Last week, in a historic visit to Samaria, Israel’s biblical heartland, Christian Terhes, a member of the European Parliament representing Romania and the Christian-Democratic National Peasants’ Party, met with Yossi Dagan, the head of the Samaria Council, and Nir Barkat, Israel Minister of the Economy.
During the visit, Terhes and Dagan signed an agreement to establish a joint initiative to strengthen relations between the European Parliament and Samaria. The goal of the initiative is to fight antisemitism and the financing of terrorism
During his stay in Israel, Member of Parliament Terhes toured Samaria with the head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, and saw firsthand the biblical and historical connection between the Jews and Samaria.
The joint statement reads: “Both sides found that the continued funding of the Palestinian Authority, from the European Union’s funds, is in fact funding that amounts to a monthly salary for terrorists and the promotion of antisemitism through its educational system, which should be stopped immediately. In addition, the parties agree that the possibility of peaceful coexistence exists, and seek ways to promote those areas where positive steps are now being taken to facilitate reaching this result.”
“The cooperation initiative is designed to take advantage of opportunities for economic cooperation, educational initiatives and fighting against policies that harm the European Parliament’s relations with Israel and promote hatred and terrorism in the region.”
Terhes explained his desire to act in this field: “I was not aware of the real challenges occurring in this field. I personally discovered for the first time that the Palestinian Authority prints books using EU funds that educate children to hate Jews. I did not come to Samaria to give speeches or lecture anyone, but I wanted to see and listen and ask questions. The time I spent here was eye-opening for me.”
“A few kilometers from here I saw the solution, I saw a factory where Jews work with Arabs, and they get along. We need to make sure that at least our money, from the European Union, does not finance any more books that incite children to hate someone else. We also need to look at the positive side: there is a way to live in peace if there is work, if there is a good life, and you are already proving it.”
The head of the Samaria Council, Yossi Dagan, thanked Terhas: “I am sure that together we will bring about real change in the European Parliament. I have no doubt that the average European taxpayer does not know that his money is being used to finance textbooks that teach Palestinians to kill Jews. This needs to stop, and I thank Terhas for his friendship and his commitment to Samaria.”
This article was originally published in Hebrew in Olam Katan (September 7, 2023).
