Dispatch from Jerusalem

Changing the Face of the Desert

Aryeh Schrieber has lived in Kibbutz Nirim in the northern Negev since 1950.  Now, aged 77, he has seen this part of the Negev Desert change from being one of the most arid regions in Israel to becoming a rich green, agricultural landscape. “When I came to live here sixty years ago, there was nothing growing. Today…there is almost a thousand acres of irrigated land producing all kinds of citrus fruits, potatoes, carrots, nuts as well as herds of dairy cows,” explains Schrieber with a twinkle in his eye. “Because of the many hours of sunshine, we are able to export all kinds of produce to Europe and Russia, particularly potatoes, because in winter in Europe and Russia, there is a local shortage of such vegetables. Not only that, our produce is of the highest quality.”

A Cancer Turn-off

{image_1}An Israeli researcher has identified a common fat molecule that functions like a “switch,” in that it can “switch on” cell growth in plants. Now he's suggesting that the same mechanism can “turn off” the process that leads to the growth of cancerous tumors.

Israel’s Secret New Weapon?

{image_1}Imagine what a battlefield will look like in the future: unmanned planes flying through the air, robots fighting, smart missiles hunting down targets. Now imagine that none of this can be detected on radar screens. It may sound fictional, but it's happening. An Israeli company, Nanoflight, is currently developing a special paint that makes drones, missiles, or war craft simply disappear—or they become very difficult to detect.

Protection from Underwater Threats

{image_1}Sharks and jellyfish aren't the only dangerous creatures in the sea. There are others, like terrorists, pirates, and industrial spies. Israel's DSIT Solutions is at the forefront of technology to detect trouble coming from the sea. Battling security threats from the ocean is a major headache for security services, maritime security being more of a challenge than its on-land counterpart. Israel is no stranger to maritime terrorism. There have been more than 80 attempts to attack Israel from the sea.

Introducing Potato Power

{image_1}Yissum Research Development Company Ltd. of Hebrew University has introduced a solid organic electric battery based upon treated potatoes. “The ability to provide electrical power with such simple and natural means could benefit millions of people in the developing world, literally bringing light and telecommunication…in areas currently lacking electrical infrastructure” said Yaacov Michlin, Yissum’s CEO. This cheap, easy-to-use green power source could substantially improve the quality of life of 1.6 billion people.

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.