Hamas named the October 7 terrorist attack it waged against Israel “Operation al Aqsa Flood,” suggesting a motive not about Gaza or Israeli border communities but rather about Jerusalem. Why?
Because so much of western civilization has been influenced by Judeo-Christian heritage, the heart of which is Jerusalem’s biblical history, Hamas and its patrons in Tehran want to conquer and control Jerusalem.
Contrary to popular belief, the first time the Jewish people declared independence in their indigenous land of Israel was not in 1948. Thousands of years ago, the 12 tribes of Israel came together to form a nation with Jerusalem as its capital. Over the following thousands of years, the land was ruled by one foreign empire after another.
But even during exile, the Jewish people have always maintained a presence in Israel — and there are archaeological artifacts to prove it.
In recent years, a major site of such historical evidence is the City of David, located just outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.
To discuss the impact of such a historic record on modern foreign policy and national security, host Cliff May is joined by Ze’ev Orenstein, Director of International Affairs for the City of David Foundation in Jerusalem.