Free Republic

In a remarkable fusion of ancient tradition and modern craftsmanship, a meticulously constructed replica of the biblical Ark of the Covenant was showcased in Jerusalem during the Sukkot holiday. The display, which took place at the prestigious King David Hotel, featured the golden vessel housing a Holocaust-surviving Torah scroll from Thessaloniki, Greece. The ambitious project, spanning three and a half years, involved 17 volunteers across multiple countries who adhered strictly to Torah specifications. The replica’s construction required approximately three tons of Egyptian Acacia wood and was adorned with high-purity gold measuring 23.75 carats – the same grade used in ancient...

In the midst of its campaign against Hizbollah and Hamas "terrorists", Israel has been accused by Britain of feting Jewish "terrorists" whose bomb attack killed 28 Britons 60 years ago today. The accusation, which reopens the debate about the use of politically-inspired violence in the region, follows the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the attack on the King David hotel in Jerusalem on July 22, 1946, by the Irgun Jewish "resistance" to British mandate rule in Palestine. The 28 Britons were among 91 people killed. This week, former Irgun fighters and current Right-wing politicians unveiled the plaque at the hotel,...

Big power diplomacy to stop the fighting in Lebanon ground into gear yesterday as Britain and other European states pushed hard for the deployment of an international intervention force on the Israeli-Lebanese border. Tony Blair appeared to admit that he had become a mere adjunct of American diplomacy As Israel bombarded Lebanon for the sixth day, seeking to weaken the pro-Iranian Hizbollah movement and stop it from firing rockets into Israeli territory, American officials said that Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, would travel to the Middle East "soon". Dominique de Villepin, the French prime minister, was already in Beirut...