Netanyahu: Ezekiel 37 Fulfilled in Israel

By Tzippe Barrow, CBN News Internet Producer - Jerusalem

JERUSALEM, Israel - Speaking on the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz in Poland last week, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu proclaimed the fulfillment of the prophet Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones.

"The Jewish people rose from ashes and destruction, from a terrible pain that can never be healed," Netanyahu said at the ceremony. 

"Armed with the Jewish spirit, the justice of man, and the vision of the prophets, we sprouted new branches and grew deep roots. Dry bones became covered with flesh, a spirit filled them, and they lived and stood on their own feet, as Ezekiel prophesized:

"Then He said to me, 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!' Therefore prophesy and say to them, thus says the Lord God, 'Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves."

Israeli Prof. Deciphers Earliest Hebrew Text

CBNNews, HAIFA, Israel - Ancient Hebrew text deciphered and translated by University of Haifa Prof. Gershon Galil has been hailed as the earliest known Hebrew writing, dating from King David's reign in the 10th century B.C.

According to Prof. Galil, the words etched on the trapezoid pottery shard are ancient Hebrew, providing tangible evidence that the Kingdom of Israel existed at this time.

The professor based his conclusions on the verbs, which are peculiar to the Hebrew language and point to Israelite culture and not to other peoples living in the region in the 10th century B.C.

"This text is a social statement, relating to slaves, widows and orphans," Prof. Galil said in a press statement. "It uses verbs that were characteristic of Hebrew, such as asah [did], avad [worked], which were rarely used in other regional languages. Particular words that appear in the text, such as almanah [widow], are specific to Hebrew and are written differently in other languages," he said.

Israeli President Hosts Christian Leaders

By CBNNews

JERUSALEM, Israel - Israeli President Shimon Peres hosted Christian leaders at his Jerusalem residence on Monday, wishing them Happy New Year and Merry Christmas.

Among the attendees were Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III; Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fuad Twal; Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, representing the Armenian Patriarch; Friar Pier Battista, custos of the Holy Land; and Greek-Catholic Melkite Archbishop Elias Shakur.

"It is Israel's responsibility to make sure every believer can pray to his or her Lord without interruption. Israel is deeply committed to protecting the holy sites for every religion. We will not tolerate any offense toward any church, mosque or synagogue," the president told the gathering of religious leaders.

"I know there are some differences between us, but there are also many similarities," Peres said. "By and large, I believe that the religious and spiritual leaders who have assembled here today constitute a camp of peace," he said.