Only Christian TV Station in Bethlehem Folds

Zenit ^ | 10-24-07

[SJackson]

Only Christian TV Station in Bethlehem Folds Cites Debt, Threats and "Troubles" With Government

BETHLEHEM, West Bank, OCT. 24, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Bethlehem's only Christian television station, The Nativity, has just one week left to broadcast.

"It is with great regret that we are informing you of our decision to close The Nativity -- "Al-Mahed" -- television station," said its director and owner, "in spite of its inestimable service to the Church and to the existence of the Christian community in the Holy Land."

Samir Qumsieh, a member of the Greek Orthodox Church, founded The Nativity in 1996. The broadcasts of this private channel are considered a voice of Christianity from the Middle East, and became a meeting place for Christians, Jews and Muslims. The station aired Masses and other Christian services, a weekly Christian program, news and entertainment, and Muslim prayers on Fridays.

It made a reputation during the siege of the Church of the Nativity in 2002, covering the event 24 hours a day for six weeks.

According to AsiaNews, Qumsieh has had frequent death threats for more than a year and the station has had to endure trouble from Palestinian authorities.

A valiant project

Vatican Radio on Saturday reported the upcoming closure of the station, noting that it was the only Christian station in the Holy Land, and that its broadcasts reached the West Bank, Jordan and Israel.

"It was a valiant project, an occasion for communication between Christians, Jews and Muslims," lamented the Vatican station.

According to the Italian daily Il Foglio, the decision was ultimately rooted in financial issues. For three years, the station has had an annual debt of $63,000. Qumsieh and his family invested the money to found the station.

"My brothers told me to stop this waste, but for me it would be very hard to close the television station because it is something that involved the whole community," he had told AsiaNews. "If we go off the air, there won't be another voice like ours."

Qumsieh expressed his fear that the closing of the station would be emblematic of a definitive Christian exodus from the Holy Land.

The journalist noted that he is the only one of six siblings still in his homeland. And he foresees leaving as well, once the station has closed.

[SJackson]

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..................

US to transfer $410 million to PA[Palestinian Authority]

[Catholic Canadian]

Soon the United States will be the last safe haven for Christendom. I must admit, as silly as it sounds, that I daydream about coming to live with other Christians down there.

[Publius6961]

GGGRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrr!

This gives us a glimpse into the ultimate stupidity of even considering handing over Jerusalem to the sandmaggots. Or dividing it in any way; at least insofar as it would destroy the cultural and religious heritage of all Christian faiths.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Ping!

[TexanToTheCore]

Get your fine self to Texas ASAP.

[SJackson]

This gives us a glimpse into the ultimate stupidity of even considering handing over Jerusalem to the sandmaggots. Or dividing it in any way; at least insofar as it would destroy the cultural and religious heritage of all Christian faiths.

And Hevron. A shame Bethlehem isn't in Israel.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

That makes the left and the head choppers very happy. They want all Christians out of the land that they are ruining.

[moonman]

"For three years, the station has had an annual debt of $63,000"

Let's do an annual collection ... or get Ted Turner to write a check /sarc.

[SJackson]

"For three years, the station has had an annual debt of $63,000"...Let's do an annual collection ... or get Ted Turner to write a check /sarc.

Note the link I posted upthread about the extra $410 million we sent, with more coming.

This Christian is palestinian, and we do fund the palestinian stations that spew hate on a daily basis.

Why don't we fund this station?

Of course that won't save his life.

[Salem]

"Qumsieh expressed his fear that the closing of the station would be emblematic of a definitive Christian exodus from the Holy Land."

Well, I read stuff like this and think "less of the wrong people to be in the way when the IDF finally rolls through there."

Because the Islamists' dream of dominance over Israel and the rest of the world will inevitably meet head on with hardcore reality.

Disappointing, nonetheless.

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[Tai_Chung]

How many Christian radio stations are there in the same area?

[americanophile]

"Vatican Radio on Saturday reported the upcoming closure of the station, noting that it was the only Christian station in the Holy Land, and that its broadcasts reached the West Bank, Jordan and Israel. "It was a valiant project, an occasion for communication between Christians, Jews and Muslims," lamented the Vatican station. "

The Vatican then promptly turned the other cheek.

"In its annual financial report, the Vatican said it recorded revenues of EUR 227.8 million (US$310 million)..."

[SJackson]

How many Christian radio stations are there in the same area?

In the West Bank, don't know. There's one government run station, I think the private stations are outlaws so to speak. My guess not many.

[PRePublic]

We all lnow the long time persecution by Islamic "palestinians" on non Muslim "brothers"/

And the Islamic apartheid regime criticizes Israel's democracy?

[juliej]

And of course, Jew haters Robert Novak and Pat Buchanan will blame the Jews for this!!!!!! Something is seriously wrong with those two.

[eleni121]

I cannot believe that the Greek Orthodox Church could not have done something - fund raisers etc- to keep this station operating.

I for one did not know that it was in trouble.

IN the last Orthodox newspaper I looked at I saw that the Patriarch was off checking out the icebergs in Greenland but nothing at all was mentioned about this vital link to Christians in the Holy Land

[eleni121]

Greek ping

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

For lack of a nail...

[Kolokotronis]

“IN the last Orthodox newspaper I looked at I saw that the Patriarch was off checking out the icebergs in Greenland but nothing at all was mentioned about this vital link to Christians in the Holy Land”

Its unlikely that you would read anything about this in the “Orthodox Disturber”! They are far too busy shouting AXIOS about Black Bart of Istanbul.

Things aren’t always as they seem in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Eleni mou. I’d take this story with a grain of salt. If it is true, sadly I would say that those guys at the JP would be the last people to help an Arab Christian.