Archeologists digging around the site of ancient Lachish, mentioned as having been destroyed by an Israelite army in Joshua 10:31-32, have uncovered the remains of a Canaanite temple along with many other artifacts. The team was led by Hebrew University’s Prof. Yosef Garfinkel and Prof. Michael Hasel from Southern Adventist University in Tennessee. Garfinkel told the Jerusalem Post that the dig had uncovered remains which help fortify the Biblical accounts of the city’s ancient history.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced this week that 12 Israeli citizens aboard the “Diamond Princess” cruise ship, quarantined for several days in Japan after the coronavirus was discovered on board,  will return to Israel on Thursday and spend several days in medical quarantine before being allowed to return to their homes. In related news, Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri announced on Monday evening that travelers from several countries in Southeast-Asia would not be allowed to enter the country unless they were Israeli citizens, and those citizens allowed to enter would be rigorously screened and possibly quarantined.

Israel’s Ministry of Defense announced this week that it has, in consultation with the Treasury and Israel Lands Authority, agreed to a schedule for moving several large IDF bases out of the center of the country to the largely empty Negev Desert in the south. The move has been anticipated for years, with developers eager to begin buying up the soon-to-be-available tracks of land for the purpose of building housing, schools, businesses and other civilian infrastructure.

Fans of Israel’s professional basketball league had a lot to cheer about this week as their favorite teams played several games in preparation for the break during which Israel’s national team will begin to plauy in EuroBasket 2021. Hapoel Jerusalem will be sending several players to the national squad after winning their first State Cup title in several years earlier this month.

Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett addressed the New Tech conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, saying among other things that “we are identifying initial signs of loosening and recalculation by Iran regarding its plans in Syria. We just started and we will increase. We will go from a defensive concept to an offensive concept – weakening, tiring and erasing the octopus’s head by weakening its tentacles. For us, Syria is not only a threat but also an opportunity. They send forces there and try to exhaust us, but we can turn the downside into an advantage. We have intelligence and operational superiority, and we are telling Iran clearly: ‘Get out of Syria. You have nothing to look for there.’”

The consistent and enduring Palestinian rejection of any and all peace initiatives with Israel, most recently the “Deal of the Century,” calls into question the commitment of the Palestinian leadership not only to peace but to the very welfare and safety of the Palestinian people.

The radio announcement by Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, declaring the establishment of the State of Israel was heard by thousands across the globe. Relive this historic moment by listening to the original broadcast. (Press “CC” for Subtitles)

What would happen if every morning, wherever the sun rose, people began their day passionately seeking the heart of God in prayer? What would happen if this wave of prayer circled the earth, covering all 24 time zones, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Join the PrayerWave today and witness God move waters into powerful waves that will impact Israel and the world with the Kingdom of Heaven!