2,000-year-old ritual cup found in Old City of Jerusalem - Aug 01, 2009

U.S. archaeologists have found an extremely rare 2,000-year-old limestone cup inscribed

with 10 lines of Aramaic or Hebrew script near the Zion Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Two lines of text on the limestone cup. The text isn’t eroded but researchers have been unable to decipher it; the inscription is deliberately cryptic. They do know it contains the Hebrew word for God.

The 10 lines of Aramaic or Hebrew script on the artifact is `unprecedented,` an archaeologist says. Researchers are not yet able to decipher it.

Anti-Obama Rally in Jerusalem

by Hillel Fendel

For the first time in years, the nationalist camp will hold a large scale rally against United States policies vis-à-vis Israel.

The protest will be held in downtown Jerusalem, on Agron St. on Monday evening, and is being organized by the Residents Committees of Binyamin and Samaria, as well as the nationalist umbrella organization Mateh Maamatz, the Yesha Council of Jewish Communities, and Komemiyut.

Knesset Members and others representing various parties, including the Likud, will speak.

“Not since the days of [U.S. Secretary of State Henry] Kissinger has there been such a protest against American policies,” said MK Yaakov Katz (Ketzaleh), chairman of the National Union party. “The pressure that Barack Hussein Obama is exerting against us to simply stop growing and stop living will not work.”

The Obama administration has made it clear that Israel must stop building of all types throughout Judea and Samaria (Yesha), as well as in parts of Israel’s capital city that were liberated during the Six Day War of 1967.

In addition, hints have been dropped that American action against Iran depends on a cessation of Israeli construction in Yesha.

No fewer than four top American officials are visiting Israel this week, presumably bringing uniform diplomatic messages in the above spirit from President Obama. The four are special U.S. envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, who landed in Israel on Sunday after a short visit in Damascus; Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who arrived on Monday and has already met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu; and National Security Advisor James Jones and White House Iranian affairs expert Dennis Ross who are scheduled to meet later in the week with Netanyahu.

The slogan for Monday’s demonstration, and the message to Obama and his envoys, is, "Yes to Israeli Independence, No to American Dictates!"

As Tisha B'Av Approaches,
Knesset Focuses on the Temple Mount

(IsraelNN.com) As Tisha B'Av, the annual day of mourning over the destruction of the Temple, approaches, Members of Knesset met to talk about the Temple, its role in Jewish life, and Israel's approach to the Temple Mount today.

Some Israelis Insulted By Obama Picture

Israeli TV newscasters Tuesday night interpreted a photo taken Monday in the Oval Office of President Obama talking on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an "insult" to Israel.

They saw the incident as somewhat akin to an incident last year, when the Iraqi reporter threw a shoe at President Bush in Baghdad.

It is considered an insult in the Arab world to show the sole of your shoe to someone. It is not a Jewish custom necessarily, but Israel feels enough a part of the Middle East after 60 years to be insulted too.

Was there a subliminal message intended from the White House to Netanyahu in Jerusalem, who is publicly resisting attempts by Mr. Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to force Israel to stop any kind of settlement activity in occupied territories once and forever?

Whether or not it is true, it shows the mood in Israel. They feel cornered. The reactions out of Israel reflect that feeling.
 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman have chosen Michael Oren as Israel's next ambassador to Washington. The cabinet is expected to approve the appointment before Netanyahu's visit to Washington on May 17.

Oren, who will replace Ehud Olmert's man, Sallai Meridor, arrived in Israel last week from the United States, where he teaches at Georgetown University. He held meetings on Thursday with the prime minister and Lieberman.

The appointment will be brought before the cabinet for approval next Sunday so Oren will be able to start work ahead of Netanyahu's visit to Washington.

Oren, 54, is a best-selling author on Israeli history; much of his research has centered on the Six-Day War. He is also a senior fellow at the Shalem Center, which is headed by former MK Natan Sharansky and funded by Sheldon Arison, a close friend of Netanyahu.

Oren is an erudite speaker; his appointment reflects the importance Netanyahu places on public relations in Washington and the U.S. media.