Archaeologists working in the Israeli city of Lod recently discovered a Roman-style mansion with elaborate mosaics that clearly belonged to a wealthy family. Ruth Schuster writes:

The archaeological find indicates the house survived in one form or another from the [beginning of the] Roman era—the 1st century CE—to the late-Roman era, around the late-3rd century or early-4th century. Based on other Roman-era homes found in the area, which also had mosaic decorations, it appears that this luxurious [home] had been in the elite neighborhood of Roman-era Lod. The Israel Antiquities Authority excavators also found Roman-era coins, ceramics, and marbles, as well as other signs of luxury such as fragments from frescoes typical of the finer houses of Rome itself. . . .

The [most prominent of the] newfound mosaics depicts nothing but animals and nature. No people. But it has a motif of three fish in the middle. . . . [It’s possible] that the inhabitants had been Jews who eschewed the human figures in art due to a biblical prohibition. Or maybe the house belonged to early Christians, [as fish are an ancient Christian symbol], but no other artifacts typical of the Christian faith have been discovered there. . . . Or maybe the owners were pagans. . . .

The [other] Lod mosaics were first found in 1996. In what’s becoming a cliché in Israeli archaeology, the initial discovery was made by construction workers, in this case building a sewage system, supervised—as is the norm in Israel—by archaeologists. . . . Eventually [the mosaic] will presumably be housed in the future Lod archaeological museum, . . . which is being built directly next to where it had been found in the first place.

On Tuesday, representatives of Hamas met with their counterparts from Fatah—the faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) once led by Yasir Arafat that now governs parts of the West Bank—in Beijing to discuss possible reconciliation. While it is unlikely that these talks will yield any more progress than the many previous rounds, they constitute a significant step in China’s increasing attempts to involve itself in the Middle East on the side of Israel’s enemies.

By contrast, writes Tuvia Gering, Taiwan has been quick and consistent in its condemnations of Hamas and Iran and its expressions of sympathy with Israel:

Support from Taipei goes beyond words. Taiwan’s appointee in Tel Aviv and de-facto ambassador, Abby Lee, has been busy aiding hostage families, adopting the most affected kibbutzim in southern Israel, and volunteering with farmers. Taiwan recently pledged more than half a million dollars to Israel for critical initiatives, including medical and communications supplies for local municipalities. This follows earlier aid from Taiwan to an organization helping Israeli soldiers and families immediately after the October 7 attack.

The reasons why are not hard to fathom:

In many ways, Taiwan sees a reflection of itself in Israel—two vibrant democracies facing threats from hostile neighbors. Both nations wield substantial economic and technological prowess, and both heavily depend on U.S. military exports and diplomacy. Taipei also sees Israel as a “role model” for what Taiwan should aspire to be, citing its unwavering determination and capabilities to defend itself.

On a deeper level, Taiwanese leaders seem to view Israel’s war with Hamas and Iran as an extension of a greater struggle between democracy and autocracy.

Gering urges Israel to reciprocate these expressions of friendship and to take into account that “China has been going above and beyond to demonize the Jewish state in international forums.” Above all, he writes, Jerusalem should “take a firmer stance against China’s support for Hamas and Iran-backed terrorism, exposing the hypocrisy and repression that underpin its vision for a new global order.”