifetime,” said Dag Øyvind Juliussen, the national director of ICEJ-Norway.
The Christian pro-Israel rally also called for more action to confront and combat the growing global antisemitism.
In a jointly worded statement, the Christian denominations expressed their sadness over the massacre of Israelis on Oct. 7, as well as the surge in global antisemitism.
“We are shaken by the attack on Israel on October 7th, and it is with deep sorrow that we witness the ongoing war and the global increase in antisemitism and hatred towards Jews. As Christians, we feel a special responsibility to stand up for our Jewish brethren, especially considering the history of the church; so filled with anti-Jewish sentiment and persecution. We cannot remain silent in the face of this reality,” read the joint statement.
The pro-Israel Christians also spoke out against the Hamas terror organization, its anti-Jewish ideology and its charter to eradicate the Jewish state.
“Antisemitism is a significant element in the war between Israel and Hamas. Hamas’ statements that they wish to repeat October 7th again and again until Israel no longer exists, demonstrate the fundamental antisemitic ideology of Hamas, as expressed in their charters from 1988 and 2017.
We strongly condemn such statements. The antisemitic element in the war and conflict between Israel and Hamas cannot be overlooked or forgotten.”
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