(horn blows)

- This week on Jerusalem Dateline.

Major unrest in Iran as many are asking

if this could be the beginningof the end for the regime.

We'll discuss that possibilitywith our CBN News team.

Plus, Scott Ross looksat the first century town

of Magdala and the synagogue

where many believed Jesus preached.

And Passages, Christianstudents come to Israel

for a life changing experience.

All this and more thisweek on Jerusalem Dateline.

(dramatic music)

Hello and welcome to thisedition of Jerusalem Dateline,

I'm Chris Mitchell.

While Washington debates thekilling of Qasem Soleimani,

Iranians are risking their lives

as they cry out for freedom.

Throughout Iran tens ofthousands of Iranians

have taken to the streets to protest

against the Iranian regime.

Some believe the public demonstrations

represent a historic threat

to the 40 year Islamic Republic of Iran.

Here's a look at someof the demonstrations,

what these Iranians are saying.

(chanting)

From Tehran to Isfahan to Hamadan,

Iranians defied their government

and called for it's end.

In Tehran, crowds shoutedfor Iran's Supreme Leader,

Ayatollah Khamenei to step down.

(chanting)

This crowd chanted, dictator,

Iranian Revolutionary GuardCorp you are our ISIS.

The defiance comes just days after Iran

buried it's number twoleader Qasem Soleimani.

Now his posters are beingtorn down in the streets,

taken down from walls.

At Amirkabir University in Tehran,

hundreds of students refused to step

on the American and Israeli flags

and shouted at those who did.

President Trump tweeteddirectly to the leaders of Iran

in both Farsi and English.

"To the leaders of Iran, donot kill your protestors.

Thousands have already beenkilled or imprisoned by you

and the world is watching.

More importantly the USA is watching."

Middle East expert, Walid Phares tweeted

that Trump's message was the equivalent

of President RonaldReagan's telling Gorbachev

to tear down this wall.

(screaming)

But the protestors risked their lives.

These videos show somepeople have been shot

during these protests.

A few months ago, Iranian authorities

killed 1500 Iranians who protested.

- The Iranian populousis very much dissatisfied

with the Iranian regime saying

how come you are ignoringthe 1500 that died

but yet you're mourning this individual,

a person who probablyhad direct involvements

in killing those 1500?

- [Chris] The protests come after Iran

finally admitted it accidentally shot down

a Ukrainian airlinerwith 176 people on board.

For days, Iranianofficials denied any blame

for the tragedy.

In Washington, Democrats are scrambling

to reign in President Trumpwith a war powers resolution

and question theadministration's intelligence

that led to Soleimani's killing.

National Security Advisor Robert O'Brian

defended the President's decision.

- We had exquisite intelligence

and the intelligence showedthat they were looking

at U.S. facilities throughout the region.

(dramatic music)

- In the wake of the killing of Soleimani,

many people are looking atimportance of his legacy.

Many Shi'ite militia groupspoised for military action

through the Middle East.

One researcher has spentyears studying these groups

and has an important messageto the West and the U.S.

Phillip Smyth created theShia Militia Mapping Project

an exhaustive research effortidentifying Iranian backed

Shi'ite militiasthroughout the Middle East.

He says they're anextension of Iranian power.

- They are the spearpoint for the Iranians.

Now we talk about their nuclear weapon

and the nuclear threatthat's coming out of Iran

but this is the real nuclearweapon on the ground.

This is what affects change in the region.

This is what's kept dictators in power

that the Iranians have wanted,for instance, Bashar Assad,

it's the Shia militias that support him.

How do they controlLebanon, Lebanese Hezbollah.

- [Chris] Smyth says QasemSoleimani masterminded

these states within states

and wove them throughout the region

from Iran to Lebanon.

- But he was a guy on the ground who knew

how to build relationshipsand not just that

what made him very importantwas how he was able

to delegate to other commanders.

He knew who the right people were,

who was going to be ideological loyal,

who could be financially loyal.

- [Chris] These militia groups number

as many as 200,000 and pose a threat

to America's number one allyin the Middle East, Israel.

- A massive one, thisis the tip of the spear

for the Iranians in termsof fighting the Israelis.

- [Chris] He says Americans should know

about these groups and care.

- Well, we should carebecause these groups

have been consistentlythreatening the United States

and it's interest in the region.

And ideologically theyhold that the United States

needs to not only be out of the region

but religiously speakingthey view the United States

as what they call (speaksin foreign language),

or the greatest Satan.

And that's a true belief that many

of the hardcore ideolians hold.

That means they wantto take American lives

when they view it asstrategically advantageous.

- [Chris] Based on Smyth's research,

it's clear America, Israel and the West

will be dealing with the Shia groups

throughout the Middle Eastfor the forseeable future.

(dramatic music)

Up next, CBN News Senior Correspondents

discuss the current stateof Iran and it's future.

- [Narrator] Roman soldiersdestroyed the Second Temple

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the Temple treasuressurvived but where are they?

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- [Wendy] Nigerian Christians are being

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- One of the fastest growingChristian populations

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- [Join] Join WendyGriffith and George Thomas

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- [Woman] Young people are the ones

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Watch Christian WorldNews Saturday at 5 p.m.

(upbeat music)

- [Narrator] Watch breakingnews, in depth exclusive stories

and programs from health to entertainment

you won't find anywhere else.

The CBN Newschannel, aperspective you can trust.

Enjoy credible news reportingfrom around the world.

Discover inspiring programsand stories of hope

all in one place from aChristian perspective.

The CBN Newschannel, aperspective you can trust.

To watch the CBNNewschannel, download the app

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(dramatic music)

- With crippling sanctionsand Iranians protesting

in the streets, could this be the moment

the Iranian regime will fall?

Here's one perspective from Reza Pahlavi

son of the former Shah of Iran.

(dramatic music)

- I think people smell the opportunity

for the first time in 40 years this time,

very different than 2009,even very different from 1997.

The people have had it.

Today's generation of youngIranians cannot take it anymore.

They wanna have an opportunityfor a better future,

they want to be in the pastof modernity and freedom.

The only thing that standsbetween them and the free world

is this regime.

- To discuss more about Iran,

I talk with CBN's SeniorInternational Correspondents,

Gary Lane and George Thomasfrom our CBN News headquarters.

(dramatic music)

- George and Gary thanksso much for joining us

on Jerusalem Dateline.

Gary, first to you, are weseeing an unprecedented protest

there in Iran and could thisbe the beginning of the end

of the Islamic regime?

- Well, Chris I thinkthat's wishful thinking

on the part of many people but in reality

we never thought theBerlin Wall would come down

and I was in Berlin when that happened,

at the time we didn'trealize what was happening.

So could this be thatmoment, it may be up to God

but also a lot of other factors.

Iran is a mess right now economically.

If you look at unemployment, young people,

between the ages of 15 and 24,

it's approaching 30%unemployment for that age group.

Inflation is over 12% and then also

you have the averageIranian's only making $10,000

for their household income

and they're fed up with this regime.

And one of the reasonsis because of corruption.

But people are fed up,they're saying look,

this is a corrupt regime,there's a lot of corruption

and the shooting downof that aircraft liner

that had 82 Iranians on board,

that was the last strawand we've seen these people

out in the streets.

As you say, Chris, unprecedented,

will it lead to a collapse of the regime,

we'll have to wait and see.

- Yeah, George, to you, Garyreferred to President Reagan

when he said Mr. Gorbachevtear down this wall,

the Berlin Wall did fall,what are you hearing

and seeing from inside Iran right now?

- There is an unprecedentedlevel of depression.

This has been an issuethat's been going on

for quite some time.

Some would say for 40years because they realize

what life was like beforethe ruling Ayatollahs

came into power in 1979

but so much has changedin the last 40 years

and it's become morepronounced, I would say

in the last five, six years,

especially in the last three years

as the Trump administration continues

to put the screws, theeconomic, political screws

on the country

but there is a widespreadlevel of depression.

They feel so hopeless about the future,

people are not, theydon't have money to spend,

they don't have enoughmedicine to go to the hospital,

to care for their loved ones who are ill,

they don't have basiccommodities, basic supplies

like oil, flour, other, bread,the sort of basic things

that people take for granted.

So there's this unprecedentedlevel of uncertainty.

- Yeah, Gary you referredto the Berlin Wall.

Many people didn't thinkthat was gonna come down.

Now if the Islamic regime did fall,

are there any viable alternativesto the regime right now?

- Well, one person thatpeople in the West are pushing

is Reza Pahlavi and RezaPahlavi, the 59 year old son

of the late Shah who wasoverthrown of course,

late Shah overthrown in theIslamic Revolution in 1979.

So many people are looking to him

but especially the olderIranians who remember

as George said what lifewas like under the Shah,

it was much better.

- As it does say is thathe made it very clear,

clerics called us weak.

At the Hudson Institutehe said it was time

to stop negotiating with theruling clerics in Tehran.

That it was time the UnitedStates support the people.

So it's all about supporting the people

and allowing the peopleto rise up from within.

So that was a very clearcall by Reza Pahlavi.

- And the thing about that Chris is

he's talking about regime change

and that's one thing that President Trump

has never said that theU.S. intended to do,

he wanted to see behavioral change

from the Iranian governmentnot regime change,

so maybe behind the scenesthey're rethinking that policy.

- Well, George and Gary,there's an unprecedented revival

going on inside Iran right now.

You've reported on that, George,a question to both of you

in our last minute here, howimportant is prayer right now

to the people of Iran?

Gary, first to you.- Yeah, go ahead Gary.

- It's extremely important,because we see through prayer

that there is change.

As I said earlier, we neverthought the Berlin Wall

would come down but Christianswere involved in that,

there were people in Poland that were part

of solidarity the solidaritymovement in the Church,

the Catholic Churchwas very much involved.

People praying and wesaw that wall come down.

There's power in prayer, yesit can make a difference.

- Go ahead George.

- I was just in Ukraine this past week

a satellite province ofthe former Soviet Union

and the believers I spoke to there

said they never expected it,

they never thought it would ever happen

but behind the scenes, they were praying,

they were praying for 80years, it took a long time

but they believed prayer was the catalyst

that brought down the Berlin Wall

and you can believe itand you reported on it

inside Iran along the wallsof this beautiful nation,

underground believers arepraying for the Holy Spirit

to come and invade their nation

and that there would bea transformative change

in that country.

(dramatic music)

- [Chris] Up next, takea look with Scott Ross

at one of the most importantarcheological finds

in recent history, thefirst century synagogue

where many believe Jesus preached.

(inspirational music)

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- What started as a visionto build a guest house

for pilgrims coming to the Galilee

took an entirely different direction.

After breaking ground,the project turned into

an extensive archeological site

providing a colorful picture of life

at the time of Jesus.

CBN's Scott Ross takes us to Magdala,

the city many believe wasthe home of Mary Magdalene.

- [Scott] Located on the western shore,

the Sea of Galilee,Magdala sits at a crossroad

of Jewish and Christian history.

- Magdala is very significant already

just in general culture oneof the most known figures

of Christian discipleshipis Mary of Magdala.

What's the importance ofMagdala for the Jewish people

it's a first century town anda very significant excavation

in the first centuryfor the Jewish culture.

- [Scott] In 2005, Father Juan Solana

initiated the Magdala Projectto highlight the ministry

of Jesus and an opportunityto honor women of faith.

They broke ground in 2009and what happened next,

Father Eamon Kellydescribes as providence.

- We bought this piece of land and then

to find it in Magdala theland and not just on any hill

around the city of Galileean then you start digging

with two prayers Lord's prayer,

Lord spare us from archeology

(laughs)

'cause it's an expensive hobby

and then a big delay for all the project.

The second prayer was ifyou do give us archeology

give us something good and so we find

this incredible discovery ofa first century synagogue.

- [Scott] Sitting in thesynagogue, Father Kelly

told me about some of the features

that make it so amazing.

- So we're in a very big room

and we see it's organizedwith two rows of seating here

in the central part and wehave another row of seating

here inside the outer walls.

This is a space that's not a family home.

It's a very ornate community room

that has this mosaic and the frescoes

and the mosaic has twoparts, the Rosette mosaic

with the three colorsbut now the specialists

are telling us they're26 colors in the mosaic

and then we have theunending pattern which shocks

some people.

They say this was also inthe temple in Jerusalem.

And then we have the MagdalaStone right down here.

This is the place where we found it.

Now this and the oneout there is our copies.

It's considered and treasuredby many archeologists

on the level of the DeadSea Scrolls in terms

of archeological importance.

- [Scott] Archeologist MottiAviam proposed a theory

of the Magdala Stoneresembling the Second Temple

of Jesus' day.

- And I suggested that what we have here

is some kind of a model symbolicof the temple in Jerusalem.

We have the menorah, we havethe alter, the golden alter,

we have the showbread table and we a scene

into the Holy of Holies.

- [Scott] Because of thecommandment against graven images,

Aviam says the choice wasto portray God symbolically

in a divine chariot.

- As it is in the book of Zachariah

and many other books fromthe Second Temple period,

which gives us adescription of the chariot

in which God is riding.

- So what is thesignificance then of Magdala

going back in biblical history?

- Magdala today gives thelargest view archeologically

of the time of Jesus.

- [Scott] While there'sno physical evidence

that Jesus visited Magdala,

Father Kelly says the signs are there.

- Scott, everyday, everygroup asks me this question

was Jesus here, was he in thissynagogue, was he in Magdala?

And I say we don't knowbecause we lost of the videos.

(laughs)

Jesus was surely present in Galilee

and this is on the pathfrom Nazareth to Capernaum.

There's a port here and he'salways crossing the lake.

This is a mecca for theGalilean Sea of fishermen.

- [Scott] And Magdalathe Duc In Altum Center

is a place for people ofdifferent faiths to worship.

It's Latin name is taken from Luke

where Jesus tells Peterto launch into the deep.

The atrium is designedto honor the Jewish women

who followed Jesus in the New Testament.

Four smaller chapelsinclude mosaics illustrating

biblical events and in the boat chapel

a unique boat shape alteroverlooks the Sea of Galilee.

- When the gospel's proclaimedup there at the microphone,

it looks like Jesus is preachingagain to us from the boat.

Imagine you're havingliturgy here and prayer

and the boats are going by,it allows people to get into

the moment of the gospel happenings.

- [Scott] And downstairsis the encounter chapel

where Father Kelly says he believes God

is healing divisions between Christians

and the Jewish community.

- This is part of the roadof the first century port.

So you know the names ofany first century fisherman?

(laughs)

So who walked on this street?

- Yes.

- Now if Jesus came to Magdala,I say he was more often

on this street than hewas in the synagogue,

in our synagogue.

- [Scott] Magdala is staffed in part

by international volunteers.

- Sometimes you realize youknow very little of your faith

so this helps you to go deeper inside

and really to live all the things

that you can find out in Israel.

- I've never been in the Holy Land before

so it was taking a huge risk.

It was very surprising to seehow what we think about Israel

the Holy Land and cominghere and seeing the reality.

- [Scott] And that guesthouse for pilgrims,

it opened just recently.

- What's the vision for the future now?

- We had to make quite a few adjustments

because of the archeological discoveries

which enriched the site immenselyenriched it with meaning

and then by finding the synagogue

a huge increase of theJewish/Christian dialogue.

And also the Christianto Christian encounter

because here we have a placewhere we were not divided.

So we're probably going to continue

taking this to the future.

I think we'll all besurprised as we are everyday.

- [Scott] Scott Ross, for CBN at Magdala

in the Galilee Israel.

- If you'd like to know more about Magdala

and an incredible one andhalf million piece mosaic

of the Galilee in the time of Jesus

you can log onto magdalamosaid.org.

(dramatic music)

Coming up, see what happenswhen some Christian students

come to Israel for the very first time.

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- Hundreds of AmericanChristian University students

embarked on a recent journey to Israel

for a unique learning experience.

It's part of a programto increase their faith

while also introducing them to a modern

and vibrant Israel.

CBN Middle East Correspondent,Julie Stahl has that story.

- [Julie] It's called Passages.

- As a Christian, your whyis rooted in your faith

and your faith is rooted in Israel.

(drum music)

- [Julie] This big event in Jerusalem

with Israeli musicianscelebrated the fourth anniversary

of this unique educational program

for American Christian students.

2016 Passages was born to giveyou the religious political,

social leaders of tomorrow an opportunity

to come to Israel to ignite your faith,

to connect with the valuesthat the United States

shares with Israel and to strengthen

your leadership journey.

- [Julie] Former IsraeliKnesset member Michael Oren

talked about their connection to the land.

- Your faith gives you a part of this land

the land of Israel.

It gives you a part of this sacred city.

- [Julie] Current US Ambassador to Israel,

David Friedman told CBN News

the trip is invaluableat this time in history.

- So to bring these kids here for 10 days

to show them, especially Jerusalem

but all the rest of theparts of the country,

it's very, very powerfuland very important.

- [Julie] Passages wasstarted by Christian leader,

Robert Nicholson, anOrthodox Jewish Israeli

with Kidron.

- As I began to becomemore and more attached

to Christianity I began tosee that many people my age

and younger were actuallygoing the opposite direction.

I knew that this encounterwith the land of Israel

would be a remedy.

- [Julie] Participants travel the land

for nine days visitinghistoric biblical sites

and seeing the modern state.

- With Passages, theyoffer something unique

by diving deep intogeopolitics of the land,

trying to provide diversity of narratives

so that students comeout of the trip realizing

that the media isn't allthat there is to this story.

- [Julie] CBN News spenta morning with students

from the University ofAlabama visiting Jerusalem's

City of David.

- As Christians it'simportant for us to understand

what's going on in the world

so we're getting to hear lotsof different perspectives

on that and just become educated

from a first hand perspective.

- [Julie] Student leaders Carter Helm

and Emily Bernard told us aboutthe value of their visits.

- My first tour of Israel hada great impact on my life.

It changed the way I read the Bible,

it changed my prayer life, itchanged the way I think about

culture and Judaism and theHebraic roots of my faith.

- [Julie] By the endof this year, Passages

will have brought 10,000students to the Holy Land

as part of this programleaders call a game changer

in relations between faith and nations.

Julie Stahl, CBN News Jerusalem.

- As we've heard, formany of these students

coming here to Israelcan be life changing.

If you'd like an experience like theirs

please join me later this year

from June 12th to the 20th

for an exclusive tour calledIsrael Through the Eyes

of a Reporter.

If you'd like to know more

you can go tonoseworthytravel.com/chrismitchell2020

or call 800-929-4684.

Well, that's all for thisedition of Jerusalem Dateline.

Thanks for joining us.

Remember you can follow us on Facebook,

Twitter, Instagram or YouTube.

I'm Chris Mitchell,we'll see you next time

on Jerusalem Dateline.

(dramatic music)