A Nation Held Hostage

{image_1} 1,552, 1,553, 1,554…the days keep counting forward, and Gilad Shalit’s captivity continues with them.

Oldest Document Ever Found in Jerusalem

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A tiny clay fragment, which contains the oldest written document ever found in Jerusalem, was found in excavations outside its Old City walls led by archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar. The 14^th-century BC find is believed to be part of a tablet from a royal archives, which testifies to the importance of Jerusalem as a major city in the Late Bronze Age long before its conquest by King David.

Hand Grenade Inside City Wall

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Although this wasn’t an ancient find, it was, indeed, an unusual one. The Israel Antiquities Authority conservation team working near Damascus Gate in Jerusalem was dismantling fragments of a crushed stone when they discovered a fist-size chunk of metal in the core of the wall.

Cuneiform Tablet Uncovered in Hazor

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For the first time in Israel, a document has been uncovered containing a law code that parallels portions of the famous 18^th-century BC Code of Hammurabi, which was found in Iran over 100 years ago. The Israel code, also dating to the 18–17^th centuries BC, was found in Hebrew University archaeological excavations this summer at Hazor in northern Israel. The fragments, written in Akkadian cuneiform script, refer to issues of personal injury law relating to slaves and masters. The laws also reflect, to a certain extent, biblical laws of the type of “a tooth for tooth.”

12th-century Fresco on Display

{image_1}After three years of renovation, the Israel Museum reopened the end of July, and a large, 12th-century fresco (wall painting) was displayed there for the first time since its discovery in 1999. It was found next to the Garden of Gethsemane in the “Abbey of St. Mary of the Valley of Jehoshaphat.” Because most of the abbey had been destroyed by the Muslim Sultan Saladin (c.1138–93), the excavators were surprised to find that the 9 x 2.7 meter (29.5 x 8.8 feet) painting had survived. The original height was nine meters, so only the bottom third remains.

New Iran Sanctions Praised

{image_1}In July, Israel welcomed the EU’s sanctions on Iran over their nuclear program, with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs calling the action a “significant step.” The Americans also expressed their approval, but the Russians were upset with the unilateral measure. The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office said the sanctions are stronger than previous United Nations’ measures and include restrictions on the Iranian oil and gas industries and new limitations on their finance, transport, and trade sectors.

Obama “Endorses” Israel’s Nuclear Stance

{image_1}US President Barack Obama took the initiative to indirectly reaffirm the Israeli policy of nuclear ambiguity during his July press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite signing on to a statement at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in May that called for Israel to join the NPT, a step that could force them to give up any nuclear weapons.

Hizbullah’s Deployment Revealed

{image_1}The Israeli Defense Forces [IDF] revealed in July aerial photographs of sites at the village of al-Khiam in southern Lebanon, where the IDF suspects Hizbullah is storing various weapons and even operating headquarters and control centers. Colonel Ronen Marley, commander of the western brigade at the northern border, commented, “An event can take place today, or a year from now; I am ready for it to happen by surprise.” [Less than a month later, sniper fire broke out across the border, killing an Israeli commander.]

From Esther’s Table?  Persian Rice

{image_1}Although the current leader of Iran speaks often of his hatred for the Jewish people, his country is home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the Diaspora (countries outside of Israel) with historical roots that reach back to the sixth century BC when the Southern Kingdom of Israel fell to Babylon. In 539 BC, King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylonia and issued a special decree allowing the Jewish exiles form his entire kingdom to return to Israel. This officially ended the first exile. It did not, however, mean the end of these Diaspora communities. Many Jews had become established in their new homes and chose to stay rather than return to an unknown and possibly hostile situation in Israel.

Large Natural Gas Source Discovered

{image_1}After a seismic survey, the new gas find, named Leviathan, is estimated to be nearly double the next largest gas find in Israel. According to a press release from Israel’s Delek Group, a partner with the American-based Noble Energy in the discovery, the recoverable natural gas in the Leviathan find is estimated to be about 16 trillion cubic feet (tcf), with a 50% probability of geologic success.

Tourism Spikes

{image_1}In June, the Tourism Ministry announced an all-time record high of tourists visiting Israel for the month of May—an increase of 33% over May 2009. It was the sixth consecutive record-breaking month this year! Tourism since the beginning of the year increased by 42% over last year and over 11% in 2008, which was Israel’s record year to date.

Israel Joins Exclusive Economic Group

{image_1}Earlier this year, Israel was invited, along with Slovenia and Estonia, to join the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an exclusive economic group now set to consist of 34 members ranging from Sweden to Mexico.