Jerusalem Report

Digging for truth: West Bank digs reignite debate over land and history

As Israel expands excavations in the West Bank, ancient ruins become entangled in a modern political struggle over land, history, and identity

Workers and volunteers on an archaeological dig sift through dirt at Alexandrion/Sartaba in the Jordan Valley.
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu plants a flag at the archaeological site Sartaba in Judea and Samaria.

Israel's Heritage Minister: Palestinians destroying archaeological sites like ISIS did in Syria

The Strait of Hormuz, the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, making it essential for international energy.

The 40-kilometer chokepoint holding the world economy hostage - analysis

Visitors to the Israel Antiquities Authority’s new center in Jerusalem look at items such as jewelery, makeup brushes, and weapons that had been stolen by antiquities thieves.

Israel's antiquities watchdog tracks stolen history from Jerusalem dealers to US museums


From dust to data: How technology is transforming Israeli archaeology

Israel’s archaeologists are harnessing artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cutting-edge science to transform how the past is uncovered – and understood

Multispectral imaging uses different wavelengths of light such as ultraviolet and infrared rays to better decipher faded or damaged writing on ancient manuscripts.

Beneath Jerusalem: The Pilgrimage Road reopens an ancient path

A newly unveiled 1st-century route from the Pool of Siloam to the Western Wall offers a powerful encounter with history – and sparks modern-day tensions in Jerusalem

Inside the Pilgrimage Road

The unsung architect of Israel's home front resilience - opinion

How Moshe Arens reshaped Israel’s defense doctrine by placing the civilian home front at its center

Former Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Arens (R) and former Ambassador to the United States Zalman Shoval listen to a question as they attend an event at the National Press Club in Washington, February 15, 2001.

'Heritage as a weapon': How West Bank digs became a tool of dispossession - opinion

How archaeology in the West Bank has become a battleground over sovereignty, heritage, and international law

A Palestinian archaeologist works on a lead sarcophagus discovered in Gaza City in early 2022. A common Israeli claim is that Palestinians have ‘no interest’ in antiquities.

Israel abandoned its heritage under Oslo. Now it's paying the price - opinion

UNESCO battles, abandoned sites, and a renewed national plan force Israel to confront its responsibility to Jewish heritage

Joshua’s Altar on Mount Ebal, situated outside of Israeli territory, is under threat of being erased by new construction plans.

Inside the dig that peeled back 2,000 years of Jerusalem history

In Jerusalem’s Old City, archaeologists peel back 2,000 years layer by layer, drawing a direct line to our ancient past

Eilat Lieber, director and chief curator of the Tower of David Museum, stands in the site of the Kishle, which is currently being excavated.

Palestinian Authority accelerates heritage campaign as West Bank tensions rise

From museum reopenings to bids for UNESCO recognition, the Palestinian Authority is prioritizing archaeology and identity 

Palestinian children play in a Roman-era fountain in Battir, a village in the West Bank, south of Jerusalem.

The wars Israel is already preparing for – and why they look nothing like today's

As alliances shift and technologies transform warfare, Israel must preserve its qualitative military edge

An artillery unit, deployed at a position in the Upper Galilee near the Lebanon border. Depending on the outcome of this war, Israel’s security challenges could worsen; therefore, its qualitative military edge must be preserved.

Ancient sites, modern stakes: The fight to own the West Bank's past - from the editor

As fighting rages, another battle unfolds in the West Bank – over history, heritage, and identity, where competing claims to the past are shaping the future

As the current war wages, Israelis and Palestinians battle over ancient narratives.

Fake missiles, fake deaths: AI is rewriting Israel's war reality

As the Israel–Iran war unfolds, another battle is playing out online, with AI-generated images and videos blurring the line between fact and fiction.

 An emergency responder inspects a house that was destroyed by an Iranian ballistic missile strike on March 13, 2026 in Israel.