GOD TV broadcasts religious content in around 200 countries (representation)
Jerusalem:
The Israeli media watchdog said on Sunday that it had withdrawn the broadcasting license for the US evangelical network GOD TV, accusing it of seeking to target Jews with Christian content.
GOD TV, of the international Christian network, launched at the end of April its Shelanu channel (in Hebrew for “ours”) on the Israeli cable operator Hot, describing it as intended for Christians.
But the channel caused an immediate outcry in Israel, then Minister of Communications David Amsalem accusing it of being a “missionary chain” seeking to convert the Jews to Christianity.
The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Council has launched an investigation to determine whether GOD TV had distorted its content when it applied for a license.
Council President Asher Bitton said Sunday that following an investigation and a hearing, he had informed Hot that Shelanu’s broadcasts were to be removed within seven days.
“The channel is intended for Jews with Christian content, unlike the original broadcast request, which stated that it was intended for Christians,” Bitton said in a council statement.
He said that a Christian channel for Jews would not be automatically disqualified in the future, but that he would have to seek council approval, which Shelanu had not done.
Hot may file a new application for Shelanu which would include a “true and detailed” characterization of the chain, the statement added.
A spokeswoman for Hot said the company “is cooperating with the board and will act according to its decisions on the matter.”
In a promotional clip for Shelanu, GOD TV director Ward Simpson tells viewers, “We are going to preach Jewish Jesus to the nation of Israel … they will hear the gospel presented to them in their native language”.
In a separate online video response to the criticism, he acknowledged that “proselytizing in Israel is a very sensitive subject” but went on to say that preaching about Jesus was a mission.
GOD TV broadcasts religious content in around 200 countries and claims to have several hundred million viewers.
Israel enjoys vigorous support from evangelical movements in the United States, but keeps a lid on missionary work in the Holy Land.
While Israeli law expressly prohibits the giving of money or gifts to encourage conversions to another religion, missionary activities in general are closely monitored by the authorities and offend many Israelis.
According to Israeli government data, around 2% of the population is Christian, mainly Arab.
(This story has not been edited by GalacticGaming staff and is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)
