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Recent claims on social media suggest that the Israeli Government is moving to ‘criminalise public speech about Jesus Christ’. But the claim is misleading. Here’s why.

An X account, which is likely part of a coordinated disinformation network, recently shared ‘breaking news’ that a piece of legislation has been submitted to the Israeli Parliament (the Knesset) designed to silence discussion of Jesus in public.

The Claim: Israel Banning Jesus?

The post is framed as an objective report of current events in light of claims that religious freedom — in particular, freedom for Christians — is being suppressed in Israel.

In Israel, a bill has been submitted to the Knesset that could criminalize public speech about Jesus Christ.

The proposal was submitted by coalition lawmakers Moshé Gafni and Yaakov Asher. According to the draft, it would be prohibited to publish or distribute content that… pic.twitter.com/pgdQj4t4TN

— Sprinter Press (@SprinterPress) March 9, 2026

The tweet has been shared widely on social media as a screenshot.

According to the Sprinter Press post, which had received nearly one million views at the time of writing, ‘a bill has been submitted to the Knesset that could criminalize public speech about Jesus Christ.’

The proposal was submitted by coalition lawmakers Moshé Gafni and Yaakov Asher. According to the draft, it would be prohibited to publish or distribute content that “supports Jesus” on the internet, in the media, or via email.

The post also includes a video showing a Newsmax journalist, Daniel Cohen, reporting from Herzliya, Israel, with the Chyron reading, “Proposed Legislation Would Outlaw Talk About Jesus in Israel”.

The details included in Sprinter Press’s tweet are specific enough to justify a fact-based assessment of their credibility.

So, what is really going on here?

What are the Facts? A Bit of Context

The fundamental problem with the tweet is not that the details included are fabricated — most of them are not. Rather, the information from a real-life situation from 2023 has been extracted from its proper context and applied misleadingly to the present.

In January 2023, a pair of ultra-Orthodox Jewish lawmakers from the United Torah Judaism party introduced a piece of anti-missionary legislation. According to reports, Gafni submits this bill before every Knesset, and there is little evidence that he plans to treat it as anything other than a ‘procedural formality’.

The 2023 legislation made waves because it happened to be reported on by Joel C. Rosenberg’s All Israel News, an evangelical news site, which reports on matters in Israel of interest to Christians around the world. It was later amplified by Newsmax (as is reflected by the video in Sprinter Press’s tweet).

If passed, the legislation would have radically suppressed Christian expression and missionary activities within Israel — threatening to outlaw any ‘act of solicitation to convert religion’ (when directed at an individual) with jail time for violations.

As reported at the time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acted quickly to reassure concerned Christians — both internationally and in Israel — that the legislation would not be passed. He promised that his government would not ‘advance any law against the Christian community’.

לא נקדם שום חוק נגד הקהילה הנוצרית.
We will not advance any law against the Christian community.

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 22, 2023

A Quick Reality Check

While Sprinter Press’s supposed news announcement is being used by some to support claims around the oppression of Christians in Israel, the 2023 situation does not suggest a systemic or legislative attitude of antagonism towards Christians by the Israeli Government.

Several facts refute any such conclusion.

Firstly, the news from three years ago has been misleadingly applied to the present context when there is a heightened polarisation over Israel and its conduct in the Middle East.

Secondly, the legislation was proposed by two ultra-orthodox members of parliament. Such members are far from representing the mainstream perspective within the Knesset.

Thirdly, even in 2023, the spokesperson for one of the two ultra-orthodox members clarified that he had only introduced the legislation as a procedural formality — as he had done at the start of every Knesset — and that he had no plans to move the bill to a vote.

And finally, the legislation has been overwhelmingly rejected within Israel, with Prime Minister Netanyahu promising that no such legislation would be passed under his government.

A final word of practical advice:

As always, if you see screenshots or posts like these shared via social media or even by friends and family, take a moment to reflect on the credibility of the claims before you accept the narrative that is being propagated.

Oftentimes, the disinformation that is most difficult to identify is not that which is fabricated, but that which cleverly manipulates the truth — twisting it out of recognition and using it to support a particular agenda.

Image courtesy of Newsmax YouTube (screenshot).