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The Rosenberg Report

Joel Rosenberg: Israel’s Ambassador to the Christian World | The Rosenberg Report

May 21, 2026 | 21:48

Joel Rosenberg: Israel’s Ambassador to the Christian World | The Rosenberg Report
On this episode of The Rosenberg Report, George Deek joins Joel Rosenberg to talk about being Israel’s first ambassador to the Christian world.
#News #Israel #Christianity #Government #Nations #Communication #Freedom #Peace #Challenges #Truth

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The Rosenberg Report | Joel Rosenberg: Israel’s Ambassador to the Christian World | The Rosenberg Report | May 21, 2026
  • Tonight on the rosenberg report.
  • 00:00:02.115 --> 00:00:04.250
  • For the first time in its history,
  • 00:00:04.250 --> 00:00:06.286
  • Israel has appointed an ambassador
  • 00:00:06.286 --> 00:00:08.388
  • To the christian world.
  • 00:00:08.388 --> 00:00:09.689
  • And he's granted us his first sit down tv interview.
  • 00:00:09.689 --> 00:00:13.560
  • Who is ambassador george deek?
  • 00:00:13.560 --> 00:00:15.962
  • What are his qualifications?
  • 00:00:15.962 --> 00:00:17.630
  • What's his mandate
  • 00:00:17.630 --> 00:00:18.731
  • And what's his message to evangelicals
  • 00:00:18.731 --> 00:00:21.334
  • And to all christians at this critical moment?
  • 00:00:21.334 --> 00:00:23.837
  • It's an exclusive interview with israel's first ever
  • 00:00:23.837 --> 00:00:27.373
  • Ambassador to 2.5 billion followers of jesus.
  • 00:00:27.373 --> 00:00:31.111
  • And it's all right here, right now on the rosenberg
  • 00:00:31.111 --> 00:00:34.714
  • Report.
  • 00:00:34.714 --> 00:00:44.791
  • Anybody that's
  • 00:00:45.125 --> 00:00:46.392
  • Been watching this show knows that for the last several years.
  • 00:00:46.392 --> 00:00:49.496
  • Actually, for seven years, i've been advocating that israel
  • 00:00:49.496 --> 00:00:54.367
  • Appoint an ambassador to the christian world,
  • 00:00:54.367 --> 00:00:57.370
  • Somebody whose portfolio is entirely about responding
  • 00:00:57.370 --> 00:01:01.241
  • To questions, concerns, complaints, attacks
  • 00:01:01.241 --> 00:01:04.911
  • Against christians
  • 00:01:04.911 --> 00:01:05.912
  • That live here in israel
  • 00:01:05.912 --> 00:01:06.980
  • Or against israel and the jewish people in general.
  • 00:01:06.980 --> 00:01:09.916
  • And i think it's more urgent than ever.
  • 00:01:09.916 --> 00:01:12.318
  • And you'll recall that when i did an interview with
  • 00:01:12.318 --> 00:01:16.589
  • Israel's new at that point, foreign minister sa█ar
  • 00:01:16.589 --> 00:01:21.594
  • One of the first questions i asked him when he gave me
  • 00:01:21.594 --> 00:01:24.230
  • The first interview of any tv interview that he'd done,
  • 00:01:24.230 --> 00:01:27.233
  • I asked him if he would appoint the first ever
  • 00:01:27.233 --> 00:01:30.837
  • Israeli ambassador to the christian world.
  • 00:01:30.837 --> 00:01:33.039
  • What's your view of?
  • 00:01:33.039 --> 00:01:34.307
  • Would it make sense
  • 00:01:34.307 --> 00:01:36.376
  • To appoint someone who specifically in israeli
  • 00:01:36.376 --> 00:01:39.846
  • To to speak specifically to the christian world?
  • 00:01:39.846 --> 00:01:41.915
  • Because that's in the the us, the israeli ambassador
  • 00:01:41.915 --> 00:01:45.084
  • To the us,
  • 00:01:45.084 --> 00:01:46.152
  • The israeli ambassador to england, brazil, wherever
  • 00:01:46.152 --> 00:01:49.455
  • The christians are part of their portfolio,
  • 00:01:49.455 --> 00:01:51.391
  • But they don't have a specific focus.
  • 00:01:51.391 --> 00:01:53.393
  • Is that a good idea or is that sort of a diversion,
  • 00:01:53.393 --> 00:01:55.628
  • A distraction that.
  • 00:01:55.628 --> 00:01:56.763
  • It should be considered?
  • 00:01:56.763 --> 00:01:57.964
  • And i will consider that.
  • 00:01:57.964 --> 00:01:59.732
  • But the most important thing is to understand
  • 00:01:59.732 --> 00:02:03.236
  • That christian believers are and
  • 00:02:03.236 --> 00:02:07.240
  • Allies and supporters of the
  • 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:09.642
  • State of israel, and can be a great
  • 00:02:09.642 --> 00:02:14.914
  • Asset in our struggle for our rights.
  • 00:02:15.715 --> 00:02:19.752
  • And that has now been done.
  • 00:02:19.752 --> 00:02:22.121
  • Good evening and welcome to the rosenberg report.
  • 00:02:22.121 --> 00:02:24.123
  • I'm very happy to
  • 00:02:24.123 --> 00:02:25.692
  • Report to you that just in the last few weeks,
  • 00:02:25.692 --> 00:02:29.395
  • Foreign minister
  • 00:02:29.796 --> 00:02:30.964
  • Has made that appointment in full support and cooperation
  • 00:02:30.964 --> 00:02:34.367
  • With israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu.
  • 00:02:34.367 --> 00:02:37.203
  • This is encouraging
  • 00:02:37.203 --> 00:02:38.371
  • Because there are a lot of attacks
  • 00:02:38.371 --> 00:02:40.273
  • Coming from multiple directions against israel,
  • 00:02:40.273 --> 00:02:43.643
  • And there's a lot of confusion
  • 00:02:43.643 --> 00:02:45.245
  • In elements of the christian world.
  • 00:02:45.245 --> 00:02:48.348
  • And today we have ambassador george deek.
  • 00:02:48.348 --> 00:02:51.517
  • He is the man that's been appointed to this job.
  • 00:02:51.517 --> 00:02:54.721
  • And this is his first television interview in his new role.
  • 00:02:54.721 --> 00:02:59.292
  • Ambassador george deek, welcome to the rosenberg report.
  • 00:02:59.292 --> 00:03:01.961
  • Thank you for having me.
  • 00:03:01.961 --> 00:03:03.129
  • Now, you and i had not known each other
  • 00:03:03.129 --> 00:03:04.797
  • Except by twitter, which maybe is enough in this.
  • 00:03:04.797 --> 00:03:07.533
  • In this digital age,
  • 00:03:07.533 --> 00:03:08.534
  • You and i
  • 00:03:08.534 --> 00:03:09.202
  • Have been following each other
  • 00:03:09.202 --> 00:03:10.036
  • And i was intrigued with your role.
  • 00:03:10.036 --> 00:03:11.971
  • 18 years you've been a diplomat.
  • 00:03:11.971 --> 00:03:14.440
  • Last six years in a very challenging environment.
  • 00:03:14.440 --> 00:03:17.844
  • Israel's ambassador to azerbaijan, israel's only
  • 00:03:17.844 --> 00:03:21.080
  • Shia muslim ally located in central asia.
  • 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:25.151
  • Really challenging assignment in a time of war
  • 00:03:25.151 --> 00:03:27.253
  • Between azerbaijan and armenia.
  • 00:03:27.253 --> 00:03:29.389
  • So good job in in representing israel during this.
  • 00:03:29.389 --> 00:03:34.093
  • Well, let's just get started.
  • 00:03:34.093 --> 00:03:36.129
  • Why were you appointed at this particular moment?
  • 00:03:36.129 --> 00:03:39.532
  • We say right in the jewish calendar.
  • 00:03:39.532 --> 00:03:41.934
  • Why is this night different from all other night
  • 00:03:41.934 --> 00:03:43.970
  • After seven years or so of various people,
  • 00:03:43.970 --> 00:03:47.307
  • Not just me advocating for this role?
  • 00:03:47.307 --> 00:03:50.376
  • Here we are.
  • 00:03:50.376 --> 00:03:51.577
  • You're actually this first ever in the history of israel,
  • 00:03:51.577 --> 00:03:54.447
  • The ambassador to the to the christian world.
  • 00:03:54.447 --> 00:03:56.749
  • Why now? and why you.
  • 00:03:56.749 --> 00:03:59.152
  • Israel respects and has good relations with all community
  • 00:04:00.286 --> 00:04:02.922
  • And religious communities in it and outside of it.
  • 00:04:02.922 --> 00:04:05.792
  • But we do have a special relationship
  • 00:04:05.792 --> 00:04:07.794
  • Between us and the christian world.
  • 00:04:07.794 --> 00:04:09.796
  • We share the same values, the same
  • 00:04:09.796 --> 00:04:12.932
  • Commitment to our civilization and to the core beliefs
  • 00:04:12.932 --> 00:04:15.968
  • That we hold.
  • 00:04:15.968 --> 00:04:16.669
  • And because of that,
  • 00:04:16.669 --> 00:04:17.870
  • And because of the deep friendship that existed
  • 00:04:17.870 --> 00:04:20.606
  • Always between christians and the state of israel,
  • 00:04:20.606 --> 00:04:23.009
  • I think it was the right decision right now by minister
  • 00:04:23.009 --> 00:04:25.812
  • Sa█ar to give a special emphasis and to give a special strategy
  • 00:04:25.812 --> 00:04:31.217
  • To building, and in many ways, reinventing our relations
  • 00:04:31.217 --> 00:04:35.722
  • With the christian world.
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  • The first thing i think that
  • 00:04:36.889 --> 00:04:38.791
  • I should do in this position is just to say thank you.
  • 00:04:38.791 --> 00:04:42.595
  • Christians around the world,
  • 00:04:42.595 --> 00:04:43.830
  • In the us in particular, but around the world.
  • 00:04:43.830 --> 00:04:45.865
  • I've been to nigeria three years.
  • 00:04:45.865 --> 00:04:47.333
  • I've seen the support of christians there to israel,
  • 00:04:47.333 --> 00:04:50.436
  • Have always supported israel.
  • 00:04:50.436 --> 00:04:51.971
  • They stood with us when we were weak.
  • 00:04:51.971 --> 00:04:54.006
  • They stood with us
  • 00:04:54.006 --> 00:04:54.907
  • When we needed help. they stood with us
  • 00:04:54.907 --> 00:04:56.642
  • When everyone else did not stand with us.
  • 00:04:56.642 --> 00:04:58.878
  • And we deeply cherish and are grateful for this support.
  • 00:04:58.878 --> 00:05:03.249
  • And with this support, we were able to build a country
  • 00:05:03.249 --> 00:05:06.486
  • That is strong,
  • 00:05:06.486 --> 00:05:07.887
  • A country that can and is willing to defend itself.
  • 00:05:07.887 --> 00:05:11.324
  • A country that is resilient, a country that loves life,
  • 00:05:11.324 --> 00:05:14.527
  • You know.
  • 00:05:14.527 --> 00:05:15.495
  • Israel is bringing more children to the world
  • 00:05:15.495 --> 00:05:17.029
  • Than any other country in the oecd.
  • 00:05:17.029 --> 00:05:18.965
  • Above replacement rate.
  • 00:05:18.965 --> 00:05:21.467
  • Our economy is thriving throughout the war.
  • 00:05:21.467 --> 00:05:24.170
  • In the past three years,
  • 00:05:24.170 --> 00:05:25.405
  • Our economy has hit new heights that were never seen before.
  • 00:05:25.405 --> 00:05:29.709
  • We are the strongest ever versus the dollar, our currency,
  • 00:05:29.709 --> 00:05:33.312
  • The shekel.
  • 00:05:33.312 --> 00:05:34.447
  • So we're a strong and prosperous nation.
  • 00:05:34.447 --> 00:05:37.850
  • So i think the decision to to appoint me
  • 00:05:37.850 --> 00:05:41.988
  • At this point is because it's time
  • 00:05:41.988 --> 00:05:44.857
  • That we upgrade our relations with the christian world
  • 00:05:44.857 --> 00:05:48.394
  • To a new level.
  • 00:05:48.394 --> 00:05:50.229
  • What does that mean?
  • 00:05:50.229 --> 00:05:51.631
  • First of all, we want israel because it is the
  • 00:05:51.631 --> 00:05:55.468
  • Outpost of the western world in this region,
  • 00:05:55.468 --> 00:05:59.372
  • Defending western, defending our judeo-christian values
  • 00:05:59.372 --> 00:06:03.242
  • To be the place where christians can feel
  • 00:06:03.242 --> 00:06:06.078
  • Safe to come and visit the holy land.
  • 00:06:06.078 --> 00:06:08.281
  • Israel is the guardian
  • 00:06:08.281 --> 00:06:09.649
  • Of the holy places, israel's the guardian of jerusalem
  • 00:06:09.649 --> 00:06:13.586
  • And of nazareth, and of all the holy sites.
  • 00:06:13.586 --> 00:06:16.289
  • So we want every christian to come and connect to the bible,
  • 00:06:16.289 --> 00:06:20.626
  • To the scripture, by actually visiting
  • 00:06:20.626 --> 00:06:23.196
  • The real sites where jesus walked,
  • 00:06:23.196 --> 00:06:25.331
  • Where he preached, where he talked, where he made miracles.
  • 00:06:25.331 --> 00:06:28.868
  • So we want them all to come here. amen to that.
  • 00:06:28.868 --> 00:06:31.070
  • And i just wanted to say on that note that the ambassador and i
  • 00:06:31.070 --> 00:06:34.841
  • And my wife and several of our team
  • 00:06:34.841 --> 00:06:36.776
  • From all israel news just had lunch together.
  • 00:06:36.776 --> 00:06:38.711
  • And i said, listen, we you know,
  • 00:06:38.711 --> 00:06:40.213
  • As we prepare for this epicenter summit, that all israel news,
  • 00:06:40.213 --> 00:06:44.484
  • Tbn and the joshua fund will be hosting on april 7th, 2027.
  • 00:06:44.484 --> 00:06:49.889
  • We would love, mr.
  • 00:06:49.889 --> 00:06:51.157
  • Ambassador, for you to address the audience and
  • 00:06:51.157 --> 00:06:54.527
  • And the evangelicals and other christians that come.
  • 00:06:54.527 --> 00:06:56.896
  • And i want to encourage you to
  • 00:06:56.896 --> 00:06:58.130
  • Go to joshuafund.com and you can learn all about the summit,
  • 00:06:58.130 --> 00:07:02.535
  • The epicenter summit, and all about the joshua fund tour.
  • 00:07:02.535 --> 00:07:06.472
  • We'll be bringing, lord willing,
  • 00:07:06.472 --> 00:07:08.040
  • Hundreds of christians to this summit
  • 00:07:08.040 --> 00:07:10.643
  • And to tour the land and to meet the ambassador.
  • 00:07:10.643 --> 00:07:13.346
  • And we're encouraging if you want to sign up for that,
  • 00:07:13.346 --> 00:07:16.015
  • We'd love all the details are there at joshuafund.com
  • 00:07:16.015 --> 00:07:18.651
  • But also if you're a pastor
  • 00:07:18.651 --> 00:07:20.386
  • Or ministry leader
  • 00:07:20.386 --> 00:07:21.287
  • Or somebody who wants to bring a tour,
  • 00:07:21.287 --> 00:07:23.289
  • We would love for you to do that.
  • 00:07:23.289 --> 00:07:24.557
  • And there's information again
  • 00:07:24.557 --> 00:07:25.925
  • At joshuafund.com about the epicenter summit.
  • 00:07:25.925 --> 00:07:29.195
  • There's information on how you can organize your own tours,
  • 00:07:29.195 --> 00:07:31.964
  • Either through the tour agency that we're using or
  • 00:07:31.964 --> 00:07:35.067
  • A tour agency that you prefer, whatever.
  • 00:07:35.067 --> 00:07:36.869
  • That's fine.
  • 00:07:36.869 --> 00:07:37.570
  • The point is,
  • 00:07:37.570 --> 00:07:38.604
  • You can start to plan, organize, and bring people,
  • 00:07:38.604 --> 00:07:41.841
  • But you need to make sure
  • 00:07:41.841 --> 00:07:42.642
  • You register
  • 00:07:42.642 --> 00:07:43.709
  • And get tickets for your group if you want to come.
  • 00:07:43.709 --> 00:07:46.746
  • And i want to encourage you to do that.
  • 00:07:46.746 --> 00:07:48.247
  • We took a pause on talking about all this
  • 00:07:48.247 --> 00:07:51.417
  • During the intensity of this operation epic fury,
  • 00:07:51.417 --> 00:07:55.521
  • Operation roaring
  • 00:07:55.521 --> 00:07:56.455
  • Lion. but but i'm
  • 00:07:56.455 --> 00:07:57.790
  • Encouraged by your message because it's beautiful.
  • 00:07:57.790 --> 00:08:01.160
  • And i think that people are just beginning to think, all right
  • 00:08:01.160 --> 00:08:04.297
  • Now, we're probably past the worst of the war.
  • 00:08:04.297 --> 00:08:06.465
  • Certainly by next april, things will be quiet
  • 00:08:06.465 --> 00:08:09.535
  • And secure, and it'll be time for christians to come back.
  • 00:08:09.535 --> 00:08:13.072
  • Absolutely.
  • 00:08:13.072 --> 00:08:14.140
  • And i look forward to meeting everyone coming to
  • 00:08:14.140 --> 00:08:15.775
  • To the epicenter summit.
  • 00:08:15.775 --> 00:08:17.176
  • And i think it's going to be
  • 00:08:17.176 --> 00:08:18.811
  • A great opportunity to launch that new chapter
  • 00:08:18.811 --> 00:08:22.715
  • That that we really hope to, to see come to fruition.
  • 00:08:22.715 --> 00:08:26.586
  • Coming up next.
  • 00:08:26.953 --> 00:08:27.920
  • On the rosenberg report, who is george deek?
  • 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:31.123
  • Why was he chosen to be israel's
  • 00:08:31.123 --> 00:08:33.125
  • First ever ambassador to the christian world?
  • 00:08:33.125 --> 00:08:36.195
  • What are his qualifications?
  • 00:08:36.195 --> 00:08:37.964
  • What's his mandate,
  • 00:08:37.964 --> 00:08:38.998
  • And what's his message to evangelicals
  • 00:08:38.998 --> 00:08:41.434
  • And to all christians at this critical moment?
  • 00:08:41.434 --> 00:08:44.337
  • Find out when the rosenberg report continues on tbn
  • 00:08:44.337 --> 00:08:48.074
  • Right after the break.
  • 00:08:48.074 --> 00:08:50.991
  • Right after the break.
  • 00:08:50.991 --> 00:08:54.345
  • Welcome back to the rosenberg report.
  • 00:08:55.145 --> 00:08:56.947
  • As we do the first interview, that ambassador george deek,
  • 00:08:56.947 --> 00:09:00.718
  • The. first
  • 00:09:00.718 --> 00:09:01.852
  • Ever special envoy to the christian world from israel.
  • 00:09:01.852 --> 00:09:05.122
  • This is the first tv interview he's done.
  • 00:09:05.122 --> 00:09:06.724
  • I'm so glad that he is here on the rosenberg report again.
  • 00:09:06.724 --> 00:09:09.960
  • Great to see george, and i'm glad we've got
  • 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:12.363
  • To talk about several issues.
  • 00:09:12.363 --> 00:09:13.664
  • These are now the attack lines we're going to talk about.
  • 00:09:13.664 --> 00:09:16.400
  • Is israel an apartheid state in a moment.
  • 00:09:16.400 --> 00:09:18.602
  • That's that's out there.
  • 00:09:18.602 --> 00:09:19.770
  • And a lot of people are talking
  • 00:09:19.770 --> 00:09:20.971
  • About the idea that arabs aren't allowed to live here, that
  • 00:09:20.971 --> 00:09:24.608
  • There's no air participation in the country and so forth.
  • 00:09:24.608 --> 00:09:28.646
  • But first, there have been at least two incidents
  • 00:09:28.646 --> 00:09:32.583
  • That have become particularly noteworthy, in which two
  • 00:09:32.583 --> 00:09:37.388
  • Well, let's say several
  • 00:09:37.388 --> 00:09:38.689
  • Israeli soldiers operating in southern lebanon
  • 00:09:38.689 --> 00:09:41.492
  • Really did some things that were deeply offensive.
  • 00:09:42.493 --> 00:09:45.229
  • One, there was a photo taken
  • 00:09:45.229 --> 00:09:46.997
  • Of a young soldier, israeli soldier, chopping off
  • 00:09:46.997 --> 00:09:50.200
  • The head of a statue of jesus that was sort of inverted.
  • 00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:54.071
  • And then the second of of an israeli soldier
  • 00:09:54.071 --> 00:09:57.708
  • Putting a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of mother mary.
  • 00:09:57.708 --> 00:10:01.545
  • Both went viral.
  • 00:10:01.545 --> 00:10:03.213
  • Deeply offensive.
  • 00:10:03.213 --> 00:10:05.749
  • How do you respond?
  • 00:10:05.749 --> 00:10:06.917
  • I mean, you suddenly got thrown into the deep end where,
  • 00:10:06.917 --> 00:10:10.888
  • Yeah, israeli government had kind of got put on defense
  • 00:10:10.888 --> 00:10:13.891
  • A bit over this.
  • 00:10:13.891 --> 00:10:15.893
  • The response is very clear. we don't believe in cover up.
  • 00:10:15.893 --> 00:10:18.262
  • We don't believe in covering this kind of incidents.
  • 00:10:18.262 --> 00:10:21.432
  • This is completely unacceptable.
  • 00:10:21.432 --> 00:10:23.267
  • This is abhorrent behavior by these soldiers.
  • 00:10:23.267 --> 00:10:27.004
  • The incidents were immediately condemned by every level
  • 00:10:27.004 --> 00:10:31.241
  • Of government, from the prime minister
  • 00:10:31.241 --> 00:10:32.910
  • To the foreign minister and others immediately
  • 00:10:32.910 --> 00:10:35.546
  • At that point.
  • 00:10:35.546 --> 00:10:36.613
  • So there's no room for any disrespect
  • 00:10:36.613 --> 00:10:39.783
  • Towards religious symbols
  • 00:10:39.783 --> 00:10:41.719
  • Of any religion, not just christianity.
  • 00:10:41.719 --> 00:10:44.154
  • What action was taken against these soldiers?
  • 00:10:44.154 --> 00:10:46.023
  • So the soldier punitive measures were taken.
  • 00:10:46.023 --> 00:10:49.359
  • The soldiers that desecrated the cross has been sentenced for
  • 00:10:49.359 --> 00:10:53.997
  • Over a month in prison, and he's also taken out of duty
  • 00:10:53.997 --> 00:10:57.901
  • In the military.
  • 00:10:57.901 --> 00:10:59.036
  • He will no longer be able to serve in the military.
  • 00:10:59.036 --> 00:11:00.838
  • In military forms, this is very severe punishment.
  • 00:11:00.838 --> 00:11:03.907
  • The other soldier,
  • 00:11:03.907 --> 00:11:05.109
  • The incident just happened a few days ago,
  • 00:11:05.109 --> 00:11:07.044
  • Or it was actually published a few days ago.
  • 00:11:07.044 --> 00:11:10.280
  • So it's now being under
  • 00:11:10.280 --> 00:11:12.483
  • Judicial review in the military ranks,
  • 00:11:13.317 --> 00:11:15.252
  • And he will also be severely punished.
  • 00:11:15.252 --> 00:11:17.588
  • And i want to say a lot of people use those incidences
  • 00:11:17.588 --> 00:11:21.558
  • To to attack israel as if israel does not protect
  • 00:11:21.558 --> 00:11:25.262
  • Christian sites or christian people living here.
  • 00:11:25.262 --> 00:11:28.866
  • I'll just say it very quickly.
  • 00:11:29.466 --> 00:11:31.869
  • First of all, i'm thankful for all the people
  • 00:11:31.869 --> 00:11:33.771
  • Who show a lot of empathy and a lot of sympathy
  • 00:11:33.771 --> 00:11:36.106
  • To christian presence here,
  • 00:11:36.106 --> 00:11:37.441
  • And if that criticism makes us become a better society,
  • 00:11:37.441 --> 00:11:40.878
  • And if that criticism brings us to a place where we take
  • 00:11:40.878 --> 00:11:43.947
  • More responsibility
  • 00:11:43.947 --> 00:11:45.215
  • For these incidents to make sure that they never happen again,
  • 00:11:45.215 --> 00:11:47.751
  • That's great.
  • 00:11:47.751 --> 00:11:48.852
  • But i have to say, as a christian.
  • 00:11:48.852 --> 00:11:50.888
  • Yeah, that's an important point.
  • 00:11:50.888 --> 00:11:52.790
  • You're the first christian, i think, ever appointed
  • 00:11:52.790 --> 00:11:55.626
  • As an ambassador.
  • 00:11:55.626 --> 00:11:57.161
  • Previously.
  • 00:11:57.161 --> 00:11:58.295
  • Now you're the first ever envoy to the christian world.
  • 00:11:58.295 --> 00:12:00.764
  • But you are a christian.
  • 00:12:00.764 --> 00:12:01.832
  • You were raised in a christian home here in israel.
  • 00:12:01.832 --> 00:12:04.635
  • You're you're a native israeli.
  • 00:12:04.635 --> 00:12:06.069
  • Your family goes back like 400 years.
  • 00:12:06.069 --> 00:12:07.571
  • We'll get more to your background in a moment.
  • 00:12:07.571 --> 00:12:09.406
  • But but this is you.
  • 00:12:09.406 --> 00:12:11.141
  • It's not just something you're talking about.
  • 00:12:11.141 --> 00:12:13.677
  • I grew up here as a christian.
  • 00:12:13.677 --> 00:12:15.078
  • And, you know,
  • 00:12:15.078 --> 00:12:15.846
  • The christians in the middle east
  • 00:12:15.846 --> 00:12:17.114
  • Are the ancient christians
  • 00:12:17.114 --> 00:12:18.348
  • That lived here since the times of jesus.
  • 00:12:18.348 --> 00:12:20.450
  • And right now, christians in the middle east are experiencing
  • 00:12:20.450 --> 00:12:24.288
  • Ethnic cleansing.
  • 00:12:24.288 --> 00:12:25.522
  • The christians are being driven out from anywhere from mosul
  • 00:12:25.522 --> 00:12:30.828
  • To malwa, from baghdad to from kabul
  • 00:12:30.828 --> 00:12:34.398
  • To istanbul and from baghdad, all the way to.
  • 00:12:34.398 --> 00:12:37.601
  • Arab muslim world.
  • 00:12:38.035 --> 00:12:39.169
  • And in iran, christians are in a tremendous persecution
  • 00:12:39.169 --> 00:12:42.639
  • And are being cleansed out.
  • 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:43.974
  • Isis was actually engaged in genocide against christians
  • 00:12:43.974 --> 00:12:47.344
  • In iraq and syria.
  • 00:12:47.344 --> 00:12:49.112
  • But here in israel, it's a totally different story.
  • 00:12:49.112 --> 00:12:51.849
  • Even though tucker carlson and others try to say
  • 00:12:51.849 --> 00:12:54.084
  • That christians are worse
  • 00:12:54.084 --> 00:12:55.485
  • Off here than in the arab and muslim world.
  • 00:12:55.485 --> 00:12:57.888
  • So in all those places, christians are being persecuted
  • 00:12:57.888 --> 00:13:01.925
  • Throughout the middle east.
  • 00:13:01.925 --> 00:13:02.759
  • Aleppo, which used to have 250,000
  • 00:13:02.759 --> 00:13:05.162
  • Christians, is down to less than 50,000
  • 00:13:05.162 --> 00:13:07.464
  • Today in mosul in iraq, barely any christians are left today.
  • 00:13:07.464 --> 00:13:11.301
  • And we have seen the, the, the,
  • 00:13:11.301 --> 00:13:14.771
  • The shrinking of the christian presence
  • 00:13:14.771 --> 00:13:16.807
  • Throughout the entire middle east.
  • 00:13:16.807 --> 00:13:18.542
  • That's happened in bethlehem as well,
  • 00:13:18.542 --> 00:13:19.910
  • When when under palestinian
  • 00:13:19.910 --> 00:13:21.812
  • Authority control, the number of christians
  • 00:13:21.812 --> 00:13:24.248
  • Plummeted as people, christians just left.
  • 00:13:24.248 --> 00:13:26.550
  • Exactly. or the goal for america.
  • 00:13:26.550 --> 00:13:28.385
  • So as a christian, i pray that those christians
  • 00:13:28.385 --> 00:13:31.688
  • And the real persecuting, not the desecration of a cross,
  • 00:13:31.688 --> 00:13:34.925
  • But the taking of lives and dignity of people
  • 00:13:34.925 --> 00:13:38.061
  • Would get the attention
  • 00:13:38.061 --> 00:13:39.429
  • That it deserves in comparison to the attention
  • 00:13:39.429 --> 00:13:41.665
  • We're getting to incidents here in israel.
  • 00:13:41.665 --> 00:13:43.533
  • So and it's i'm not saying that because
  • 00:13:43.533 --> 00:13:47.771
  • I want to avert the attention to a different place.
  • 00:13:47.771 --> 00:13:50.674
  • I'm saying this
  • 00:13:50.674 --> 00:13:51.241
  • Because there are real
  • 00:13:51.241 --> 00:13:52.276
  • Persecution, real people suffering on the ground
  • 00:13:52.276 --> 00:13:54.711
  • Throughout the entire middle east.
  • 00:13:54.711 --> 00:13:55.879
  • And those christians deserve the international attention.
  • 00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:59.716
  • They deserve people caring about them
  • 00:13:59.716 --> 00:14:01.551
  • And raising their voice to defend those christians.
  • 00:14:01.551 --> 00:14:04.288
  • And i call all the christian friends
  • 00:14:04.288 --> 00:14:06.223
  • That we have abroad
  • 00:14:06.223 --> 00:14:07.758
  • Raise your voice for the christians of the middle east,
  • 00:14:07.758 --> 00:14:10.227
  • They are disappearing and it's happening
  • 00:14:10.227 --> 00:14:12.029
  • Right under our noses from the day, from the places
  • 00:14:12.029 --> 00:14:15.365
  • That jesus walked. barely any christians are left.
  • 00:14:15.365 --> 00:14:17.801
  • And in fact, there's only one exception to that rule.
  • 00:14:17.801 --> 00:14:20.604
  • There's only one place in the entire middle east
  • 00:14:20.604 --> 00:14:23.240
  • Where the christian presence is growing, and that's israel.
  • 00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:26.543
  • In israel we had in 1950, 34,000 christians.
  • 00:14:26.543 --> 00:14:31.248
  • Today we have 188,000 christians plus in our country.
  • 00:14:31.248 --> 00:14:35.319
  • That's 400% increase in 80 years.
  • 00:14:35.319 --> 00:14:38.555
  • Christians in this country are not just surviving,
  • 00:14:38.555 --> 00:14:42.292
  • They are thriving.
  • 00:14:42.292 --> 00:14:43.527
  • We are part of the decision making.
  • 00:14:43.527 --> 00:14:45.729
  • There are christians anywhere
  • 00:14:45.729 --> 00:14:47.397
  • From the academia to the military to diplomacy
  • 00:14:47.397 --> 00:14:50.400
  • To business, to government in every field or innovators.
  • 00:14:50.400 --> 00:14:53.904
  • They are part of our high tech nation.
  • 00:14:53.904 --> 00:14:56.907
  • We are part of this society.
  • 00:14:56.907 --> 00:14:58.508
  • We make this society what it is.
  • 00:14:58.508 --> 00:15:00.310
  • And in fact, christians in israel,
  • 00:15:00.310 --> 00:15:01.745
  • People don't know this fact.
  • 00:15:01.745 --> 00:15:02.946
  • But christians in israel
  • 00:15:02.946 --> 00:15:04.114
  • Are the most educated community in the country,
  • 00:15:04.114 --> 00:15:07.117
  • More than the jews.
  • 00:15:07.117 --> 00:15:08.185
  • Really?
  • 00:15:08.185 --> 00:15:08.885
  • Yeah, we are the most employed.
  • 00:15:08.885 --> 00:15:11.221
  • We have the, the,
  • 00:15:11.221 --> 00:15:12.823
  • The lowest number of unemployment in the country.
  • 00:15:12.823 --> 00:15:15.726
  • And we have some of the best schools with the best,
  • 00:15:15.726 --> 00:15:18.128
  • The christian schools, the best grades for the baccalaureate,
  • 00:15:18.128 --> 00:15:22.199
  • Like the graduation from high school.
  • 00:15:22.199 --> 00:15:24.167
  • So christians are thriving in this country.
  • 00:15:24.167 --> 00:15:26.570
  • We have opportunities like everyone else.
  • 00:15:26.570 --> 00:15:28.505
  • We go to the technion, we go to the tel
  • 00:15:28.505 --> 00:15:31.174
  • Aviv university,
  • 00:15:31.174 --> 00:15:32.376
  • The mit of israel, and succeed in innovation and in business.
  • 00:15:32.376 --> 00:15:35.846
  • So this is our reality.
  • 00:15:35.846 --> 00:15:37.948
  • We must do everything
  • 00:15:37.948 --> 00:15:39.349
  • To make sure that those voices who are criticizing israel
  • 00:15:39.349 --> 00:15:42.552
  • Do not destroy the only firewall standing
  • 00:15:42.552 --> 00:15:46.089
  • Between christian presence in the region and the
  • 00:15:46.089 --> 00:15:50.293
  • The the terrible fate that the rest of the christians
  • 00:15:50.293 --> 00:15:53.797
  • In the region have faced, and that is israel.
  • 00:15:53.797 --> 00:15:56.033
  • Amen.
  • 00:15:56.033 --> 00:15:57.467
  • Coming up next on the rosenberg report.
  • 00:15:57.467 --> 00:15:59.970
  • Don't miss the rest
  • 00:15:59.970 --> 00:16:01.171
  • Of my exclusive conversation with ambassador george deek.
  • 00:16:01.171 --> 00:16:04.908
  • Where did he grow up?
  • 00:16:04.908 --> 00:16:06.309
  • How deep are his family's roots in the land of israel?
  • 00:16:06.309 --> 00:16:09.746
  • And why is it so encouraging that he's been appointed
  • 00:16:09.746 --> 00:16:13.150
  • To this critical role at this critical time?
  • 00:16:13.150 --> 00:16:16.153
  • Find out when the rosenberg report continues on tbn.
  • 00:16:16.153 --> 00:16:20.090
  • Right after the break.
  • 00:16:20.090 --> 00:16:22.989
  • Right after the break.
  • 00:16:22.989 --> 00:16:26.533
  • Welcome back to the
  • 00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:28.134
  • Rosenberg report as we continue my exclusive interview,
  • 00:16:28.134 --> 00:16:30.236
  • His first interview
  • 00:16:30.236 --> 00:16:31.504
  • On any television network since being appointed, israel's first
  • 00:16:31.504 --> 00:16:34.507
  • Ever a special envoy to the christian world.
  • 00:16:34.507 --> 00:16:37.510
  • And george, again, thank you for being here.
  • 00:16:37.510 --> 00:16:39.913
  • Your family is from jaffa.
  • 00:16:39.913 --> 00:16:43.783
  • In the in english translation of the bible it would say joppa.
  • 00:16:43.783 --> 00:16:47.520
  • This is where jonah set out to avoid god's call
  • 00:16:47.520 --> 00:16:52.292
  • To to go to nineveh. right?
  • 00:16:52.292 --> 00:16:53.927
  • He headed towards southern spain.
  • 00:16:53.927 --> 00:16:55.829
  • Tarshish.
  • 00:16:55.829 --> 00:16:57.730
  • Jaffa, jaffa, we all say in hebrew.
  • 00:16:57.730 --> 00:17:00.867
  • But this is where peter was taking a nap
  • 00:17:00.867 --> 00:17:04.037
  • And saw the vision from jesus and was sent to go reach
  • 00:17:04.037 --> 00:17:07.073
  • The gentiles with the gospel.
  • 00:17:07.073 --> 00:17:09.109
  • This is this is your.
  • 00:17:09.109 --> 00:17:10.710
  • This is your home turf.
  • 00:17:10.710 --> 00:17:11.945
  • This is what you were born and raised is where you live now.
  • 00:17:11.945 --> 00:17:14.214
  • Yeah.
  • 00:17:14.214 --> 00:17:15.448
  • And how far back can your family trace its roots just to jaffa?
  • 00:17:15.448 --> 00:17:19.519
  • Not just to the land of israel.
  • 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:21.554
  • We have roots in jaffa that go back almost 400 years,
  • 00:17:21.554 --> 00:17:25.325
  • Documented with baptisms
  • 00:17:25.325 --> 00:17:26.759
  • And marriages certificates, so we can go all the way back to.
  • 00:17:26.759 --> 00:17:30.597
  • In arabic it's called saman, which is simon dick
  • 00:17:30.597 --> 00:17:33.399
  • In the early days.
  • 00:17:33.399 --> 00:17:34.534
  • So this is it's basically my town.
  • 00:17:34.534 --> 00:17:38.071
  • I've been from there for for centuries.
  • 00:17:38.071 --> 00:17:41.074
  • So i come from an arab christian family that has lived there.
  • 00:17:41.074 --> 00:17:45.712
  • My family have gone through
  • 00:17:46.312 --> 00:17:48.014
  • A lot of difficulty throughout history.
  • 00:17:48.014 --> 00:17:50.083
  • You know, as christians in this land
  • 00:17:50.083 --> 00:17:51.751
  • Under ottoman rule and islamic rule before that.
  • 00:17:51.751 --> 00:17:55.922
  • Life was not always easy. it was not always comfortable.
  • 00:17:55.922 --> 00:17:58.558
  • There's a lot of discrimination in the persecution.
  • 00:17:58.558 --> 00:18:01.995
  • And also in 1948, when israel was established,
  • 00:18:01.995 --> 00:18:05.465
  • My family fled
  • 00:18:05.465 --> 00:18:07.133
  • All the way to lebanon
  • 00:18:07.133 --> 00:18:08.234
  • With the rest
  • 00:18:08.234 --> 00:18:09.469
  • Of the palestinian refugees, and my grandparents came back
  • 00:18:09.469 --> 00:18:11.971
  • With a baby that was born in lebanon.
  • 00:18:11.971 --> 00:18:13.606
  • Come back and settle here.
  • 00:18:13.606 --> 00:18:15.241
  • Well, it's a long story, but basically, my grandfather,
  • 00:18:15.241 --> 00:18:18.478
  • Before the war, he used to work
  • 00:18:18.478 --> 00:18:20.013
  • For a electricity company called rutenberg.
  • 00:18:20.013 --> 00:18:22.482
  • It was owned by jews and he spoke yiddish.
  • 00:18:22.482 --> 00:18:24.851
  • So when the war was over and everyone understood
  • 00:18:24.851 --> 00:18:28.788
  • That the jews are here to stay.
  • 00:18:28.788 --> 00:18:30.723
  • Then all the rest of his family
  • 00:18:30.723 --> 00:18:33.159
  • Tried to seek their future elsewhere.
  • 00:18:33.159 --> 00:18:35.028
  • Some stayed in lebanon, some are now in jordan,
  • 00:18:35.028 --> 00:18:37.163
  • In syria, in the us and canada, australia and elsewhere.
  • 00:18:37.163 --> 00:18:40.466
  • But my grandfather wanted to come back
  • 00:18:40.466 --> 00:18:42.669
  • Because he knew that the jews were not his enemies.
  • 00:18:42.669 --> 00:18:44.804
  • They could be his friends.
  • 00:18:44.804 --> 00:18:45.972
  • So he took the long walk with a wife and a baby alone.
  • 00:18:45.972 --> 00:18:49.442
  • All his family...you said walk? walk.
  • 00:18:49.442 --> 00:18:52.111
  • From lebanon.
  • 00:18:52.111 --> 00:18:52.912
  • Absolutely.
  • 00:18:52.912 --> 00:18:54.080
  • Back here, everyone thought he was completely insane.
  • 00:18:54.080 --> 00:18:56.049
  • And he came all by himself just with a wife and a baby.
  • 00:18:56.049 --> 00:18:59.085
  • They were in their early 20s and they walked all the way back.
  • 00:18:59.085 --> 00:19:03.323
  • My grandfather was even arrested by the israeli police
  • 00:19:03.323 --> 00:19:06.492
  • When he entered the land,
  • 00:19:06.492 --> 00:19:07.360
  • Because he was illegally
  • 00:19:07.360 --> 00:19:08.428
  • Infiltrating the country, and my grandmother went
  • 00:19:08.428 --> 00:19:11.564
  • Knocking on the israel electricity national israeli
  • 00:19:11.564 --> 00:19:14.934
  • Electricity company,
  • 00:19:14.934 --> 00:19:16.169
  • Which is the transformation of the company where he worked.
  • 00:19:16.169 --> 00:19:19.606
  • So she knocked on the door.
  • 00:19:19.606 --> 00:19:21.441
  • Who knows?
  • 00:19:21.441 --> 00:19:22.208
  • George deek, i'm named after him.
  • 00:19:22.208 --> 00:19:24.444
  • So finally
  • 00:19:24.444 --> 00:19:25.878
  • She found his friends
  • 00:19:25.878 --> 00:19:27.146
  • From there,
  • 00:19:27.146 --> 00:19:28.014
  • And they not only took him out of jail,
  • 00:19:28.014 --> 00:19:29.349
  • But they also gave him his old job back,
  • 00:19:29.349 --> 00:19:31.084
  • Making him the first arab to ever work
  • 00:19:31.084 --> 00:19:33.119
  • For the israeli electricity company. wow.
  • 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:35.188
  • And the reason i'm sitting here
  • 00:19:35.188 --> 00:19:36.356
  • With you as an israeli ambassador
  • 00:19:36.356 --> 00:19:38.324
  • And not a palestinian refugee from lebanon,
  • 00:19:38.324 --> 00:19:40.126
  • Is because my grandfather had the courage
  • 00:19:40.126 --> 00:19:41.928
  • To take a decision that was unthinkable
  • 00:19:41.928 --> 00:19:44.163
  • To others
  • 00:19:44.163 --> 00:19:44.664
  • To come live
  • 00:19:44.664 --> 00:19:45.465
  • Among those who were supposed
  • 00:19:45.465 --> 00:19:46.532
  • To be his enemies and to make them his friends.
  • 00:19:46.532 --> 00:19:48.635
  • Wow, it's such a good.
  • 00:19:48.635 --> 00:19:51.337
  • It's so
  • 00:19:51.571 --> 00:19:52.505
  • Encouraging to me that you have this role,
  • 00:19:52.505 --> 00:19:55.475
  • Especially because you were already
  • 00:19:55.475 --> 00:19:56.943
  • An ambassador for 18 years
  • 00:19:56.943 --> 00:19:58.244
  • Or a diplomat, and you become an ambassador
  • 00:19:58.244 --> 00:20:01.014
  • To a shia muslim country representing israel.
  • 00:20:01.014 --> 00:20:03.283
  • I think all that history is good.
  • 00:20:03.283 --> 00:20:06.152
  • I would think
  • 00:20:06.152 --> 00:20:07.387
  • You probably didn't want during that time to be specifically
  • 00:20:07.387 --> 00:20:10.089
  • An arab-israeli
  • 00:20:10.089 --> 00:20:10.923
  • Or specifically a christian israeli,
  • 00:20:10.923 --> 00:20:12.125
  • Just as he was doing the job of representing the country.
  • 00:20:12.125 --> 00:20:15.161
  • But i think this is an amazing moment
  • 00:20:15.161 --> 00:20:17.830
  • For such a time as this, to quote the book of esther,
  • 00:20:17.830 --> 00:20:20.967
  • And i really appreciate you
  • 00:20:20.967 --> 00:20:22.168
  • Spending time with us here on the rosenberg report,
  • 00:20:22.168 --> 00:20:25.171
  • And we're looking forward to following you, reporting
  • 00:20:25.171 --> 00:20:27.840
  • On you, and and following up with other interviews.
  • 00:20:27.840 --> 00:20:29.909
  • I'd love to interview you in jaffa, your hometown.
  • 00:20:29.909 --> 00:20:32.679
  • You're most here in here in jerusalem.
  • 00:20:32.679 --> 00:20:34.647
  • And we'll walk the cobblestone streets and we we wish you well.
  • 00:20:34.647 --> 00:20:38.685
  • We were praying for you in this new role.
  • 00:20:38.685 --> 00:20:41.054
  • It's a very important role, and i'm encouraged
  • 00:20:41.054 --> 00:20:43.389
  • By the seriousness with which is being taken,
  • 00:20:43.389 --> 00:20:46.359
  • Not just by the foreign minister, whom
  • 00:20:46.359 --> 00:20:47.794
  • I know and appreciate,
  • 00:20:47.794 --> 00:20:48.961
  • But also by the prime minister who i know and appreciate.
  • 00:20:48.961 --> 00:20:51.964
  • This is the this is the right time. amen.
  • 00:20:51.964 --> 00:20:54.167
  • Thank you for the opportunity. my pleasure.
  • 00:20:54.167 --> 00:20:56.235
  • Thank you so much for watching.
  • 00:20:56.235 --> 00:20:57.637
  • We are out of time, but we're so grateful that you spent
  • 00:20:57.637 --> 00:21:00.773
  • Time with us this evening to meet this first
  • 00:21:00.773 --> 00:21:04.310
  • Ever israeli, a special envoy to the christian world.
  • 00:21:04.310 --> 00:21:08.481
  • We've been asking for it, calling for it, praying for it.
  • 00:21:08.481 --> 00:21:10.950
  • Now it's happening.
  • 00:21:10.950 --> 00:21:11.784
  • So please pray from amb george deek.
  • 00:21:11.784 --> 00:21:14.153
  • Well, that's all the time we have.
  • 00:21:14.153 --> 00:21:15.655
  • Have a great week.
  • 00:21:15.655 --> 00:21:16.622
  • As you walk with the lord jesus christ
  • 00:21:16.622 --> 00:21:18.791
  • And the power of the holy spirit,
  • 00:21:18.791 --> 00:21:20.126
  • Spending time in his word, spending time in worship and
  • 00:21:20.126 --> 00:21:22.995
  • And caring for the poor and needy,
  • 00:21:22.995 --> 00:21:24.797
  • Those who are orphans and widows
  • 00:21:24.797 --> 00:21:27.066
  • And those who are disadvantaged.
  • 00:21:27.066 --> 00:21:29.235
  • Be a blessing to others.
  • 00:21:29.235 --> 00:21:30.570
  • Be a witness for the lord jesus.
  • 00:21:30.570 --> 00:21:32.004
  • Make disciples of all nations,
  • 00:21:32.004 --> 00:21:33.373
  • And keep praying for the peace of jerusalem
  • 00:21:33.373 --> 00:21:36.042
  • And all in this region, and victory over our enemies.
  • 00:21:36.042 --> 00:21:39.479
  • That's our show.
  • 00:21:39.479 --> 00:21:40.313
  • Have a great week and lord willing,
  • 00:21:40.313 --> 00:21:42.115
  • I'll see you next week right here on the rosenberg report.
  • 00:21:42.115 --> 00:21:42.115