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Earlier this month, the Church of Scotland issued a report titled "The Inheritance of Abraham? A Report on the 'Promised Land.'" The essence of the report is that according to the Bible, Jews have no more attachment to the land of Israel than anyone else. Hence "promised land" is in quotation marks in the report's title -- because there is no promised land. In the report's words: "The New Testament contains a radical re-interpretation of the concepts of 'Israel,' 'temple,' 'Jerusalem' and 'land.' When the Bible mentions 'Israel,' it does not mean Israel; when it says 'temple,' the Bible does...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vA6cCGo_ASE

ROME, April 30 (UPI) -- Israeli President Shimon Peres met with Pope Francis in the Vatican Tuesday, inviting him to Israel and seeking help restarting the Palestinian peace process. Peres told Francis he has a unique and potentially very helpful role in restarting the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians, Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported. "The citizens of Israel see in you a leader of peace and good will," Peres said. "The sooner you visit the better, as in these days a new opportunity is being created for peace and your arrival could contribute significantly to increasing the trust and belief...

JERUSALEM – An ancient limestone tablet covered with a mysterious Hebrew text that features the archangel Gabriel is at the center of a new exhibit in Jerusalem, even as scholars continue to argue about what it means. The so-called Gabriel Stone, a meter (three-foot)-tall tablet said to have been found 13 years ago on the banks of the Dead Sea, features 87 lines of an unknown prophetic text dated as early as the first century BC, at the time of the Second Jewish Temple.

As Independence Day celebrations were winding down Tuesday night, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made a guest appearance on Channel 2's left-wing satire show Eretz Nehederet. One of the final questions that the show's host Eyal Kitzis asked the premier was how he would like to be remembered after he leaves office. Netanyahu thought a moment and said, "I'd like to be remembered as the leader who preserved Israel's security." On the face of it, Netanyahu's stated aspiration might seem dull. In a year he'll be the longest-serving prime minister in the state's history, and all he wants is to...

The Palestinian Authority is fuming after Canada’s Foreign Minister, John Baird, met Israel’s Justice Minister Tzipi Livni in her eastern Jerusalem office this week. Such a move is normally avoided by visiting diplomats since world countries do not recognize Israel’s sovereignty over eastern Jerusalem, which it liberated during the 1967 Six Day War. "The visit is a slap in the face to the Palestinian people," former Palestinian Authority foreign minister Nabil Shaath wrote in a commentary published by Canada's daily Globe and Mail on Friday.

After his trip to Israel, it is clear that President Obama’s strategy in regard to Israel has changed but his goal remains the same. He is still trying to convince the Israelis to take suicidal risks and agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state in the pre-1967 borders, which includes dividing Jerusalem.It is true that we are a nation that feels isolated, unaccepted, and hated in our neighborhood and are condemned and boycotted almost daily by the world. But are we so psychologically damaged and insecure as a people that after one speech and two days of flattery, adoration...

Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmud Abbas signed an agreement on Sunday confirming their “common goal to defending” Jerusalem and their opposition to efforts to “Judaize” the eternal capital of Israel. Palestinian Authority Religious Affairs Minister Mahmoud al-Habash said the agreement confirmed Jordan’s role as protector of the city’s holy sites and “Palestinian sovereignty over all of Palestine, including its capital East Jerusalem,” the Ma’an news agency reported. …

Now that the applause has died down from President Barack Obama’s address to students in Jerusalem, Members of Knesset are coming out with their criticisms, with one lawmaker calling Obama’s speech “offensive to Netanyahu” and another saying it contained “filth.” That’s no surprise, considering that in his speech, Obama encouraged the Israeli students to push their political leaders to “take risks” for peace. This, even though the Israeli public went to the polls only two months ago to democratically elect their leaders.

Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas welcomed President Barack Obama’s speech in Jerusalem on Thursday, while Hamas condemned Obama for “adopting Israel’s position”. "President Abbas welcomed President Obama's speech in Jerusalem saying that achieving peace and the option of two states on the 1967 borders are the way to bring security for the Israeli and Palestinian peoples," the PA’s peace negotiator Saeb Erekat told AFP. Gaza’s Hamas terrorist leaders, meanwhile, criticized Obama and condemned Abbas’s Palestinian Authority for cooperating with the U.S. government. Referring to comments made by Obama during a joint press conference with Abbas in Ramallah, Hamas spokesman Sami...

U.S. President Barack Obama addressed a young audience in Jerusalem Thursday afternoon with a message that some will see as inspiring, and others as incitement. He began by reassuring Israelis that they have the full support of the United States of America. "Those who reject Israel's right to exist," he said, "may as well reject the earth under their feet or the sky above, because Israel is not going anywhere. And today I want to tell you – particularly the young people – so long as there is a United States of America, atem lo levad. You are not alone."...

Behind the bonhomie evident between President Obama and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Wednesday, the Israeli leader delicately reminded his guest about Israel’s three millennia-old claim to the city he is visiting. During a joint press conference at the prime minister’s residence, Netanyahu opened his remarks by telling Obama, “it’s a great pleasure to host you here in Jerusalem.” He concluded them several minutes later with the words, “It’s a profound honor to host you, the leader of the free world, at this historic time in our ancient capital. Mr. President. Welcome to Israel, welcome to Jerusalem.” …...

TEL AVIV – The White House has released what it says is a map of Israel. The only problem is that Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the Golan Heights are missing. An Obama administration video highlighting the president’s plans for his Mideast trip depicts Jerusalem, the Golan and the West Bank – also known as Judea and Samaria – as non-Israeli territory.

Last year, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney attacked the Democratic convention platform for its “shameful” decision to omit a reference to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. But in a sign of how U.S. politics have changed in 40 years, President Richard Nixon complained in 1972 of the Democrats’ “dishonest” platform language declaring the city Israel’s capital. Nixon’s national security adviser, Henry Kissinger, agreed with his condemnation during a previously unreported taped conversation from June 29, 1972. “To make Jerusalem the capital of Israel is not the platform of a major American national party,” Henry Kissinger told Nixon. “That is...

The Jerusalem Magistrates’ Court has rejected a request from police to keep a high school student in jail after he came under suspicion in an attack. Police argued that if the student were released, he could tamper with evidence. The student is one of multiple Jewish teens arrested after a Jewish boy threw rocks at an Arab teacher two weeks ago in Jerusalem. Attorney Itamar Ben-Gvir accused the Jerusalem Police of being motivated solely by a desire to appeal to the media. “There is no logic in arresting a suspect two weeks after the alleged offense and then requesting a...

The map of the Middle East displayed in an Obama administration video released days before President Barack Obama’s visit to Israel shows the Jewish state dispossessed of substantial parts of its current territory, including its capital. The map of Israel, displayed repeatedly during the video, shows the Golan Heights, Jerusalem, northern Israel, and areas surrounding what is currently the West Bank as non-Israeli territory. The Golan Heights is shown as part of Syria; Jerusalem is shown as part of the West Bank; and northern Israel is shown as part of Lebanon. The itinerary on the White House website also implies...

US officials overseeing preparations for next week’s visit to Israel by President Barack Obama were alarmed to see that hundreds of American flags displayed along the main highway approaching Jerusalem were suspended upside down. The flags, hanging from poles attached to streetlamps along the road, had the stars toward the base of the flag pole, Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Thursday. Workers raised thousands of flags on streetlamps in and around the capital along routes that the president will take during his three-day visit, which begins on Wednesday next week. A Jerusalem Municipality official in charge of maintenance explained that the...

According to Ynetnews.com, Jerusalem and Washington have set the itinerary for President Barack Obama visit to Israel as follows: Obama is scheduled to land in Ben Gurion International Airport around noon on Wednesday, March 20. He will be welcomed by a State reception which will include speeches by President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and by the American president himself. Obama will then fly to Jerusalem directly to Peres' residence where he'll again be ceremoniously received. He will continue with Peres and Netanyahu to Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, where he will lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance....

>>> An initiative by Jerusalem's Mayor Nir Barkat intends to take advantage of the wide coverage to unleash a public relations barrage and to present to them "Jerusalem's other side." According to the plan, journalists will be taken on tours around Jerusalem and will visit the main historical sites, such as City of David and the Western Wall Tunnel. They will also be taken to an Israel Museum's exhibition about King Herod and to the Ice City, where they will see a custom built ice sculptor in Obama's image. <<<

A controversial soccer game between a Jerusalem team and a team from Um el-Fahm ended Tuesday night without incident, with the Jerusalem team winning 5-0. The game was played under the watchful eye of some 600 police officers, who were equipped with anti-riot gear on the possibility that tensions could mount between Jewish fans of Beitar Jerusalem and Maccabee Um el-Fahm. In a game last week, Beitar fans protested against the possibility that their team was rumored to be considering signing two Muslim Chechen players, with fans calling out racist slogans against Arabs. Three Beitar fans were arrested. Beitar initially...

TEL AVIV – Now that he has secured his second term, President Barack Obama has already secretly pledged to the Palestinians he will press Israel into a new round of so-called land-for-peace negotiations, a top Palestinian Authority negotiator told KleinOnline. The negotiator said top members of the Obama administration told the Palestinians the U.S. president will renew talks aimed at creating a Palestinian state in the so-called 1967 borders – meaning in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and, notably, eastern Jerusalem. The negotiator further revealed when it comes to dividing Jerusalem, Obama wants to rehash what is known as the...

The hareidi-religious Yahadut Hatorah (Gimmel) party won a plurality in the elections in the city of Jerusalem. The party won 22.34% of the vote. Likud Beytenu was in second place with 20.51%, Shas was third with 15.73%, Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home) was fourth with 11.77%, and Yesh Atid was fifth with 6.86%.

It is “none of our business” whether Israel builds new neighborhoods in east Jerusalem or withdraws from the Golan Heights, and the US should not tell Israel how to defend itself, US Sen. (RKentucky) said on Saturday night at the end of a week-long visit to the country. Paul, a maverick libertarian senator known for his advocacy of slashing US foreign aid, said at a press briefing that the issue of cutting aid to Israel – something he advocates as part of a gradual process – did not come up during his meetings with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu or President...

A disturbing video began circulating on Facebook Saturday evening. It shows a group of about 20 Arabs ganging up on two helpless Hareidi Jews, kicking one of them, hurling snowballs in their faces and humiliating them. At one point, one of the Jews falls to the ground, apparently slipping on the ice as he is chased up some steps. Video The attack apparently took place near Shechem Gate. The Jews were most likely on their way back from praying at the Kotel. Border Police who are usually stationed in the area are nowhere to be seen. ..... More video Arab...

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has ordered security forces to immediately evacuate the Arabs who have gathered in the area between Maale Adumim and Jerusalem, known as E1. To this end, the State said it would, on Saturday evening, request that the High Court of Justice rescind the injunction that it had issued, which is delaying the evacuation. Until the High Court responds to the State's motion, the Prime Minister has ordered the closure of access roads to the area in order to prevent gatherings. At this stage, the area has been declared a closed military zone and IDF forces have...

Biggest snowstorm since 1992 pounds capital, paralyzing transportation and bringing more than 20 cm of precipitation. Thursday’s “storm of the decade” provided the requisite shots for the rare winter storm in Jerusalem: haredim praying at the Western Wall, snow clinging to their black hats. President Shimon Peres built a snowman, and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was pummeled from the right and the left – with snowballs. But no one could have prepared Jerusalemites for the sheer amount of snow that fell early on Thursday morning. At the peak of the snow, children trampled through more than 20 centimeters of fresh...

The archeological proof of the existence of St. Peters tomb under St. Peters basilica in Rome. "Nero...publicly announcing himself as the first among God's chief enemies, he was led on to the slaughter of the apostles. It is, therefore, recorded that Paul was beheaded in Rome itself, and that Peter likewise was crucified under Nero. This account of Peter and Paul is substantiated by the fact that their names are preserved in the cemeteries of that place even to the present day. It is confirmed likewise by Caius, a member of the Church, who arose under Zephyrinus, bishop of Rome...

In another stunning archaeological discovery,Hollywood director and self proclaimed Jesus expert, James cameron uncovers facts dispelling the notion that Jesus was a carpenter.James Cameron states: "I never doubted that Jesus lived, but there is no shred of evidence that he was really a carpenter. This latest find proves that Jesus was actually a shop owner that sold alcohol, tobacco and girlie magazines"

Brace yourself. James Cameron, the man who brought you 'The Titanic' is back with another blockbuster. This time, the ship he's sinking is Christianity. In a new documentary, Producer Cameron and his director, Simcha Jacobovici, make the starting claim that Jesus wasn't resurrected --the cornerstone of Christian faith-- and that his burial cave was discovered near Jerusalem. And, get this, Jesus sired a son with Mary Magdelene. No, it's not a re-make of "The Da Vinci Codes'. It's supposed to be true.

John Robson The Ottawa Citizen Friday, March 02, 2007 Well, it's Lent, when Jesus-debunking news stories rise from the dead. This time it's a tomb with the whole family gathered, including his wife and kid. Unless it's just the dusty bones of decency and good sense in those boxes. In a way it's a backhanded tribute that, to the modern mind, Christianity is like a train wreck: gruesome, but they can't look away. Newspapers don't greet major Buddhist festivals with claims that Siddhartha Gautama was a cokehead, or open Ramadan by saying Mohammed was -- (do NOT fill in this...

Jesus Burial Tomb? Recently, questions have been raised regarding the historicity of the death and resurrection of Jesus. These issues emerged from the directorial genius of James Cameron and is entitled, "The Lost Tomb of Jesus." This new Hollywood-quality documentary is set to air March 4th, 2007 on the Discovery Channel. However, this documentary is poorly supported by the historical and scientific data, regardless of how well the film has been made. Good TV, Bad History & Science "[The Lost Tomb of Jesus] will make good TV but involves a bad critical reading of history. Basically, this is old news...

This week “Titanic” director James Cameron and Canadian television director, Simcha Jacobovici stood proudly at the New York City library to announce the release of a new book and documentary called “The Tomb of Jesus.” They claim to have uncovered the remains of Jesus and his family, including Mary Magdalene, (Jesus’ supposed wife) and their child, Judah. If he were honest, this is what Mr. Cameron would have said to the press: “My dearest friends in the media, Thank you for being here. I must admit, I am pleasantly surprised so many of you have come. Our public relations company...

A scholar looking into the factual basis of a popular but widely criticized documentary that claims to have located the tomb of Jesus said Tuesday that a crucial piece of evidence filmmakers used to support their claim is a mistake. Stephen Pfann, a textual scholar and paleographer at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, said he has released a paper claiming the makers of "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" were mistaken when they identified an ancient ossuary from the cave as belonging to the New Testament's Mary Magdalene. The film's director, Simcha Jacobovici, responded that other researchers agreed...

By Luis Sergio Solimeo It just does not stop. Following in the footsteps of The Da Vinci Code, the Gnostic offensive against Christianity is forging ahead with new pretexts, and, once again, with massive media coverage. The New Onslaught: Archeological FictionThis time, it is not a pseudo-historic novel,1 but a pseudo-scientific Discovery Channel documentary, titled: The Lost Tomb of Jesus, which was directed by James Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici.  The two are well-suited for the task.  Mr. Cameron is a science fiction2 fan, while Mr. Jacobovici could be considered an archeological fiction aficionado. Four years ago, he produced another...

Roman Catholics in the metropolis Friday called off their protest against the proposed screening of a controversial documentary on Jesus Christ after broadcaster Discovery Channel decided not to telecast the programme in India. The Catholics in the city had earlier sprung into action against the worldwide premiere 'The Lost Tomb of Jesus' that claims to show the burial place of Jesus challenging the basic tenets the Christian faith. 'The Lost Tomb of Jesus' is a feature documentary, directed by Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici and produced by Oscar-winning director James Cameron of the 'Titanic' fame, Flex Golubev and Ric...

We saw the documentary yesterday thanks to an advance copy from The Discovery Channel, and our Amy has read the book released in conjunction. We've seen all their evidence. Simcha Jacobivici, the documentarian, has been saying in interviews that they’re just connecting the dots. I’d say it’s more like first arranging the dots to get a certain picture and then connecting them. Their reasons for arranging the dots in their particular order is full of speculation at each step. They tell a coherent and affecting story to account for the information, but there’s no rationale for why that story is...

"Simcha, if what you're purporting here is true, not as a pun, is this the end of the Easter Bunny?"

Several prominent scholars who were interviewed in a bitterly contested documentary that suggests that Jesus and his family members were buried in a nondescript ancient Jerusalem burial cave have now revised their conclusions, including the statistician who claimed that the odds were 600:1 in favor of the tomb being the family burial cave of Jesus of Nazareth, a new study on the fallout from the popular documentary shows. The dramatic clarifications, compiled by epigrapher Stephen Pfann of the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem in a paper titled "Cracks in the Foundation: How the Lost Tomb of Jesus story...

The Lost Tomb of Jesus on the Discovery Channel was followed up by a panel discussion moderated by Ted Koppel. Koppel and two professors who are not affiliated with the documentary totally eviscerated the director of the film and one of his consultants. Koppel seemed particularly offended by the film maker's claims of being a journalist. If you get the chance to see this review of the documentary, watch it. It is very funny.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Archaeologists and clergymen in the Holy Land derided claims in a new documentary produced by the Oscar-winning director James Cameron that contradict major Christian tenets. “The Lost Tomb of Christ,� which the Discovery Channel will run on March 4, argues that 10 ancient ossuaries — small caskets used to store bones — discovered in a suburb of Jerusalem in 1980 may have contained the bones of Jesus and his family, according to a press release issued by the Discovery Channel. One of the caskets even bears the title, “Judah, son of Jesus,� hinting that Jesus may have...

r at least he's trying to kill the story of Jesus' resurrection. An upcoming 90-minute documentary directed by Jewish Canadian filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici and produced by Titanic director James Cameron makes the startling assertion that Jesus was never resurrected -- a cornerstone of Christian faith -- and that his burial cave was discovered in the Jerusalem suburb of Talpiyot some 27 years ago. One more thing, Jesus fathered a son with Mary Magdelene. Cameron and Jacobovici claim they have DNA tests, archeological evidence and Biblical studies on their side. And on Monday, Cameron will hold a press conference in...

The Jesus Dynasty Excerpt: 'The Jesus Dynasty' by James D. Tabor New Book Challenges Christian Philosophy April 7, 2006 -- James Tabor is the chairman of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His book challenges many of the beliefs that Christians hold dear, maintaining that Jesus is neither the son of God nor the son of Joseph but most likely the child of a Roman soldier named Pantera. Jesus, Tabor maintains, became the head of the household when Joseph died and looked after his six half-brothers and sisters. When Jesus died, his brother James took over...

Archaeologists, scholars dispute Jesus documentary POSTED: 2151 GMT (0551 HKT), February 26, 2007Filmakers and researchers claim these stone boxes may have once contained the remains of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. JERUSALEM (AP) -- Filmmakers and researchers on Monday unveiled two ancient stone boxes they said may have once contained the remains of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, but several scholars derided the claims made in a new documentary as unfounded and contradictory to basic Christian beliefs. "The Lost Tomb of Jesus," produced by Oscar-winning director James Cameron and scheduled to air March 4 on the Discovery Channel, argues that 10 small...

Scholars, clergy slam Jesus documentary By MARSHALL THOMPSON, Associated Press Writer 35 minutes ago JERUSALEM - Archaeologists and clergymen in the Holy Land derided claims in a new documentary produced by the Oscar-winning director James Cameron that contradict major Christian tenets. "The Lost Tomb of Christ," which the Discovery Channel will run on March 4, argues that 10 ancient ossuaries — small caskets used to store bones — discovered in a suburb of Jerusalem in 1980 may have contained the bones of Jesus and his family, according to a press release issued by the Discovery Channel. One of the caskets...

In a scene worthy of a Dan Brown novel, archaeologists a quarter of a century ago unearthed a burial chamber near Jerusalem. Inside they found ossuaries, or boxes of bones, marked with the names of Jesus, Joseph and Mary. Then one of the ossuaries went missing. The human remains inside were destroyed before any DNA testing could be carried out. While Middle East academics doubt that the relics belong to the Holy Family, the issue is about to be exposed to a blaze of publicity with the publication next week of a book. Entitled The Jesus Tomb and co-written by...

Brace yourself. James Cameron, the man who brought you 'The Titanic' is back with another blockbuster. This time, the ship he's sinking is Christianity. In a new documentary, Producer Cameron and his director, Simcha Jacobovici, make the starting claim that Jesus wasn't resurrected --the cornerstone of Christian faith--and that his burial cave was discovered near Jerusalem. And, get this, Jesus sired a son with Mary Magdelene. No, it's not a re-make of "The Da Vinci Codes'. It's supposed to be true. Let's go back 27 years, when Israeli construction workers were gouging out the foundations for a new building in...

Jesus’ burial site found - film claims New film documents discovery of Jerusalem cave containing ten caskets believed to hold remains of Jesus, Mary, Mary Magdalene and others Ariella Ringel-Hoffman Published: 02.23.07, 10:26 / Israel Culture The cave in which Jesus Christ was buried has been found in Jerusalem, claim the makers of a new documentary film. If it proves true, the discovery, which will be revealed at a press conference in New York Monday, could shake up the Christian world as one of the most significant archeological finds in history. The coffins which, according to the filmmakers held the...

Brace yourself. James Cameron, the man who brought you 'The Titanic' is back with another blockbuster. This time, the ship he's sinking is Christianity. In a new documentary, Producer Cameron and his director, Simcha Jacobovici, make the starting claim that Jesus wasn't resurrected --the cornerstone of Christian faith-- and that his burial cave was discovered near Jerusalem. And, get this, Jesus sired a son with Mary Magdelene. No, it's not a re-make of "The Da Vinci Codes'. It's supposed to be true. Let's go back 27 years, when Israeli construction workers were gouging out the foundations for a new building...

The cave in which Jesus Christ was buried has been found in Jerusalem, claim the makers of a new documentary film. If it proves true, the discovery, which will be revealed at a press conference in New York Monday, could shake up the Christian world as one of the most significant archeological finds in history. The coffins which, according to the filmmakers held the remains of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother Mary and Mary Magdalene will be displayed for the first time on Monday in New York. Jointly produced by Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici and Oscar winning director...

JERUSALEM - Archaeologists and clergymen in the Holy Land derided claims in a new documentary produced by the Oscar-winning director James Cameron that contradict major Christian tenets. "The Lost Tomb of Christ," which the Discovery Channel will run on March 4, argues that 10 ancient ossuaries — small caskets used to store bones — discovered in a suburb of Jerusalem in 1980 may have contained the bones of Jesus and his family, according to a press release issued by the Discovery Channel.