While the state of Israel has no written constitution, it does have a declaration of independence. The text went through numerous revisions as the founders of the Jewish state debated when to declare independence, what the new country would be called, whether or not its borders should be specified, and whether God should be mentioned in the declaration. (As a compromise on the last point, it included the ambiguous phrase “Rock of Israel.”) In a newly released online course, the historian and Mosaic contributor Martin Kramer tells this remarkable story. Click on the link below to register for the course, or watch the preview here.

Since the August 4 explosion in Beirut, Paris has sought to take an active role in helping its former colony’s recovery, and overseeing political reform. One major obstacle is Hizballah, which, in Matthew Levitt’s words, serves “as the militant defender of the corruption and cronyism of the current government system.” While France has historically been reluctant to confront the terrorist group, its president seems to be losing patience: