Restored: an Ancient Road to the Temple

Dec. 28 2016

At a ceremony in the part of Jerusalem known as the City of David, a group of prominent Israelis announced the official reopening of an ancient road leading to the Second Temple, discovered in recent archaeological excavations and then restored. Daniel Eisenbud writes:

As rain and sleet poured down, the Sephardi chief rabbi Shlomo Amar, the culture and sport minister Miri Regev, and the mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat stood together several meters under the Givati parking lot in Silwan to light a large silver menorah at the end of the ancient road. . . .

Listening intently as they sat on makeshift wooden benches a few meters away with several members of Knesset were the three Israeli paratroopers immortalized in the iconic 1967 photograph of the liberation of the Western Wall. . . .

The approximately 50-meter roadway, built near the Herodian Pool of Siloam, where pilgrims once immersed themselves [in preparation for visiting the Temple], begins south of the City of David and ends at the foot of the Western Wall’s Robinson’s Arch.

Read more at Jerusalem Post

More about: Archaeology, History & Ideas, Jerusalem, Second Temple

What’s Behind Hamas’s Threat to Stall the Release of Hostages, and How Israel Should Respond

Feb. 12 2025

Hamas declared yesterday that it won’t release more hostages “until further notice.” Given the timing and wording of the announcement—several days before the release was supposed to take place, and speaking of a delay rather than a halt—Ron Ben-Yishai concludes that it is a negotiating tactic, aimed at “creating a temporary crisis to gain leverage.” Therefore, writes Ben-Yishai, “Hamas may reverse its decision by Saturday.” He adds:

Israel cannot afford to concede to Hamas’s demands beyond what is already outlined in the agreement, as doing so would invite continuous extortion throughout the negotiation process, further delaying hostage releases.

The group sees the public outrage and growing calls for action following the release of hostages in severe medical condition as an opportunity to extract more concessions. These demands include not only a rapid start to negotiations on the next phase of the deal and an end to the war but also smaller, immediate benefits, particularly improved conditions for displaced Gazans.

Beyond these tactical objectives, Hamas has another goal—one that Israelis do not always recognize: inflicting psychological pain on the Israeli public. The group benefits from, and perhaps even draws strength from, the anguish and emotional distress in Israel, as well as the testimonies of freed hostages detailing the abuse they endured. Hamas wants these stories to be heard—not only to pressure the Israeli government but also because, in the eyes of its supporters, Israel’s suffering is its ultimate victory.

Read more at Ynet

More about: Gaza War 2023, Hamas, Israeli Security