In the U.S., routine traffic stops occasionally lead to drug busts or the discovery of counterfeit merchandise. In Israel, they can lead police to Roman artifacts plundered by 2nd-century Jewish rebels. Sharon Wrobel reports:

The archaeological finds were discovered last week in the trunk of a vehicle stopped by police in Jerusalem’s Musrara neighborhood after driving in the wrong direction up a one-way street. Experts at the Israel Antiquities Authority believe that the items were looted from a hidden complex in the Judean foothills that served as a refuge during the Bar Kokhba revolt in 132-136 CE.

Among the discoveries were two ornate, 2,000-year-old bronze censers used to burn ritual incense, which likely belonged to affluent Roman houses and temples. A bronze jug with a depiction of a Roman banqueting scene showing a reclining figure holding a jug of wine was also recovered. Other illicit finds include an ornate stone tripod bowl, Roman clay lamps, and hundreds of coins dating from the late Roman period.

Bronze artifacts are relatively rare finds in Israel as the metal was an expensive commodity, often melted down for reuse. Ancient bronze recoveries are usually discovered at archaeological sites where they were deliberately hidden, or in hiding complexes used after battle during the Bar Kokhba revolt, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Considering the current state of Israel-Arab relations, Ghaith al-Omari writes

First and foremost, no ceasefire will be possible without the release of Israeli hostages and commitments to disarm Hamas and remove it from power. The final say on these matters rests with Hamas commanders on the ground in Gaza, who have been largely impervious to foreign pressure so far. At minimum, however, the United States should insist that Qatari and Egyptian mediators push Hamas’s external leadership to accept these conditions publicly, which could increase pressure on the group’s Gaza leadership.

Washington should also demand a clear, public position from key Arab states regarding disarmament. The Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas endorsed this position in a June letter to Saudi Arabia and France, giving Arab states Palestinian cover for endorsing it themselves.

Some Arab states have already indicated a willingness to play a significant role, but they will have little incentive to commit resources and personnel to Gaza unless Israel (1) provides guarantees that it will not occupy the Strip indefinitely, and (2) removes its veto on a PA role in Gaza’s future, even if only symbolic at first. Arab officials are also seeking assurances that any role they play in Gaza will be in the context of a wider effort to reach a two-state solution.

On the other hand, Washington must remain mindful that current conditions between Israel and the Palestinians are not remotely conducive to . . . implementing a two-state solution.