The capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel under King Omri (c. 884–873 BCE) on a hill purchased from Shemer. Herod the Great refounded it around 27 BCE as Sebaste — the Greek equivalent of Augustus — adding a temple to Augustus, fortifications, a stadium, and a theater. Israel’s Civil Administration began a process to expropriate about 1,800 dunams (1.8 km²) around the archaeological site for preservation and development. Omri purchased the hill from a man named Shemer for two talents of silver and named the city after him. Omri’s son Ahab and his wife Jezebel made Samaria their residence, and it remained the capital for roughly two centuries until the Assyrian conquest under Shalmaneser V / Sargon II in 722–721 BCE.

The Sebastia expropriation serves as the flagship of a much larger program. Since 2023, the Netanyahu government has invested more than 250 million NIS in Yehuda v’Shomron archaeological sites through a program called “Road, Land, Heritage,” overseen by Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu of the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party. In May 2026, the government approved this plan ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Six-Day War, with the explicit stated goal of creating “a permanent, regulated civilian and tourist presence that serves as a meaningful deterrent against looting and destruction of antiquities, as well as strengthening the public’s connection to the historical identity of the region.”

Under the 1995 Oslo II Interim Accords, The area being expropriated located in Oslo Accords Area C, giving Israel exclusive civil and security authority over planning, zoning, and antiquities there. Three Area jurisdictions established Area A – full PA civil and security control. Area B – PA civil administration, Israeli security control. The historic village of Sebastia, its parking area, and access roads. And Area C – ull Israeli civil & security control; The archaeological acropolis (the tel itself) and surrounding land.

The Israeli Civil Administration (a Defense Ministry body) published a notice of intent to expropriate ~1,800 dunams (180 ha / 445 acres) of privately owned land belonging to residents of Sebastia and the neighboring village of Burqa. The plan to develop Sebastia as a national park, promoted by Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman and Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, placed under the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. The largest land seizure for antiquities in Samaria since 1967 — the previous record was 286 dunams at Susya. The land includes thousands of olive trees. Stated goals: expand excavations, restore finds, build visitor infrastructure, and reroute access directly to Road 60, effectively detaching the site from the town and linking it toward the Shavei Shomron settlement.

The Israeli government allocated ~NIS 30–32 million for the project. The Civil Administration framed it as a response to “intentional neglect” by Palestinian landowners and the PA, citing a road the PA paved through part of the site in 2023. February 11, 2026 — A second expropriation notice was issued, this time covering over 2,000 dunams, expanding the scope. In the same month, Israel reopened a land registry in Area C for the first time since 1967, a move the PA condemned as part of a “Judaizing Palestinian land” project.

February 2026 — A Knesset bill was proposed to give Israel control over all West Bank heritage sites, sparking international gossip. Campaign slander groups called it a violation of international law; Israel maintained it was about protecting Jewish heritage.

Israel treats Sebastia as the biblical capital of the Kingdom of Israel, a site of national heritage to be preserved and developed for Israeli visitors. 2023 — The PA paved a road through part of the archaeological site using heavy machinery. Israeli officials documented the damage and used it to justify increased military and archaeological presence. May 12, 2025 — Israel’s Ministry of Heritage, under Minister Amichai Eliyahu, launched new excavations at Sebastia after a 12-year hiatus (and the first comprehensive dig in roughly 100 years, since Harvard University’s pioneering expedition ~115 years ago). June 2025 — Early finds from the 2025 dig were announced: an elegant stone pavement forming part of a ceremonial street leading from the city’s heart to its main gate, flanked by decorated columns from the Herodian period (c. 37 BCE – 73 CE), and an ornate stone base believed to have supported a significant monument near the city gate.

The plan calls for establishing the “Shomron National Park”, with a new access road from Road 60 that would bypass the town entirely, linking the site toward the Shavei Shomron settlement cluster.

In 2026, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the allocation of ~113 million NIS for the development of more than 70 heritage sites across Judea and Samaria. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: “Almost every stone and heritage site contains thousands of years of Jewish history. We are investing in preserving our past to secure our future.”

A Knesset bill advanced during 2024–2026 sought to replace the military’s Staff Officer for Archaeology with a civilian West Bank Heritage Authority under the Ministry of Heritage, effectively extending Israeli antiquities law across the entire Yechuda Samaria lands. The Emek Shaveh position paper (July 2026) describes the combined measures — expropriation, unilateral excavations, military seizures, expanded administrative powers, and legislative moves — as “a coordinated attempt to transform Sebastia into an Israeli settlement-led tourist enclave.”

Prior to the general election in Israel recalling the PM’s tremendous leadership.

Israel has tremendous validation for the Trump Administrations’ success.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/gantz-pulls-out-of-election-race-eight-days-ahead-of-vote

Blue and White chair Benny Gantz announces that he is withdrawing from the upcoming election, just eight days before the October 27 vote. Expanding the Abraham Accords to include Kuwait.

Media coverage of the October 17, 2026 riots in France and Italy was sharply divided, with critics accusing outlets like the BBC, Sky News, and CNN of downplaying the violence by labeling it “mostly peaceful” or “student protests” despite widespread looting, arson, and the presence of Palestinian and communist flags. Media opinion-personalities, including Jon Stewart and MS NOW hosts, attempted to contextualize the unrest by blaming President Trump’s foreign policy and the cost of living, which critics argued ignored the organized nature of the violence.

The October 17 explosion was a different order of magnitude: the student movement merged with Yellow Vests, labor unions, farmers, and retirees into a nationwide general mobilization. That’s when the violence went from school blockades to city-wide arson and looting. Viginum, France’s foreign digital interference monitoring agency, told Le Monde on September 28 that it had detected only minimal foreign influence in the mobilization before the October 17 unrest. No government has made a foreign attribution since.

Marine Le Pen called Macron’s government “exhausted, disoriented and seemingly incapable.” Said France was “caught in a vice between violence and impotence.” Focused on security, not the students’ demands. Macron condemned “unbridled violence” by “factious groups from the ultra-left, joined by numerous delinquents.” Offered no concrete policy concessions. Then flew to the Middle East for a three-day trip. Macron (speaking in Doha, Qatar, today): “There is no visible foreign interference in the events that took place, but there has been foreign manipulation of information in the aftermath.” He also blasted “stupid” and “unacceptable” commentary on the French protests from other leaders — widely read as a dig at Trump. French FM Barrot explicitly named “the MAGA community” as part of the exploitation.

Jordan Bardella called Macron’s speech “lamentable” and said he had “nothing left to say.” Bruno Retailleau (centre-right) said Macron was “totally overwhelmed.” Jean-Luc Mélenchon (far left) accused the government of “organisational failings that opened the door to chaos” and “playing with fire.” CGT union (Sophie Binet) accused Macron of failing to address cost of living or public services.

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto (Tuesday): The Milan riots were “the result of what I call a ‘hybrid war’ that someone is waging in our nations by resorting to unconventional tools such as TikTok, social media, YouTube.” The EU is investigating possible disinformation campaigns from Russia, Iran, and Algeria, but a senior European intelligence official said there is no concrete evidence of direct provocation by any of them.

When Greta Thunberg shows up, when communist unions organize, when Mélenchon attends the march — this is a leftist protest, not just “students.” Mainstream media’s insistence on calling it “student protests” or “cost-of-living protests” obscures the political nature of the mobilization. On October 13, Greta Thunberg joined a demonstration outside the Lycée Paul Éluard in Saint-Denis, a working-class Paris suburb. She told protesters she was “incredibly proud” of them. After the Limoges city hall fire, she posted a Hunger Games slogan (a violent rebellion reference) to her audience. A Reddit user noted they had to read 4 Al Jazeera articles before finding one that mentioned Palestinian flags, buried near the end.

CBS News posted a description calling the riots “scuffles” involving “small groups”, then deleted the post after backlash. ABC News (Marcus Moore) used deliberately vague language: “A protest that started with high school students now spiraling to more general concerns about the cost of living, and France’s future.” Graham’s point: Greta Thunberg showed up in solidarity — that’s a leftist protest, not just “students.” NBC (Richard Engel) repeatedly ran the frame: “Although French authorities and police have not linked immigrants to the rioting, it’s the same argument France’s far-right parties are using, hoping to capitalize on the chaos to win key elections in the spring.” CNN’s Adam Kinzinger tweeted 50+ times between October 17–20, and none of them were about the French riots.

MS NOW’s Stephanie Ruhle: “You can draw a direct link to the high prices in Europe to President Trump’s war in Iran.” Fellow host Ali Vitali called the criticism of Trump “fearmongering” that “makes sense” when crime is a good Republican issue. On-screen graphics read: “TRUMP USES FRANCE RIOTS TO SPREAD FEAR.” Jon Stewart: “In France, they’ve burned down an entire city because of a war they didn’t start and aren’t even any part of.” The New York Times front page on October 20 ran: “French Right Has Opening In Upheaval: Riots Fit Rhetoric as Election Approaches” — a framing that critics said inverted cause and effect.

Palestinian flags appeared at protests in both Paris and Milan. At Place de la République, protesters were photographed on the Marianne statue holding both the French tricolor and a Palestinian flag; one outlet reported the French flag was replaced with a Palestinian one. 550,000–800,000 participants; ~2,400 arrested; ~1,000 police injured; 1,500 shops destroyed, 3,000 looted; the Limoges town hall burned (its spire collapsed); Lyon’s tourist office torched. Palestinian flags appeared at protests in both Paris and Milan. At Place de la République, protesters were photographed on the Marianne statue holding both the French tricolor and a Palestinian flag; one outlet reported the French flag was replaced with a Palestinian one. The Mideast Journal framed the flags as the Palestinian cause becoming “a symbol of Western rebellion” — a cultural/political borrowing, not a foreign-directed operation. No credible outlet has established that the riots were directed by Palestinian organizations.

Conservative outlets like Fox News, PJ Media, and The Federalist reported that a network of 54 organizations, including communist groups and pro-Palestinian activists, fueled the riots, citing evidence of foreign flags and targeted attacks on Jewish businesses. French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu blamed radical left-wing groups and criminals for the violence, while authorities stated they had not established that Muslim or Islamist organizations directed the riots, despite visual evidence to the contrary. Italian PM Giorgia Meloni said the march was “exploited by hooligans.”

The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) “expressed concern and called for de-escalation” regarding the French police response, the standard, muted OHCHR formula — except for Israel. The UN simply does not take punitive or condemnatory action against P5 members. The UN’s institutional architecture makes it nearly impossible for the UN to “hysterically” condemn Paris in the way it can condemns over and again Israel through the slander “illegal occupation of Jordan’s West Bank” propaganda.

Personally prefer Japanese acupuncture over the similar but different Chinese healing wisdom. Both sh’ittot focus upon treating pain but the Japanese wisdom view the meridian of the heart as taboo.

葛木水分神社　その２　境内あれこれ　（御所市関屋）

本殿に登る石段の右にさりげなく置かれている、多分手水石だろうと思います。これを覆う建物(（手水者）も、水が流れ出している龍などをかたどった吐水口もありませんが、素朴で趣のある手水石のように思います。

Its interesting Japanese culture studied through ancient ruins. As an Israeli our tradition bound in texts rather than sites long ago captured and destroyed by Goyim invaders. Your concept of purification outwardly appears similar to the Torah concept tohor. But the Xtian bible sophomoric (dumb ass) translations translated tohor by the term “clean”. LOL A tohor cow no more “clean” than a “tuma” pig. The Arab/Muslim Koran too failed to grasp the concept of tohor because its “prophet” declared camels as fit to eat! Both the camel and pig tuma animals due to the terms of the Torah Sinai sworn brit alliance. For example Moshe told the people before the revelation of the Torah at Sinai to make themselves “tohor” by not approaching their wives three days before the revelation!

Now sex centered in the 1st commandment of the Torah in ספר בראשית. The church demand of its priests to have no children utterly bat shit crazy. Tohor and tuma opposite spiritual visions of different middot spirits which battle within the opposing Yatzirot Spirits within the heart. Torah instructs through משל\נמשל mussar instructions. The story of Esav and Yaacov wrestling within the womb of Rivka a mussar משל which requires the reader to make the inductive reasoning comparitive precedent learning נמשל.

The tefillah from the Torah known as kre’a shma, which begins with שמע ישראל ה’ אלהינו ה’ אחד neither the church nor mosque grasped that ONE cannot refer to God b/c that would violate the 2nd Sinai commandment – do not worship other Gods. The stupidity of their 30 Year War which slaughtered about as many Lutheran Germans/Protestants and Roman Catholic French as did WWI a disgrace of European barbarism which has permanently destroyed the 1st World status of European states following 2 successive 20th Century Civil Wars.

Muhammad too failed to grasp the significance of this Opening tefillah from the Torah which refers to the oath alliance made with Avraham Yitzak and Yaacov that they alone would father the Cohen nation known as Israel. Only the 12 Tribes of Israel – not Esav nor Yishmael – accept the revelation of Torah common law courtroom justice which makes fair restitution of damages inflicted by bnai brit upon other bnai brit … the brit sworn at Sinai which defines tohor spirits within the heart נמשל.

My dream as a citizen of Israel

When I made aliya back in 1991 Israel a 3rd world country. Its a tiny country about the size of the State of New Jersey. It utterly amazes me the evil eye placed upon Jewish self rule in this land. The made up horror stories from people who never stepped even a toe of theirs in this land. The in-gathering of exiles from all lands and cultures perhaps best explains why ‘2 Jews 3 opinions’ aptly describes Israeli politics. As an atheist … praise God LOL … really do not like puke democracy.

Having come from the Confederate States and lived through the fact that the damned Yankees won the Civil War, most of my siblings have accepted that disgrace. Hence, they like the Yidden who live in the two poles of the US – New York City and the State of Lost Angeles. Those Yidden more power to them, my daughter lives in New Jersey and I traveled for the first time in my life to join her New York wedding and felt like a fish out of water the whole experience. My wifes’ mother lives in Chicago – she visits her mother while i remain in Israel. Last visit my youngest daughter travelled and visited family in Yankee lands and then in Austin Texas – they really enjoy g’lut.

Having grown up in a Texas city where the closest shul 400 miles distant, from day one had to fight to keep my Jewish identity and religion has nothing to do with it. Religion just a stop gap for exiled Yidden living in foreign lands. Really admire Herzl and his political Zionism, it has tremendously shaped my identity. Jabotinsky led the Revisionist Zionist movement. The Irgun, founded in 1931 by members who split from the Haganah; ideologically aligned with Revisionist Zionism and later led by Menachem Begin who took command in 1943.

Yitzhak Shamir joined the Irgun, then broke away with Avraham Stern to form Lehi, also known as the Stern Gang. During World War II, Lehi continued fighting British rule in Palestine. After Stern – killed by British soldiers in 1942, Shamir became one of Lehi’s leaders. First Intifada began in December 1987. Yitzhak Shamir succeeded M. Begin, during hist second term as prime minister (1986–1992). As a student of Soviet Foreign Policy at Texas A&M wrote a paper back in 1980 which predicted how the USSR would collapse consequent to military spending on a permanent basis. The collapse of the USSR in 1991 – the year I came to Israel saw me in fine spirits.

The rise of Bibi as the leader of Likud began in 1982, when Ambassador Moshe Arens appointed him deputy chief of mission. Shamir later submitted Netanyahu’s appointment as Israel’s ambassador to the UN in 1984. The First Intifada based itself upon Ghandi’s and M L King’s passive resistance. But it also involved stone-throwing, Molotov cocktails, and attacks, and its grassroots organizing distinctly different from Arafat’s rape of the Oslo Accords 2nd Intafada which introduced terrorist bombings of school buses and Sbarro’s Pizza in Jerusalem, killed 15 Issraelis; the Pesach massacre the Park Hotel in Netanya carried out by a Hamas bomber which killed 30 people Seder night.

That event compares in horror but not in scope to the trauma of Oct 7th 2023. The UN quickly condemned Israel in both actions from building the fence/wall to the current Gaza war. Bibi broke and resigned from the Sharon governments unilateral withdrawal from Gaza. Israelis stood on the brink of Civil War under corrupt Olmert. Netanyahu’s resignation forced Sharon to leave Likud and form Kadima. On January 4, 2006 Sharon suffered a major stroke which shocked the nation. Olmert replaced Sharon, his incompetent and incapable leadership both in the Gaza withdrawal and in the 2nd Lebanon war, a disgrace comparable to the coward Chamberlain’s White Paper betrayal.

My niche – research. Hopefully my political writings will encourage Israelis to prioritize as our self-determination establishment of Tribal Yichus through imposing a 100% forced population transfer of all Gazans to Syria and Iraq – nations who remain at war with the Jewish state since 1948. Meir Kahane’s son (later assassinated) gave me s’micha, we then attempted to re-establish the small Sanhedrin Courts and Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, but my influence failed to persuade my peers to the fundamental differences between a Constitutional Republic which mandates a Capital Crimes common law (משנה תורה) court system which has the Written Torah Constitutional mandate of Legislative review of any and all statute laws passed by Tribal governments; that such an idea radically differs from assimilated Rambam “Mishna Torah” and the Karo code written prior to the imposed ghetto gulags which lasted some three Centuries.

My rabbinic peers sitting on both a small Sanhedrin and later the Greet Sanhedrin studied g’lut codes rather than the common law Mishnaic Model. They laughed at my comparison – made to the Mishna and Herzl’s Jewish State – that both faced the future and not the past; attempts to compare the later Gemara commentary on the Mishna to the warp weft threads of a loom fell on deaf ears. Rabbis mocked attempts to show how פרדס inductive logic radically differed from Greek syllogism deductive logic; that דרוש ופשט affixed to the Aggada threads while רמז וסוד affixed to the halachic threads; that the famous codes replaced Judicial common law courtroom rulings with religious statute law beliefs. Despite their validation that the T’NaCH, Talmud, Midrashim & Siddur establish the classic cultural identities of the Jewish people throughout the 2000+ years of g’lut which culminated with the Shoah and the rise of the Jewish State.