Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel (Proverbs 27:9)

Christians from both Israel and abroad have came out in staunch support of the Jewish State this week.

First, On Monday, according to JNS.org, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), a Christian Zionist organization based in Jerusalem, made the honorable announcement that it would be providing support and financial assistance to child terror victims through its work with the Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund.

The Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund is a non-profit organization established by former Shiloh mayor David Rubin that offers therapeutic and emotional health services for children from Jewish communities, primarily in Judea and Samaria, who have suffered from terrorism incidents over the past several years.

“In representing compassionate Christians from around the world, the ICEJ wants to be sensitive to the serious problems facing these traumatized children and thus we have begun supporting the work of Rubin’s center,” the organization said in a press release.

Shiloh is an ancient biblical city located in the hills of Samaria that was the religious and cultural capital of Israel before Jerusalem. It is mentioned several times in the Hebrew Bible as the location where Joshua divided the land between the 12 tribes and where the Ark of the Covenant was located before moving to Jerusalem. It also became an important center of worship during the early Christian period. Modern Shiloh is home to a small Jewish community that was founded in the late 1970s.

On Tuesday, Arab Christians in Israel pledged to help Israel with another difficult battle it has been fighting, the battle of boycott and delegitimization. Bishara Shlayan, an Israeli Christian Arab from Nazareth who is creating a new Arab political party came out strongly against the European Union Boycott of Judea and Samaria.

“The boycott is a big mistake – it is the livelihood for many, mainly Arabs in the West Bank,” Shlayan told the Jerusalem Post, adding that the absence of Israeli businesses will create more violence, as more Arabs will be left with no way to put food on their tables.

They should build more universities and factories, he said, as Arabs also are studying in the universities, work in the factories and are responsible for most of the new construction.

In fact, Shlayan has an idea to build a new Arab Christian settlement, open to all, in the West Bank. The settlement would have factories and would seek funding from the EU, as the plan would promote peace since it would be open to anyone.

Asked about the move by Israel to release Palestinian prisoners, he said that now is not the right time. “Releasing murderers is not going to bring peace,” exclaimed Shlayan. He said he is against the release, and that only after a final peace deal should prisoners be released.

His party, which is still being sorted out, has settled on the name “Bnei Habrit [Allies of the Covenant], the Christian party of Israel.”

Shlayan went on to add in his interview with the JPost that, “Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and the only one that protects Christians and holy places.” The Arab uprisings have led to an increase in the persecution of Christians in the region and Shlayan believes that a “change in culture” is needed.

He says that he has received messages from Egyptian Christian Copts that they would like to seek refuge in Israel.

Asked about the support his party is getting so far, he said that he has been contacted by people from all over the world.

He said that many people are contacting him from abroad and want to donate, but he still needs funds and other forms of help in order to fully form his party. “The Canadian Embassy in Israel contacted me and said that there were Canadians who want to come to Israel to meet me,” he said.

Shlayan noted that he has received words of encouragement from around the world, including the United States, where American Christians have told him they are praying for him to succeed in bringing peace to Israel and commending him for taking on what they consider a holy mission.