A Dutch Catholic public broadcaster has apologized for and pulled off the air a video clip featuring a song which accuses Jews of plotting to kill Jesus.

The video, which was aired earlier this month at the end of a children’s program on the Rooms-Katholiek Kerkgenootschap, or Roman Catholic Church Association, television station, featured a song by Pearl Jozefzoon, about how Jews regarded Jesus. “Do not follow him. He is mad. Break him, break his heart. Kill him. Bury him with criticism, do not love him,” the lyrics said.

The station, known as RKK, pulled the video off the air last week following complaints by the Dutch Israelite Religious Community umbrella organization, or NIK. The Dutch Trouw daily newspaper reported last week that the broadcaster apologized in a statement for airing the video.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

“Vilifying the Jewish people’s past is to vilify present-day Jews, especially when the audience are youths,” Ruben Vis, the NIK’s secretary and vice president of the European Jewish Congress, told the Dutch daily Trouw. He added that “the church has done this for a very long time, and very well and effectively.”

RKK’s broadcast of a Papal address received 4.2 million viewers earlier this year.

The Dutch government currently provides subsidies of $18 million to nine religious broadcasters, including the the Dutch community’s Jewish broadcaster Joodse Omroep and RKK.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount