The Public Broadcasting Network (PBS) has postponed the airing of the documentary “Til Kingdom Come,” which explores the close relationship between American evangelicals and Israel. The decision came following accusations that the documentary misleadingly spliced together two separate segments of a speech by former US President Donald Trump.
“Til Kingdom Come” was directed by the Russian documentary director Maya Zinshtein. It was released as a rental for in-home watching in February before a scheduled broadcast that was to premiere on March 29. It was meant to be part of the “Independent Lens” series on PBS. The film enjoyed significant media coverage, by press outlets such as the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
However, the film didn’t end up airing as planned on Sunday. The “Independent Lens” Twitter account and website stated that the program was postponed for “editorial review.”
Tonight’s scheduled broadcast of #KingdomComePBS is postponed. Instead, @PBS will air a repeat of #MrSoulPBS.
Check local listings here to see when it is playing in your area: https://t.co/nyaENSzgEM pic.twitter.com/IyJLdfRV0H— Independent Lens (@IndependentLens) March 29, 2021
“PBS takes the issue of editorial integrity very seriously,” PBS told JTA in a statement on Tuesday. “After consulting with our producing partners at Independent Lens, we have decided to postpone PBS’s broadcast of ‘Til Kingdom Come’ while an independent review of the film is conducted.”
The review seems to have been caused by a report, issued by the pro-Israel media watchdog organization CAMERA on March 21. CAMERA stands for the Committee for Accuracy in the Middle East Reporting in America.
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CAMERA said that the film contained inaccurate editing of a quote by Trump during a January 2020 speech alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after unveiling his highly-anticipated Middle East peace accord.
According to CAMERA, the film presented Trump’s quote as stating: “the United States will recognize Israeli sovereignty over the territory that my vision provides to be part of the State of Israel, including the West Bank, described so vividly in the Bible.”
But the former president’s actual quote was: “The United States will recognize Israeli sovereignty over the territory that my vision provides to be part of the State of Israel,” with the reference to “the West Bank described so vividly in the Bible” was stated in a different segment of the speech. The word “including” wasn’t in the original quote either.
A CAMERA statement said that PBS notified the watchdog organization that an editorial review is in progress, with the premiere being postponed and the Trump quote was reportedly fixed.
Trump’s Abraham Accords delineated a potential framework for an expanded Israel as well as a Palestinian state. It offered the Arabs most of the land in Judea and Samaria while letting Israel keep Area C, where most Israeli civilians live in the region, and retain security control of all of Judea and Samaria.
“CAMERA commends PBS for taking seriously concerns about the film’s editorial integrity,” the organization wrote on its website.
“Til Kingdom Come” is still available for rental.
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