'Insights, Israel and the Middle East' – a new docuseries on TBN – ties history, prophecy to the modern successes of Israel

Israel is frequently front and center in the news, even more so lately. Soundbites and fleeting images tell the stories that seem to repeat themselves of wars – or rumors of wars – every few years.

But what is behind the headlines and soundbites? What is available for people who want to go deeper?

Introducing Trinity Broadcasting Network’s new documentary series: “Insights, Israel and the Middle East,” which offers a deeper look into the nation of Israel and the region. Season 1 premieres Thursday, May 27.

“My heart is to bring to the world a different side of Israel,” host of Insights, Samuel Smadja, told ALL ISRAEL NEWS. “Israel is a fulfillment of prophecy and there is another side to the country beside fighting with our neighbors.”

Smadja is the director of TBN Israel and the Middle East and the president of Sar-El Tours, which caters to Evangelical tourists visiting Israel.

He told us that this series is going to explore in depth the issues on the ground in the Holy Land. For instance, one episode will feature the ancient Christian communities that have preserved the holy sites for 2,000 years and another show is dedicated to the Samaritans, a small community of Jews who still keep the same biblical traditions as their ancestors.

“The idea is to present different perspectives and to get people to pray – not just for the needs of Israel – but to pray and to be excited about what God is doing for the Jewish people,” Smadja said. “If God kept his covenant with Israel, I believe he will keep his covenant – the new covenant – with all the Christians in the world.”

Insights will thread the needle through different events to show God’s hand and divine intervention throughout history – from ancient times to the modern era, Mati Shoshani, director of operations for TBN Israel, told us.

“You can’t really understand the news without understanding the bigger picture. News is cyclical in its nature – you repeat the same thing over and over again for years,” he said. “There are a lot of people who tell the news. We are here for a broader purpose: If we help people connect the dots, they can see beyond the headlines into the bigger scheme of things.”

Viewers of Insights will understand how Israel earned its nickname as the start-up nation and made headway in technology, energy, agriculture, archaeology and cyber security. They will meet the experts in these fields and see how in just 15 years Israel has leapt from being a second-world country to bridge an economic gap and now outpaces several European nations in GDP per capita.

“You can always argue or disagree about the big story, about the narrative, who is right, who is wrong,” Shoshani said. “But you only connect to the true facts when you speak to a person who has been through it.”

These are the stories behind the news. And, Smadja said, this is how Israel can be a light to the nations.

“We are a small country with statistically low chance to succeed, but when people see what has been done in Israel, they will conclude it is a miracle of God,” he said.

TBN, the world’s largest religious network, is dedicating Thursday nights to Israel. In addition to Insights, the line up includes The Watchman with Erick Stakelbeck and a series called Why Israel Matters.

The 13-episode Insights series will premiere on May 27 and can be viewed on TBN itself, the TBN application and later on YouTube in segments. Season 2 is already in production.