In one of the most stunning archaeological discoveries in decades, a pottery shard with the earliest known Hebrew text has been found in an ancient city near the site where the biblical narrative says David slew Goliath. The 3,000-year old find predates the Dead Sea Scrolls by 1,000 years and may provide proof of the existence of the United Monarchy of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel under King David.
Prof. Yosef Garfinkel, the Yigal Yadin Professor of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is leading the excavations at the Elah Fortress site southwest of Jerusalem, the earliest known fortified city of the biblical period in Israel. I received this press release below directly from the Hebrew University. Please contact them for further information and photos of this electrifying new discovery.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
ISRAELI ELECTIONS CALLED
Tzipi Livni, the foreign minister of Israel and head of the centrist Kadima Party, officially asked President Shimon Peres to declare early elections on Sunday.
Peres had tasked Livni with forming a new government last month, after she won a primary to lead the centrist Kadima party.
Now, following the breakdown of talks with potential coalition partners, Peres can either ask another Knesset member to try to compile a majority coalition, or announce general elections.
Analysts agreed that the latter is more likely, and Livni urged Peres to call elections as quickly as possible.
"This is the hour in which the Israeli parliament and the political establishment are obligated to do some deep soul-searching," Peres said in his speech to open the current session of the Knesset. "In the coming days, Israel will enter an election period.... The upcoming elections are an opportunity to raise the foundation of Israel and to alleviate its various weaknesses."
Peres had tasked Livni with forming a new government last month, after she won a primary to lead the centrist Kadima party.
Now, following the breakdown of talks with potential coalition partners, Peres can either ask another Knesset member to try to compile a majority coalition, or announce general elections.
Analysts agreed that the latter is more likely, and Livni urged Peres to call elections as quickly as possible.
"This is the hour in which the Israeli parliament and the political establishment are obligated to do some deep soul-searching," Peres said in his speech to open the current session of the Knesset. "In the coming days, Israel will enter an election period.... The upcoming elections are an opportunity to raise the foundation of Israel and to alleviate its various weaknesses."
Monday, October 27, 2008
ISRAEL PRAISES UN CALL FOR HIZBULLAH TO BE DISBANDED
Israel has welcomed a fresh call from United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for Hizbullah to be disbanded.
"If Lebanon is a sovereign state with an army, it must have a monopoly over power and the situation where Lebanese political parties have armies is totally unacceptable," an Israeli Foreign Ministry official told The Jerusalem Post.
Ban said he was encouraged by the recent establishment of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria, but called on the two countries to take further steps to improve security along the border. He said that Lebanon would not be a fully sovereign state until Hizbullah and other armed groups were disbanded. UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Hizbullah-Israel war, called for the dismantling of all militias in Lebanon.
The foreign ministers of Syria and Lebanon signed a document last week formalizing diplomatic ties between the two countries for the first time in their turbulent history. Syrian nationalists claim that Lebanon is really part of Syria.
"If Lebanon is a sovereign state with an army, it must have a monopoly over power and the situation where Lebanese political parties have armies is totally unacceptable," an Israeli Foreign Ministry official told The Jerusalem Post.
Ban said he was encouraged by the recent establishment of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria, but called on the two countries to take further steps to improve security along the border. He said that Lebanon would not be a fully sovereign state until Hizbullah and other armed groups were disbanded. UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Hizbullah-Israel war, called for the dismantling of all militias in Lebanon.
The foreign ministers of Syria and Lebanon signed a document last week formalizing diplomatic ties between the two countries for the first time in their turbulent history. Syrian nationalists claim that Lebanon is really part of Syria.
LIVNI: "TOMORROW MARKS LAST CHANCE TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT"
Israel's prime minister-designate, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, says if there is no agreement on a new working coalition by tomorrow (Sunday) she will ask President Shimon Peres to call a general election instead. Livni has been unable to persuade the religious Shas party to enter a new coalition government. She has rejected demands by Shas to pump tens of millions of dollars into the religious education budget. Shas is the fourth largest party in the Knesset and part of the departing government.
Livni is trying to replace outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as head of the government midway through its term without the need to call a general election. Polls indicate that if an election were held now, the opposition Likud would likely emerge as the biggest party. For the time being, Olmert remains as Israel's caretaker prime minister.
Livni is trying to replace outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as head of the government midway through its term without the need to call a general election. Polls indicate that if an election were held now, the opposition Likud would likely emerge as the biggest party. For the time being, Olmert remains as Israel's caretaker prime minister.
"SIR SHIMON PERES"
Israeli president Shimon Peres is expected to be knighted by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II when he visits the UK next month. It is rare for Britain to bestow this honor of non-British nationals. Past recipients have included former American president "Sir Ronald Regan," U2's lead singer "Sir Bono," and Microsoft founder "Sir Bill Gates."
As noted on this email list in 2006, the Nobel laureate, human rights campaigner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel was also knighted. Foreign citizens who receive honorary knighthoods do not in fact have the right to call themselves "Sir".
The other highlight of Peres' visit, which begins on November 18, will be a speech before both houses of the British Parliament (the House of Lords and the House of Commons). Peres will also deliver an address at Oxford University, where he is expected to urge the leading lights of British academia to lift the unofficial academic boycott placed on Israeli institutions.
As noted on this email list in 2006, the Nobel laureate, human rights campaigner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel was also knighted. Foreign citizens who receive honorary knighthoods do not in fact have the right to call themselves "Sir".
The other highlight of Peres' visit, which begins on November 18, will be a speech before both houses of the British Parliament (the House of Lords and the House of Commons). Peres will also deliver an address at Oxford University, where he is expected to urge the leading lights of British academia to lift the unofficial academic boycott placed on Israeli institutions.
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