Israel’s regulator ordered the broadcast of the new channel by a Christian evangelical station, saying it was applied to serve a Christian audience, but had instead tried to persuade Jews with the gospel of Jesus.
In a statement, the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Council said that its chairman, Asher Biton, had told Israeli cable provider Hot on Thursday that the evangelical God TV channel Shelanu, which means “our” in Hebrew, It should be off the air in seven days.
“An examination of the council’s supervisory wing shows that the canal does not appeal to the Christian population in Israel, but to the Jews,” the council said in a written statement. “Therefore, the characterization of the channel submitted for approval does not reflect its broadcasts.”
Ron Cantor, Israeli regional director for God TV and spokesman for the Shelanu channel, said it was false that the station had broken their agreement.
“Our license, issued by the state of Israel, says in Hebrew that our target audience is the audience of Israeli viewers,” Cantor said in an emailed statement. “There is no stipulation that we must attack Christians.”
Hot said he was cooperating with the council and would act on its decision.
Shelanu, which first aired in April, is part of God TV, a UK-registered evangelical Christian media company, which it says broadcasts to approximately 300 million homes worldwide. Your international broadcast licenses are owned by a Florida-based non-profit organization.
Cantor said Shelanu was part of God’s Evangelical TV, but that it was a Messianic Jewish channel. Messianic Jews follow Jewish law but believe that Jesus is the Messiah, a principle of Christianity. Major Jewish denominations reject Messianic Judaism as a form of Judaism, according to The Associated Press.
“As Israelis, we serve in the military, pay our taxes, and expect the same freedoms that other religious groups enjoy,” Cantor said.
The controversy has highlighted the complex relationship between Israel and evangelical Christians, many of whom are strong supporters of the Jewish state. Some believe that the Jews should have full control of Jerusalem for the return of the Messiah and the beginning of the end times.
In the United States, evangelical Christians are also an important part of President Donald Trump’s base. And his vocal commitment to Israel has often been cited as a motivating factor in his unconditional support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Since taking office, Trump has moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Syrian Golan Heights, and drew up a peace plan for the region that the Palestinians have rejected as biased towards Israel. . The Trump administration has said it believes the plan meets fundamental Israeli and Palestinian demands.
Michael Stephens, a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute in London, told NBC News last month that Israel has always been concerned about missionary activity within its borders.
Proselytizing “runs counter to what the state must do, which is to protect Jewish identity,” he said, adding that there has always been an “awkward marriage” between Israel and evangelical Christian groups that support Israel but can also try to convert the Jews. .
Associated Press contributed
