Friday 27th January is Holocaust Memorial Day. It is an opportunity for everyone to take a stand and pray on behalf of the Jewish people, on behalf of the Jewish state of Israel, on behalf of the Holocaust survivors still amongst us, and against every nation that still threatens Israel’s very existence today.

“On the 20th of January 2012 we will commemorate the 70th anniversary of that unspeakable event, which went into the history books by the name of “Wannsee-Konferenz”. On January 20, 1942, 15 of the leading officials of the Nazi-government came together under the leadership of SS-chief Reinhard Heydrich and his assistant Rudolf Eichmann to masterplan the annihilation of the whole European Jewry: 11 Million Jewish man and women, old and young should be erased without exemption within the shortest possible time. This conference was the last and final milestone, the last and final escalation of what Hitler called “die Endlösung” the “final solution”, later to be called the Holocaust, the Shoah, the greatest manifestation of evil that mankind has ever seen.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is unbelievable, but it is true: Today, only 70 years later, with hundreds of thousands of survivors of Hitlers Holocaust still amongst us, a next Holocaust is in preparation. Iran is working on its atomic bomb, Hisbollah, Hamas, the Moslem Brotherhood, Al Kaida and many other enemies of Jews and Christians alike are today actively pursuing the destruction of Israel and the annihilation of the Jewish people as a stepping stone toward world dominance. Only 70 years later! And the most perplexing thing is that most of the world does not seem to be able or willing to see the historic parallel to the times and goals of Hitler and Nazi-Germany – as represented by the Wannsee-Konferenz, and take the action that is needed in order to fill the global, emphatic “never again” vow after World War II with credibility and substance today – in this time of testing and in this time of need.

On this background, I want to address my Christian brothers and sisters around the globe with the political leaders of Israel and leaders within the survivors’ networks as witnesses: In this time of testing and in this time of need, while most of the nations are either antagonistic or lukewarm in their response to the serious threat of a second holocaust – it is our time and opportunity as the church of Jesus to raise up and stand strong on behalf of the Jewish people, on behalf of the Jewish state of Israel and on behalf of the Holocaust survivors still amongst us. This is our time and opportunity to utter a wake up call within our Christian churches, networks and denominations and to stand strong and united in prayer and action as “salt and light” within our nations and towards our own leaders and governments. As our visible “fruit of repentance” and a sign that we have learned a lesson from some of the darkest chapters of church history in relation to the Jewish people.” Harald Eckert

Read the full speech to the Knesset here