In 2009, archaeologists in Tiberias discovered a large basalt door with a seven-branched menorah carved into it. Although the style of the door and the carving were typical of Jewish tombs built between the 2nd and 4th centuries CE, the carving became part of a staircase in a complex built much later by Crusaders. Now the archaeologists have a theory of how it got there, writes Amanda Borschel-Dan:

Following the Muslim conquest in 635 CE, [Tiberias] became a seat for the early caliphate. It was during this period, said the excavation’s leader Katya Tzitrin Silverman, that the menorah door was reused as the base of a mosque, which was built on an earlier mosque. . . . [I]t is clear that the use of this door by the Muslims in building a mosque was highly intentional. The mosque, she said, also contained reused pagan and Christian pillars, which were put on display as corner pieces.

These materials taken for intentional secondary use are called “spolia.” . . . They are trophies, a way of clearly stating, “We’re building our structure on the backs of those who came before us,” [Silverman] said. “There is an expression of victory and inheritance” in their use, she said.

Interestingly . . . there was a church located next to the mosque which used the spolia. According to an inscription found at the church’s nave, it was still in use until at least the 10th century.

The mosque that was built upon the menorah was destroyed in an earthquake in 1068. Subsequently, its building materials were reused by the Crusaders and so the menorah became the decoration for a staircase in a room in a sugar factory.

Between December 27 and January 6, terrorists in Gaza fired rockets at Israel almost every night. On Monday, one rocket struck a home in the much-bombarded town of Sderot, although no one was injured. The rocket fire had largely halted last spring, and for some time barrages were often the result of Israeli forces closing in a Hamas unit or munitions depot. But the truth—which gives credence to Ran Baratz’s argument in his January essay that the IDF is struggling to accomplish its mission—is that Hamas has been able to rebuild. Yoni Ben Menachem writes that the jihadist group has been “producing hundreds of new rockets using lathes smuggled into tunnels that remain operational in Gaza.” Moreover, it has been replenishing its ranks:

According to Israeli security officials, Hamas has recruited approximately 4,000 new fighters over the past month. This rapid expansion bolsters its fighting capabilities and complicates Israel’s efforts to apply military pressure on Hamas to expedite a hostage deal. Hamas’s military recovery has allowed it to prolong its war of attrition against the IDF and adopt tougher stances in hostage negotiations. The funds for this recruitment effort are reportedly from the sale of humanitarian-aid packages, which Hamas forcibly seizes and resells in Gaza’s markets.

In fact, Ben Menachem writes, Hamas’s rocket fire is part of the same strategy:

By firing rockets, Hamas seeks to demonstrate its resilience and operational capability despite the IDF’s prolonged offensive. This message is aimed at both Gaza’s residents and the Israeli public, underscoring that Hamas remains a significant force even after enduring heavy losses [and] that Israel cannot easily occupy this region, currently a focal point of IDF operations.