Project to resurrect holy site of Lazarus' tomb
(10 Oct 2015) LEAD IN:
The Catholic Church is planning to restore the archaeological site where Christians believe Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.
The area includes Byzantine and Crusader churches, as well as ancient mosaics.
STORY-LINE:
Situated on the road that winds down from Jerusalem towards the Dead Sea, the Palestinian town of al-Azariya is home to the Tomb of Lazarus - one of Christianity's most revered sites.
It's the place where, according to Christian tradition, Jesus brought Lazarus of Bethany back to life four days after his death.
The tomb and the site that is thought to correspond to ancient Bethany have been a pilgrimage destination since early Christianity.
Five churches, a convent and a mosque were built around the tomb, starting from the 4th century AD, and have long withstood the ravages of time and the upheaval of war.
Art historian, Carla Benelli, heads the cultural projects department at ATS Pro-Terra Sancta, a non-profit organisation linked to the Custody of the Holy Land, the authority in charge of Catholic holy places.
She says that around the Tomb of Lazarus and underneath today's modern church lie layers and layers of buildings, like pages of history.
The site is important first of all, as a religious importance which gives a historical date, which is the miracle of Jesus for the raising of Lazarus. Because of this importance, religious importance, it started to be a step of the pilgrimage, the Christian pilgrimage, since the 4th century. So at that date, when we started to have some sources talking about the site, we have a series of holy places which were built over the place.
After being abandoned for years, the most ancient part of the church compound today is badly in need of restoration.
Two years ago the Catholic Church decided to step in, with a project aimed at rehabilitating and preserving the site.
Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Custodian of the Catholic Church's properties in the Holy Land, says that he was surprised to discover the extent and relevance of the area.
I myself I knew part of the church and some parts of the property close to the church. I realised that the property is much bigger and the archaeological remains are very important and almost totally abandoned. So I decided that we need to restore, to start to realise, to prepare a project for such a place. And we started just two years ago.
The restoration project is being carried out with the help of the Palestinian University of Al-Quds, whose archaeology students are involved in the excavations.
The idea was to involve local students rather than bringing in students from universities abroad in an effort to connect Palestinians to their own historical treasures.
Today's modern church - also called the Sanctuary of Saint Lazarus - sits on top of two Byzantine-era churches from the 4th and 6th centuries.
Two other churches were erected by the Crusaders and some of their walls are still standing today - as tall and as austere as they were in the 12th century.
Archaeologists believe a convent for nuns was erected in the 12th century by Queen Melisende at the top end of the compound in a series of small cavernous rooms.
The convent was rich and had towering fortified walls, parts of which have survived until today.
Since works started, the excavations have concentrated in this area.
Archaeological digs had already been conducted in the 1950's by Catholic archaeologist, Father Sylvester Saller, but the site was neglected and today is prey for looters.
New excavations this year have unveiled buildings erected over the convent in the centuries that followed Saladin's defeat of the Crusaders.
Osama Hamdan is a professor of Conservation and Restoration at Al-Quds University.
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Tomb (cave) of the St Lazarus, at Bethany village, Palestine on 18 May 2013 (Milap Tour)
MIDDLE EAST: PALESTINIANS STUDENTS CLASH WITH ISRAELI SOLDIERS
English/Nat
There have been angry scenes in East Jerusalem as dozens of Israeli right-wingers marched through Arab neighbourhoods to mark the Hebrew anniversary of the six day war in June 1967.
Tensions are running particularly high this year because it is the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the State of Israel.
A group of Palestinians students in the West Bank city of Bethlehem clashed with Israeli soldiers who fired tear gas at them, injuring at least one protestor.
Hundreds of Israelis took part in marches across Jerusalem on Sunday as part of the annual commemoration of the capture of the eastern half of the city 31 years ago.
This year's Jerusalem Day celebrations were to be more elaborate than usual, as they fall during celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Israel's independence.
A military parade of 13-thousand soldiers was part of Sunday's line-up.
Shortly after Israel's victory in the 1967 war it formally annexed East Jerusalem.
But that has never been recognise by it Palestinian residents - and to them Israel remains an occupying power.
The Palestinians hope eventually to establish their capital in the east of the city.
But Israel has rejected this proposal, fearing it will lead to a redivided city.
The dispute is one of the most sensitive in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Faisal Husseini, the Palestinian Authority's top official in Jerusalem called Sunday's celebrations provocative and said that despite Israel's celebrations, Palestinians would still fight to keep hold of Jerusalem.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
To come now and try to make from this sad day a day of celebration is surely a sort of provocation, and we will do everything to protect our city, to protect our holy places, and to protect our people.
SUPER CAPTION: Faisal Husseini, Head of Orient House (Palestinian Headquarters), Jerusalem
As Israel celebrated, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, there were scattered clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian workers who have been barred from entering Jerusalem.
Two Palestinians were reported injured by rubber bullets when Israeli troops opened fire.
And it was amidst such tense scenes that the Israeli Cabinet met on Sunday.
Ministers were expected to discuss a number of issues, including the news that the Palestinian Authority has called on Washington to set a one-week deadline for
Israel to withdraw its troops from a further 13 percent of the West Bank.
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Two West Bank churches hit by firebombs over Pope's comments
1. Various exteriors of Anglican church
2. Black scorch marks on wall of church
3. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Abuna Yusof, Father Yousef Saada, Roman Catholic priest:
As a Christian Palestinian I reject these comment made by the pope. It does not represent all Christians everywhere. Our religion is a religion of forgiveness and love, so we reject these statements. It is not a suitable time for these comments and we consider these remarks as putting an obstacle between people, and we reject this idea.
4. Various of damage to church
5. Man standing near charred wall of Greek Orthodox church
6. Pan of charred wall
7. Wide shot of Greek Orthodox church
STORYLINE:
Two West Bank churches were hit by firebombs early on Saturday, and a group claiming responsibility said it was protesting what many Muslims view as disparaging remarks about Islam by Pope Benedict XVI.
Relations between Palestinian Muslims and Christians are generally peaceful, and the attacks on an Anglican and a Greek Orthodox church in the West Bank city of Nablus sparked concern about sudden tensions.
Clergy played down the attacks as isolated incidents, but said they'd worry if more Christian sites are targeted.
On Friday, two small explosions went off near a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza, causing minor damage.
It is easy to worry, Father Yousef Saada, a Roman Catholic priest in Nablus, said Saturday. The atmosphere is charged already, and the wise should not accept such acts.
The firebombs left black scorch marks on the walls and windows of the two Nablus churches. At least five firebombs hit the Anglican church.
In a phone call to The Associated Press, a group calling itself the Lions of Monotheism claimed responsibility. The caller said the attacks were carried out to protest the pope's remarks about Islam.
During a speech earlier this week, Benedict had cited an obscure Medieval text that characterises some of the teachings of Islam's founder as evil and inhuman. The pope, spiritual leader of more than one billion Roman Catholics, did not explicitly agree with or repudiate the text.
The Vatican later said the pope did not mean the comments to be offensive. However, they have sparked worldwide protests by Muslims, and Muslim leaders have demanded an apology.
Christians make up a small - and dwindling - minority of several tens of thousands among the more than 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem.
Bishop Riah Abo El-Assal, the top Anglican clergyman in the Holy Land, said Saturday he expected his Muslim colleagues would swiftly denounce the attacks on the churches.
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Roman Catholic church's highest official in Holy Land heads for Bethlehem for Xmas mass
Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal left Jerusalem on Tuesday to hold Christmas mass at midnight in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
The Roman Catholic church's highest official in the Holy Land, and his motorcade, passed through the huge steel gate of the Israeli separation barrier that separates Jerusalem from Bethlehem.
Twal is expected to give his annual address while in the West Bank city.
Christians make up a small minority of Palestinians and Bethlehem is one of the only cities in the West Bank and Gaza where Christmas is really felt.
Israel's so-called separation barrier surrounds Bethlehem on three sides.
Israel says it is needed to keep militants from staging attacks in Israel but palestinians believe the barrier is a land grab.
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Family of dead Palestinian condemn Azaria term
(21 Feb 2017) The father of a wounded Palestinian attacker fatally shot by Israeli soldier Sergeant Elor Azaria, condemned his 18-month sentence handed out on Tuesday.
Yousri al-Sharif, the father of Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, told The Associated Press that getting a year-and-a-half is a joke, this is not a sentence. If one of us killed an animal they would have put him in jail for God knows how long, they are only making fun of us.
Al-Sharif gathered with his family in his home in the West Bank city of Hebron to watch the sentence on television.
Prosecutors had asked that Azaria be sentenced on Tuesday to three to five years in prison. His defence attorneys insisted he should be freed.
Azaria was convicted last month on manslaughter charges. The verdict deeply divided Israel, where military service is compulsory and support for young soldiers is widespread.
Azaria was captured on video fatally shooting the wounded al-Sharif in Hebron last March.
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Neolithic Cyprus! (15 March 2012 - Day 206)
Day 206: Saw Neolithic ruins, as well as mosques and churches.
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Christians in the Mideast celebrate Palm Sunday
(17 Apr 2011) SHOTLIST
Jerusalem
1. Tilt down from cross to Greek Orthodox procession arriving at Church of the Holy Sepulcher
2. Mid of procession
3. Greek Orthodox Patriarch in the Holy Land, Theofilos III, entering church
4. Tilt down interior of church
5. Close of woman lighting candle
6. Pilgrims kissing stone
7. Pilgrims arriving at church
8. SOUDNBITE (English) Verner Schellenberg, German protestant pastor celebrating Palm Sunday:
For us it's very important to combine Christian Easter with Jewish Pesach (Passover) we think about that tomorrow evening the Jews celebrate Pesach. Pesach is also a festival of freedom, of liberation.
9. Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal arriving at church
10. Twal presiding over mass
11. Various of service
Gaza city, Gaza Strip
12. Wide exterior of church
13. Various of families arriving at mass
14. Various of mass
15. Close of priest
16. Various of service
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Jabber al Gildeh, Christian resident of Gaza:
I hope peace will come to the Palestinian nation and I hope the government in Ramallah and government in Gaza to be one and reach for the same aim.
18. Gildeh at church entrance
Bethlehem, West Bank
19. Exterior of Church of the Nativity
20. Various of mass
21. Child holding flowers
22. Wide of congregation
STORYLINE
Hundreds of Christians celebrated Palm Sunday in a morning mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on Sunday, commemorating Jesus' arrival in the city two millennia ago.
Clergymen from different Christian denominations held services at the ancient church, revered as the site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial and resurrection.
Others celebrated at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, and in the Gaza Strip, home to a small Christian population.
The Christian population in the West Bank and Gaza has been dwindling for decades.
About 50-thousand Christians live in the Palestinian areas, a tiny minority among about 4 (m) million Muslims.
Another 123-thousand Christian Arabs live in Israel, about 8 percent of Israel's minority Arab population.
According to the New Testament, Palm Sunday marks the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem, greeted by cheering crowds bearing palm fronds.
It marks the start of Holy Week.
The week continues with commemorations of Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday before celebrating his resurrection on Easter the following Sunday.
This year, the calendar of Orthodox Christians coincides with that of Protestants and Roman Catholics, meaning that the groups are marking Holy Week together.
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WRAP Christians in the Middle East mourn the pope
East Jerusalem
1. Priests carrying cross and turning into courtyard of Church of Holy Sepulchre
2. Longer shot of procession into church
Bethlehem, West Bank
3. Interior shot of priests conducting mass at service in Church of Nativity
4. Worshippers singing
5. Candles and mourners in church
6. Priest
7. Wide shot service
East Jerusalem
8. Exterior of Franciscan St. Saviours Monastery
9. Franciscan flag at half mast
10. Closer-shot of flag
11. SOUNDBITE (English) No Name, Priest from St. Saviour Francescan:
It's a complex situation, because I feel sorry hopeful because it's the church and what he did for the church is the future for us - so we have to look to the future.
12. Tilt down of interior of St. Saviour
13. Photo of pope next to alter
14. Close-pan of photo of pope
15. Various of people praying in the church
16. Woman holding rosary beads and crossing herself
17. Various of communion
Lebanon
18. Exterior of Saint Georges Cathedral in downtown Beirut
19. Close-up of cross on cathedral exterior
20. Close-up bell ringing
21. High shot of cathedral interior
22. Icon on wall
23. Priest
24. Various of worshippers
25. Mid shot of worshippers
26. Icon
27. Nuns singing during service
28. Boulos Matar, Bishop of Beirut, in the cathedral after service
29. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Boulos Matar, Bishop of Beirut:
The holy pope loved Lebanon very much, so today we express the same love for him.
Baghdad
30. Wide shot of the street where the Vatican Embassy is located
31. Exterior of the Vatican Embassy
32. Emblem of the Vatican
33. Various of the Embassy's mast without flag expressing sadness on Pope's death
34. A bird on top of mast
35. Set-up shot of Archpriest Fr. Nareg Ishkhanian, Armenian Church
36. Close-up of cross he is wearing
37.SOUNDBITE (English) Archpriest Fr. Nareg Ishkhanian, Armenian Church:
''We are very sad we lost Pope John Paul II. He was a historical man. He did his best to the people of the world. He never differentiated between Christians, Muslims or Jews and everybody - and always worked for the right of people all over the world.''
38. Street scene
39.SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Iyad Farooha, Christian Iraqi:
We received with deep sorrow and sadness the news of the pope's death. At the same we have hope that life would not stop.''
40. Street scene
STORYLINE:
Christians across the Middle East expressed sorrow on Sunday after the death of Pope John Paul II, who many in the region credit with demanding religious tolerance and opposing the Iraq and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts.
In the West Bank town of Bethlehem, worshippers gathered at the Church of the Nativity - Jesus' traditional birthplace - to mourn.
Prayers were also said at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem which marks the place where Jesus was crucified.
In Lebanon - whose population is a mixture of various Christian sects, Sunni and Shia Muslims - the government ordered a three-day period of mourning starting Sunday morning, according to a statement issued by caretaker Prime Minister Omar Karami, a Sunni Muslim.
In Beirut, Christians prayed at St Georges Cathedral on Sunday morning.
The Bishop of Beirut, Boulos Matar, said: The holy pope loved Lebanon very much, so today we express the same love for him.
Earlier on Sunday, a statement was issued by Catholic patriarchs and bishops calling on the faithful to noon prayers preceded by a 30-minute tolling of bells across Lebanon.
Catholics, comprising the main Maronite and Melchite sects, make up more than 25 percent of Lebanon's estimated 3.5 million people.
Flags will be lowered at all government and public buildings.
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Cyprus Nicosia Larnaca Limassol Paphos Church of Saint Lazarus cnn
Cyprus Greek: Κύπρος, translit. Kýpros IPA:; Turkish: Kıbrıs IPA: [ˈkɯbɾɯs]), officially the Republic of Cyprus (Greek: Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία, translit. Kypriakí Demokratía; Turkish: Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti), is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean and the third largest and third most populous island in the Mediterranean. It is located south of Turkey, west of Syria and Lebanon, northwest of Israel and Palestine, north of Egypt, and southeast of Greece.
The earliest known human activity on the island dates to around the 10th millennium BC. Archaeological remains from this period include the well-preserved Neolithic village of Khirokitia, and
Cyprus is a small island with a long history and a rich culture that spans 10000 years, making it one of the oldest civilisations in the Mediterranean.
Cyprus is home to some of the oldest water wells in the world.Cyprus was settled by Mycenaean Greeks in two waves in the 2nd millennium BC. As a strategic location in the Middle East, it was subsequently occupied by several major powers, including the empires of the Assyrians, Egyptians and Persians, from whom the island was seized in 333 BC by Alexander the Great. Subsequent rule by Ptolemaic Egypt, the Classical and Eastern Roman Empire, Arab caliphates for a short period, the French Lusignan dynasty and the Venetians, was followed by over three centuries of Ottoman rule between 1571 and 1878 (de jure until 1914).
Nicosia (/ˌnɪkəˈsiːə/ nik-ə-see-ə; Greek: Λευκωσία [lefkoˈsi.a]; Turkish: Lefkoşa [lefˈkoʃa]) is the largest city on the island of Cyprus. It is located near the centre of the Mesaoria plain, on the banks of the River Pedieos.
Nicosia is the capital and seat of government of the Republic of Cyprus, and as such is the farthest southeast of all EU member states' capitals. It has been continuously inhabited for over 4,500 years and has been the capital of Cyprus since the 10th century. The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities of Nicosia segregated into the south and north of the city respectively in 1963, following the intercommunal violence that broke out in the city. This division became a militarized border between the Republic of Cyprus and Northern Cyprus after Turkey invaded the island of Cyprus in 1974, occupying the north of the island, including northern Nicosia. Today, the northern part of the city is the capital of Northern Cyprus, a state recognized only by Turkey that is considered to be occupied Cypriot territory by the international community.
Limassol is the second largest town in Cyprus after Nicosia, with a population of approximately 200 000. Apart from being a major tourist destination, it is also a principal hub for international business in Cyprus. This gives Limassol a more cosmopolitan feel compared to other district centers. Recent renovation projects in the old town and old port area are seeking to rejuvenate the historic center, making it more accessible and interesting for sightseeing. donald fox news gop msnbc live cnn
Monks seek peace in ancient Judean Desert monastry
(19 Feb 2012)
AP Television
Jericho, West Bank - 16 January 2012
1. Wide moving shot of cable car approaching Mount of Temptation Monastery (shot taken from cable car)
2. Wide of cable car passing over Jericho (shot taken from cable car)
3. Wide moving shot of cable car approaching Mount of Temptation Monastery (shot taken from cable car)
4. Mid of natural caves around Mount of Temptation
AP Television
Wadi Qelt, West Bank - 16 January 2012
5. Tilt-up from Wadi Qelt's water source to St George Monastery
6. Wide of natural cave and ladders used by hermits to climb up inside
7. Mid of monk on balcony looking at St George Monastery
8. Various of pilgrims on their way to St George monastery
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Elisa Moed, Travel advisor :
This is where John the Baptist resided. He was a hermit, and part of really experiencing the footsteps and really understanding the roots of Christianity is to come here and to take a look at the wilderness and the landscape and try to understand the lifestyle of John the Baptist. Elijah also spent his time in the Judean wilderness, Jesus spent time in the Judean wilderness. So, yes, it's a very important and very integral part of coming to the Holy Land and experiencing the Holy Land is to come into this wilderness.
10. Tilt up from gorge to monastery
AP Television
Jericho, West Bank - 16 January 2012
11. Walking shot of Father Gerassimos inside Mount of Temptation monastery
12. Various of Father Gerassimos washing Greek flag, speaking to Father Galactio (not in the shot)
13. Father Galactio inside cell inhabited by ancient hermits
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Father Galactio, Greek-Orthodox monk :
Father Gerassimos now live(s) alone thirty years, thirty years. Coming here, sometime live together, other monks, but don't stay, leaving.
15. Wide of Father Gerassimos walking down stairs of Mount of Temptation church, speaking to Father Galactio
16. Tracking shot of Father Gerassimos walking inside Mount of Temptation monastery
17. Mid of cell with objects found inside Mount of Temptation, tilt down
18. Tracking shot of Father Gerassimos entering kitchen
19. Wide of ancient construction near Mount of Temptation monastery
AP Television
Wadi Qelt, West Bank - 16 January 2012
20. Pan right of St George monastery church bells
21. Mid of monk reading religious book inside St George monastery
22. Various of body of Romanian monk on display inside glass case at monastery
23. Wide of archaeologists Benny Arubas and Yoram Tsafrir
24. Various of caves scattered around St George monastery
25. SOUNDBITE (English) Benny Arubas, Archaeologist, Hebrew University of Jerusalem:
We documented here a series of hermit cells. This is what you see here, the remains of those caves and built cells. They are all along these cliffs. We just came into the boundaries of this 'laura', which is a type of monastery.
26. Various of caves scattered around St George monastery
27. SOUNDBITE (English) Yoram Tsafrir, Retired archaeologist :
From time to time we hear or know about few monks - I mean, single ones - that practice a full ascetic life; they are being hermits, real hermits. For how long, I don't know, but I guess they try. This is the idea, this is the ideal, but it is very, very hard to reach that point of hermitage.
28. Wide of Judean Desert mountains
LEADIN
A handful of monks still live in splendid isolation seeking peace and solitude in monasteries hewn from rock in the Judean Desert.
Monks have lived in the area for thousands of years, and to this day pilgrims travel there.
STORYLINE:
With cliffs plunging down hundreds of metres (feet) and arid rocky outcrops reaching for the sky, the Judean Desert is a place of eerie, empty beauty.
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Nablus, Joseph's Tomb
oseph's Tomb (Hebrew: קבר יוסף, Kever Yosef, Arabic: قبر يوسف, Qabr Yūsuf) is located at the eastern entrance to the valley that separates Mounts Gerizim and Ebal, some 230 metres (750 ft) north of Jacob's Well, on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Nablus in the Palestinian Authority, near the site of biblical Shechem.[1]
This location is allegedly the tomb of Joseph (son of Jacob). Traditions regarding this location date to the beginning of the 4th-century AD.[2]
In 1869 Mark Twain wrote of the site: Few tombs on earth command the veneration of so many races and men of diverse creeds as this of Joseph. Samaritan and Jew, Muslim and Christian alike, revere it, and honour it with their visits.[3] It is one of the holiest sites in Judaism[4] as many Jews believe the site to be the final resting place of the biblical patriarch Joseph and his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. The Samaritans have held the site sacred since the 11th-century for the same reason.[5] Historically, Muslims also associated the tomb with that of the biblical figure. In recent years however, they claim that an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yussuf (Joseph) Dawiqat, was buried there two centuries ago.[6] According to Islamic tradition, the biblical Joseph is buried in Hebron, next to the Cave of the Patriarchs where a medieval structure known as Yussuf-Kalah, the Castle of Joseph, is located.[7]
In the years after Israel captured the West Bank in 1967, Jews consolidated their hold on the site. Since 1995, when Nablus was handed over to the Palestinian National Authority, the tomb became a target for violent protests by Arabs against the Israeli government.[citation needed] Several Israeli soldiers were killed at the site[citation needed] and in 2000 the complex was ransacked by an Arab mob.[citation needed] Subsequently, Israel prohibited Jewish visits to the site and the site gradually fell into disrepair. Pressure from Jewish groups led to infrequent visits allowed under IDF protection. Attempts to renovate the site are currently underway
MIDDLE EAST: ISRAELI SETTLERS TRY TO SEIZE MORE LAND
English/Nat
Scuffles broke out on the West Bank Tuesday after Palestinian villagers tried to stop Jewish settlers from grabbing more land around their homes.
The settlers have said they wanted to get as much land before Israeli troops withdraw from the West Bank.
Their action came as PLO chief Yasser Arafat agreed to accept a partial Israeli troop pullout. The remaining troops will go after Palestinian elections.
The settlement of Beit Horon is the scene of a long-standing land dispute between settlers and local Palestinians.
And this dispute has been inflamed by a deal between Palestinian and Israeli leaders for Israeli troops to start withdrawing from the West Bank.
Settlers today decided to snatch by force the land they feel they need to ensure the future of their community.
They know that without the protection of Israeli troops their settlements can't grow.
Armed with fence posts and pneumatic drills, they began to mark out an expanded perimeter fence.
The move infuriated Palestinians from the village of Beit Urr Foka, who staged a protest of their own.
Soldiers in Beit Horon ordered the settlers to stop building the fence and the Palestinian residents returned to their village.
In Gaza City today, a large crowd gathered outside the Red Cross building shouting slogans and calling for the release of political prisoners.
Palestinian Planning Minister, Nabil Shaath said the prisoners would have to be released if the Israelis wanted the peace process to go forward.
SOUNDBITE:
How can Israelis accept this? To keep 6,000 people who fought for their freedom and reached finally a peace process, a peace of the brave.
SUPER CAPTION: Nabil Shaath, Palestinian Planning Minister
Shaath was emphatic that the Israelis would have to give way on this point if they wished to reach an agreement.
SOUNDBITE:
We cannot go through this peace process with the prisoners in jail. This is a contradiction in terms.
SUPER CAPTION: Nabil Shaath, Palestinian Planning Minister
In Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres was doubtful that negotiators would be able to reach more than a provisional agreement by their deadline on Saturday.
SOUNDBITE:
We are trying very seriously to respect the target date of July the first. So, I'm not so sure that we shall be able to work out all the details on July the first, but I do hope that we shall reach a significant enough agreement so July the first will not be an empty
date.
SUPER CAPTION: Shimon Peres, Israeli Foreign Minister
The release of Palestinian prisoners is one of several sticking points that remain to be resolved before the agreement is completed.
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The Cyprus Convention
The Cyprus Convention of 4 June, 1878 was a secret agreement reached between the United Kingdom and the Ottoman Empire which granted control of Cyprus to Great Britain in exchange for their support of the Ottomans during the Congress of Berlin. This agreement was the result of secret negotiations that took place earlier in 1878.
The sultan ceded the administration of Cyprus to Britain in exchange for guarantees that Britain would use the island as a base to protect the Ottoman Empire against possible Russian aggression. The British had been offered Cyprus three times (in 1833, 1841, and 1845) before accepting it in 1878.
In the mid-1870s, Britain and other European powers were faced with preventing Russian expansion into areas controlled by a weakening Ottoman Empire. Russia was trying to fill the power vacuum by expanding the tsar's empire west and south toward the warm water port of Constantinople and the Dardanelles. British administration of Cyprus was intended to forestall such an expansion. In June 1878, clandestine negotiations between Britain and the Porte culminated in the Cyprus Convention, by which His Imperial Majesty the Sultan further consents to assign the island of Cyprus to be occupied and administered by England.
There was some opposition to the agreement in Britain, but not enough to prevent it, and colonial administration was established on the island. Greek Cypriot nationalism made its presence known to the new rulers, when, in a welcoming speech at Larnaca for the first British high commissioner, the bishop of Kition expressed the hope that the British would expedite the unification of Cyprus and Greece as they had previously done with the Ionian Islands. Thus, the British were confronted at the very beginning of their administration with the reality that enosis was vital to many Greek Cypriots.
The terms of the convention provided that the excess of the island's revenue over the expenditures for government should be paid as an annual fixed payment by Britain to the sultan. This proviso enabled the Porte to assert that it had not ceded or surrendered Cyprus to the British, but had merely temporarily turned over administration. Because of these terms, the action was sometimes described as a British leasing of the island. The Cyprus Tribute became a major source of discontent underlying later Cypriot unrest.
Negotiations eventually determined the sum of the annual fixed payment at exactly 92,799 pounds sterling, eleven shillings, and three pence. Governor of the island Ronald Storrs later wrote that the calculation of this sum was made with all that scrupulous exactitude characteristic of faked accounts. The Cypriots found themselves not only paying the tribute, but also covering the expenses incurred by the British colonial administration, creating a steady drain on an already poor economy.
From the start, the matter of the Cyprus Tribute was severely exacerbated by the fact that the money was never paid to Turkey. Instead it was deposited in the Bank of England to pay off Turkish Crimean War loans (guaranteed by both Britain and France) on which Turkey had defaulted. This arrangement greatly disturbed the Turks as well as the Cypriots. The small sum left over went into a contingency fund, which further irritated the Porte. Public opinion on Cyprus held that the Cypriots were being forced to pay a debt with which they were in no way connected. Agitation against the tribute was incessant, and the annual payment became a symbol of British oppression.
There was also British opposition to the tribute. Undersecretary of State for the Colonies Winston Churchill visited Cyprus in 1907 and, in a report on his visit, declared, We have no right, except by force majeure, to take a penny of the Cyprus Tribute to relieve us from our own obligations, however unfortunately contracted. Parliament soon voted a permanent annual grant-in-aid of 50,000 pounds sterling to Cyprus and reduced the tribute accordingly.
Marian procession through the streets of Haifa
When the long, snake-like line of the faithful winds its way through the main streets of Haifa for the customary Marian procession at Easter time, few people are aware of what is happening a few dozen kilometers from here. On the day of the Nakba, when the Palestinians remember the anniversary of the exodus of hundreds of thousands of their countrymen in connection with the establishment of the state of Israel, there are many incidents both in Jerusalem and throughout the West Bank, as well as at the borders with Lebanon and Syria.20 dead: the balance of a day that also had repercussions in Haifa. At the procession, which, notably, also hosted the relics of Saint Therese of Lisieux, the Palestinians were not able to participate, because at the last minute, they were not given permission to cross out of the Territories. From mid-afternoon, the whole city stopped for 3 hours, to watch the boy scouts pass, who accompanied the statue Our Lady of Mount Carmel to the beat of drums. From the Latin parish to the convent of Stella Maris, the long procession completely halted traffic in the city on this sunny, spring Sunday, although the sharp decline in attendance with respect to last year was noticeable: 10,000 versus the twenty thousand of 2010. A number that is still incredible and which heartened the Christian community of Haifa, a small minority within the third largest city of Israel. It is an event that happens every year. It is wonderful that all the Christians, who believe and pray, participate. One sees a manifestation of great faith.Enough complaining about everything ... this celebration is beautiful because, despite everything, you see people happy and relaxed. In the end, we find time to pray ... and to thank the Lord for everything. Bringing up the end of the line before the relics, the pastors of the local Church: accompanied by the papal nuncio, Mons. Antonio Franco, and by many priests, there were -- among others -- the Vicar of Jerusalem, Mons. William Shomali, and Mons. Giacinto Marcuzzo, Patriarchal Vicar for Israel. It is near sunset when the Madonna reaches Stella Maris, where a children's chorus welcomes her with notes from some Marian melodies and the relics of the patroness of the missions. The religious authorities bring the event to a close, saluting, from the stage, all the participants of this profound and heartfelt manifestation of faith. Once again, against the backdrop of the clashes which, in this country, seem to never end, is the Madonna, source of hope, dominating, from the top of Mount Carmel, this land exhausted by hate.
8. Sylvia Plath: The Oven Suicides, Part 1
Some people best know Sylvia Plath for her unusual mode of suicide; others remember her for as one of the first authors to write openly about her own mental illness. But there’s even more to her than that: the early loss of her father, the obsessive desire to be an over-achiever, that time she made national news as a missing person, the desire to find a ‘perfect’ husband, and the wild betrayal she felt when that perfect husband had an affair. But what exactly caused the author of THE BELL JAR to kill herself at age 30?
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Sources and recommended reading:
Axelrod, Steven Gould. Sylvia Plath: The Wound and the Cure of Words. Johns Hopkins UP, 1990.
“Beautiful Smith Girl Missing at Wellesley.” The Boston Daily Globe. 25 Aug. 1953, pp. 1, 9.
Bolick, Kate. “Who Bought Sylvia Plath’s Stuff?” The New York Times, 21 Apr 2018.
Callahan, Michael. “Sorority on E. 63rd St.” Vanity Fair, Apr. 2010.
Frank, Leonard Roy. “Psychiatry’s Unholy Trinity—Fraud, Fear, and Force: A Personal Account.” The Freeman vol. 52, no. 11. 2002.
Hayman, Ronald. The Death and Life of Sylvia Plath. Heinemann, 1991.
Kean, Danuta. “Unseen Sylvia Plath Letters Claim Domestic Abuse by Ted Hughes.” The Guardian, 11 Apr 2017.
Koren, Yehuda and Eilat Negev. A Lover of Unreason: The Life and Tragic Death of Assia Wevill. Robson Books, 2006.
Malcolm, Janet. The Silent Woman: Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. Alfred A. Knopf, 1994.
Middlebrook, Diane. Her Husband: Hughes and Plath—A Marriage. Viking, 2003.
“Missing Co-ed Found.” Chicago Daily Tribune. 27 Aug. 1953, p. 5.
Nodelman, Ellen Bartlett and Amanda Golden. “Recollections of Mrs. Hughes’s Student.” Plath Profiles vol. 5 (2012), pp. 125-39.
Plath, Sylvia. “Daddy.” BBC Third Programme. Sep 1962.
—. The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath. Knopf Doubleday, 2007.
“Safety Valves for Antique Stoves.” The Antique Stove Communiqué.
Summerscale, Kate. “My Father was Not a Monster, Says Daughter of Ted Hughes.” The Telegraph, 15 Nov 2004.
Wagner-Martin, Linda. Sylvia Plath: A Biography. Simon and Schuster, 1987.
Wilson, Jamie. “Frieda Hughes Attacks BBC for Film on Plath.” The Guardian, 3 Feb 2003.
Winder, Elizabeth. Pain, Parties, Work: Sylvia Plath in New York, Summer 1953. Harper Collins, 2013.
Christian worshippers commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ
Christian worshippers attended a service at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on Friday evening to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus.
The sombre ceremony saw worshippers carry a statue of the crucified Jesus through the church, which was built atop the traditional site of his birth.
Meanwhile, the tiny Orthodox community in Gaza city also gathered on Friday to mark the Christian festival of Good Friday.
Fewer than three thousand Christians live among 1.7 million Muslim residents in Gaza. Their numbers rapidly have shrunk in recent years because of turmoil in the territory.
Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried on the day they call Good Friday, and resurrected on Easter Sunday.
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America The New Atlantis - Secret Societies & The NWO Agenda
Milton William Bill Cooper was an American conspiracy theorist, radio broadcaster, and author best known for his 1991 book Behold a Pale Horse. Born: May 6, 1943, Long Beach, CA. Died: November 5, 2001, Eagar, AZ. Cause of death: Gunshot wound (Like everything, please research this info for yourselves!)
Many people believe that America was founded under the Judeo-Christian tradition, the facts themselves demonstrate that America’s founders were committed Freemasons, Rosicrucians and Occultists that operated in secret. But a genuine examination of America’s earliest history reveals that the founders were adherents of the ancient schools of the mystery religions albeit through a Masonic prism. Many were Rosicrucians and therefore had an appearance of being Christian but were committed occultists.
While it is certainly true that America was populated early on by Christians seeking freedom, opportunity and a new life, what is little known is that all the while ordinary people and families were taking part of the colonization of the New World, members of many various secret societies were also taking part and had been doing so since the very beginning. In fact the entire colonization scheme was engineered by occult societies, namely the Rosicrucians and Freemasons. Sir Francis Bacon, chief occultist in England during the Elizabethan age was instrumental in the founding of America – the New Atlantis.
Sir Francis Bacon believed that the New World was the New Atlantis. This idea was more than some fanciful intellectual dream. Bacon set in motion a agenda to realize that idea. Some of the most influential men of his day backed Bacon’s agenda and set in motion the machinery for the American democracy. Bacon’s own secret society, the Rosicrucians were established on American soil by the mid 1600’s and among the colonizers of the New Atlantis were very powerful men, called the Order of the Quest, who sought to re-establish the glory of the Pagan Golden Age. America’s destiny was planned out over 150 years prior to the American Revolution. Read full post:
New Atlantis - PDF Novel by Francis Bacon
History of the Society of Jesus - IHS Jesuits -
Francis Bacon & John Dee - Rosicrucian Order Secret Knowledge -
Knights Templar - New Name, Same Crusade -
Star Of David - The Truth May Shock You! -
Proof The Rothschilds Purchased Jerusalem The NWO Capital -
Triple Crown - Papal Tiara - Revelation 13 -
Prince William House of Windsor AntiChrist Connection -
Jerusalem Secrets Hidden In Plain Sight -
New York City Secrets Hidden In Plain Sight -
London Secrets Hidden In Plain Sight -
The Trump, JFK, Lincoln Connection - All Roads Lead To Rome -
Raising Osiris At The U.S. Capitol - ROME MARYLAND! -
Council on Foreign Relations & The Men Behind The Curtain -
The Devils Playbook Exposed Parts 1 & 2 -
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Identity Crisis - Jim Staley
There is a supernatural awakening happening in these last days! Christians around the world have been given a divine invitation from the Holy Spirit to come back to the roots of their faith. Like the prodigal son, God’s people are returning home to their Father, leaving behind the doctrines and denominations of man, and embracing their true identity! During the reign of Solomon, the nation of Israel was split into two kingdoms. Both of these kingdoms were exiled into the nations because of their disobedience, but only one—the southern Kingdom—maintained its identity and returned to the land. What happened to the northern Kingdom? Where are the lost tribes? Now, with the advent of Christ, does it even matter? Has Israel been replaced by “the church?” Is God no longer the God of Israel? Finally, how do Gentile Believers fit in to all of this? You might be surprised to discover just how relevant these pressing questions are to your own life. Join Pastor Jim Staley in this newly updated and extended teaching as he explores and unpacks one of the most incredible prophetic events in the Bible! The time is now for God’s people to connect to the true roots of their Christian faith and return home. Do you hear the call?
This message has closed captioning (CC) available in English.
PDF TEXT:
Published Feb 5, 2015
Español: Crisis de Identidad
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For two thousand years we have all been taught that Israel is the Jewish people and the Jewish people are Israel. This misunderstanding has crippled our ability to truly glean from the scriptures all that was originally intended. The greatest prophecy of the bible concerns this very topic. Many have called this teaching the key to understanding the entire bible. I will let Professor C.A.L. Totten of Yale University tell you his thoughts concerning this very subject:
I can never be too thankful to the Almighty that in my youth he used the late Professor Wilson to show me the difference between the two houses. The very understanding of this difference is the KEY by which almost the entire Bible becomes intelligible, and I cannot state too strongly that the man who has not yet seen that Israel of the Scripture is totally distinct from the Jewish people, is yet in the very infancy, the mere alphabet of Biblical study, and that to this day the meaning of seven-eighths of the Bible is shut to his understanding.
—Professor C.A.L. Totten (1851-1908) of Yale University
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