The IDF launched its largest exercises in years Monday evening, kicking off a series of drills involving tens of thousands of soldiers, along with civilians disaster response and security agencies, meant to simulate a conflict with the Lebanese Shi’ite terror militia Hezbollah. The two-week exercises, which have been planned and scheduled for several months, will include simulated evacuations of civilians, missile strikes on civilian and military areas in the Galilee and defense against commando raids, among other scenarios.

The leaders of Jerusalem’s Catholic and Orthodox Churches issued a statement Monday lamenting what they described as a “systematic attempt to undermine the integrity of the Holy City of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and to weaken the Christian presence.”

Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev became the latest world leader to visit Jerusalem on Monday, telling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his country “stands with Israel in its fight against extremism and on behalf of world peace…we have cooperated on the level of security and the level of defense until now, and I know that we will increase this cooperation because it is in the interest of [both countries].” Zaev was accompanied in his visit by a large business delegation looking to make deals with their Israeli counterparts.

Israel’s Water Authority issued a report on Wednesday pointing to dangerously low levels in the Sea of Galilee following several years of below-average rainfall combined with high temperatures, which leads to higher levels of evaporation. Water levels in the Mountain Aquifer, which supplies much of central Israel, was also reported to be falling.

Lisa Moon, president and CEO of the Global Food-Banking Network (GFN), was in Israel this week to learn how Leket Israel has organized the “rescue” of tons of agricultural produce which would otherwise be destroyed for distribution to Israel’s poor and needy. “So far, the biggest takeaway for me is that Leket’s approach is really unique, because they focus on fresh fruits and vegetables and working with local producers and focusing on nutrition with the people they are serving and people in food banks all over the world,” Moon told the Jerusalem Post.

The democratic Jewish state of Israel defies revisionist historicism. It looks Muslim hate in the eye and although stirred, remains unshaken: Israel is here to stay.

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