- The Christian Coalition of America intends to hold mass
rallies in support of Israel next year in every US state, and is also planning
to bring large groups of tourists here, Roberta Combs, its president, announced
Monday.
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- Combs is here on a fact-finding tour as head of a five-person
delegation of the Christian Coalition, which represents two million members.
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- Combs said the state rallies are part of a follow-up
to a large demonstration that took place in Washington on October 11.
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- "After we did that in Washington, and there was
so much enthusiasm, we just felt like it was something we should take to
all 50 states, to activate people more in support of Israel," she
said, "because we do have a common bond with one another, and we want
to show support, show that we're here for you and we'll be here for you.
It's kind of a new avenue for us in our organization, and we're excited
about it."
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- Michael Brown, national church liaison and chief US House
of Representatives lobbyist, said many states did not get to send a delegation
to the rally in Washington and show their support for Israel, "and
there are very very strong states that want to express this. Their ambition
and their desire is that they be able to exhibit this expression of support
for the Jewish state."
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- Monday was the first day of touring and meetings for
the delegation, which started with a meeting with Housing and Construction
Minister Natan Sharansky in the morning, a tour of the Western Wall and
the Western Wall tunnel, and a visit to the Garden Tomb, a site where Jesus
is said to have been buried.
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- Later they toured eastern Jerusalem, including the Beit
Orot Yeshiva on the Mount of Olives, where MK Benny Elon, its founder,
greeted them.
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- "I think the connection that we [the Christian Coalition
and Jews] have is the very fact that we know that we are not foreigners
- not in Jerusalem, not in Judea, and not in Samaria - and that we know
that we are the children of Israel who came back to the land of Israel,"
Elon said. "The real connection is the understanding that the Bible
is not just a book on the shelf, it's something real."
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- Combs said in the short time she has been here, "it's
an experience you can't explain. You know it, and you feel it, but once
you've done it, then you really know it, and that's where I am now.
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- There is a reason for us to be here, and I think this
is just the beginning of things that are going to be happening with our
relationship."
- The delegation will continue their tour Tuesday with
a visit to Hebron and Jewish communities in the territories.
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- http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=J
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