(shofar blowing)

- This week on, "Jerusalem Dateline,"

Israel, dramatically tightens its lockdown

as COVID cases soar once again.

And trouble in the US Capitol:the spiritual implications.

Plus, tour Israel in non-COVID times,

and a unique discoveryfrom the time of Jesus

in the Garden of Gethsemane.

All this and more this weekon, "Jerusalem Dateline."

(rock music)

(air whooshing)

Hello and welcome to thisedition of, "Jerusalem Dateline,"

I'm Chris Mitchell.

For generations, people around the world

have looked to the United States

as the example of freedom and democracy.

But the events in the US Capitol this week

have shaken Americans, andothers around the world.

Here's a story from our Washington Bureau

about what we know so far.

- [Paul] Demands forthe President to resign

have mounted, even as a growing number of

US House Democrats, some 200according to media accounts,

say they'd impeach the President.

One very notable call for his resignation

came from a Wall Street Journal editorial.

"If Mr. Trump wants toavoid a second impeachment,

"his best path would be to

"take personal responsibility and resign."

It adds, "This might alsostem the flood of White House

"and Cabinet resignationsthat are understandable

"as acts of conscience."

And the number of those resignations

has also been growing.

Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos,

and transportation secretary, Elaine Chao

have now stepped down in protest.

They joined several others,including former acting

White House Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney,

now Special Envoy to Northern Ireland.

He told CNBC, "I can'tdo it, I can't stay."

- It's a small job, it's a part-time gig,

but it's all I've gotin the administration.

I called Mike Pompeo lastnight, left him a note,

told him I'd be resigning from that,

and I wouldn't be surprised to see

more of my friends resign.

- [Paul] And the death toll

from Wednesday's riots grew again,

when Capitol Hill policeofficer Brian Sicknick

died Thursday night, after being injured

during confrontations with protestors.

His death will beinvestigated as a homicide.

Sicknick's death came as the fallout grows

among Capitol Hill security officials

from the violent takeoverof the Capitol building,

by what some are calling,"domestic terrorists."

The chief of the CapitolPolice has agreed to resign

before President-Elect Joe Biden's,

January 20th inauguration.

Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell,

says the Senate Sergeantat Arms has stepped down,

and speaker Nancy Pelosi says

the House Sergeant atArms will also resign.

Meanwhile, former AttorneyGeneral William Barr

is blasting the President,telling the Associated Press

"Trump's conduct Wednesday was a betrayal

"of his office and supporters."

Barr added, "Orchestrating a mob

"to pressure Congress is inexcusable,"

and some have taken another tactic,

calling for top WhiteHouse officials to use

the 25th amendment to oust Trump.

- All indications are that the President

has become unmoored,not just from his duty,

or even his oath, but from reality itself.

Section four of the 25th amendment allows

a majority of the cabinet,and the Vice President

to assume the duties ofthe office of presidency

until the President is able to himself.

It's time to invoke the 25th amendment

and to end this nightmare.

- [Paul] But that move'san unlikely long shot,

with Vice President, MikePence, reportedly opposed.

Amidst all this, PresidentTrump put out a video

Thursday night, finally calling for

a smooth transition of power.

He also condemned the protestors

who took over the Capitol building.

- Like all Americans, I am outraged

by the violence, lawlessness, and mayhem.

A new administration will beinaugurated on January 20th.

My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth,

orderly, and seamless transition of power.

This moment calls forhealing and reconciliation.

- Despite the President's remarks,

the political damage has been done.

Now the question is, inelections in the years ahead,

what impact will the capital chaos

have on Trump and the Republicans?

Paul Strand, CBN News, Washington.

- Israeli prime minister,Benjamin Netanyahu,

condemned the violence at the US Capitol,

ahead of a meeting withUS Treasury Secretary,

Steven Mnuchin, here in Jerusalem.

He said American democracyhas always inspired him,

and he was sure it would prevail.

He also thanked President Trump.

- I want to thank President Trump,

and all of you in the administration,

for all you have done,and are doing for peace.

You have made a real difference,

achieving one breakthrough after another,

bringing the UAE, Bahrain,Morocco, and Sudan

into the circle of peace.

And I have no doubt that more

Arab and Muslim countries will follow.

I also do want to commend

the maximum pressure campaign on Iran.

Under your leadership,the US Treasury has played

a crucial role in applyingand enforcing sanctions

on the Iranian regime.

- Israel dramaticallyincreased the restrictions

on its third national lockdown,

with the goal of stopping the virus.

These latest rules take effect

as Israel already deals withits third national lockdown.

It started just 12 days ago,

but Israeli Prime Minister,Benjamin Netanyahu,

saw the need for greater restrictions.

- [Interpreter] Hospitals are warning us

that we're enteringthe most dangerous wave

since the outbreak of the plague.

The Ministry of Health,and the experts warn us

that we are in a state of emergency,

and that if we do not act immediately,

hundreds of Israelis willdie and maybe even more.

- [Chris] This enhancedlockdown will continue

for at least two more weeks,

and means closing all schoolsexcept special education.

Most businesses, exceptnecessities like grocery stores

and pharmacies, and all workplaces

except essential services.

Each day, Israel is seeingabout 8,000 new cases,

and authorities blamedthis increase in part

on the British mutation ofCOVID spreading in the country.

Of the current 60,000 active cases,

more than 800 people arein serious condition,

and the death totalstands at around 3,500.

One group, representinghundreds of Israeli doctors,

professors, and scientists,believes these new measures

are counterproductive, urgingthe government to reconsider.

Their statement reads, "Thisdestructive third lockdown

"will cause severe damageto hundreds of thousands

"of households in Israel.

"It will lead to anotherrise in domestic violence,

"dropout of more studentsfrom the education system,

"delay further diagnoses of cancer,

"increase rates of depression and anxiety,

"increase the loneliness of the elderly,

"and many other heavy damages."

They propose an approachthat protects the vulnerable,

while reopening the economyto the less vulnerable.

Meanwhile, authoritiescontinue an aggressive push

to vaccinate the population,

leading to one of the fastest

inoculation campaigns in the world.

Israel now leads the worldin per-capita vaccinations.

- We have here about 30 spots

where nurses from ourhospital are vaccinating

the entire population,not only in Tel Aviv,

but we are doing that in a pace of around

5,000 to 7,000 a day herein this huge operation.

- [Chris] So far, more thanone and a half million Israelis

have received the shot.

The goal is to achieve herd immunity,

and become the first in the world

to fully reopen its economy.

The belief is that Israelcan reach that goal

after at least 5 million people have been

either vaccinated or recoverfrom a COVID infection.

It's been one year since the killing of

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps General

Qasem Soleimani, and Iran'sleaders are vowing revenge.

This also comes as the country approaches

a critical stage in enriching uranium.

January 3rd, 2020, a droneover the skies of Baghdad

kills the leader of Iran'sRevolutionary Guard.

As the anniversary neared,President Hassan Rouhani

told his cabinet and the world,

the killing would notgo without retaliation.

- [Interpreter] The martyrdomof our great General

in a brutal assassinationby American officials,

mainly the President of the United States,

and his Secretary of State,

these two are among themain culprits of this crime.

Of course, others had a role too,

and our nation will not leave them alone.

- [Chris] Other Iranianofficials at a ceremony

for Soleimani pointed specifically

at US troops in the region.

- [Interpreter] Today, wehave no problem, concern,

or apprehension inencountering any powers.

We will give our final words

to our enemies in the battlefield.

- Over the weekend, Israeldelivered the US Army

a second Iron Dome anti-missile battery.

In a show of force, American B-52 bombers

flew over the Persian Gulf todeter any potential attacks.

And the Times of Israel is reporting,

the IDF is preparingfor any potential strike

by Iranian-backedmilitias in Yemen or Iraq.

On the nuclear front,Iran also informed the UN

it would begin enriching uranium to 20%

at it's Fordo facility.

That puts Iran one step away

from creating weapons-grade uranium.

- [Interpreter] We're like soldiers,

and our finger is on the triggers.

The commander shouldcommand, and we shoot.

We're ready for this, andwe'll produce enriched uranium

as soon as possible.

- [Chris] A decade ago,Iran's decision to pursue

that percentage ofenrichment nearly provoked

an Israeli strike onits nuclear facilities.

(rock music)

Coming up, a somber Christmas in Armenia

after a brutal war.

(rock music)

(upbeat instrumental music)

(bell clanging)

- [Narrator] CBN Films presents.

- It's a very corrupt period

in Jewish history at this time.

- [Narrator] "Written inStone: Jesus of Nazareth."

- The emotion is one thing,

but the scientifictools is something else.

- [Narrator] The life of Jesuschanged the entire world.

- Jesus walked on this particular street.

- [Narrator] But what does archeology say

about where he lived his life?

- It's an authentic locationin the life of Jesus.

- [Narrator] Join Gordon Robertson,

and unearth remarkable discoveries.

- Is it really the place where Jesus

spent his last night on earth?

- [Narrator] Explore where Jesus traveled.

- [Man] Jesus went from one Jewish place

to another Jewish place.

- [Narrator] Where he performed miracles.

- And He raised thelittle girl from the dead.

- [Narrator] And where hewas tried by Pontius Pilate.

- [Gordon] Tradition iswrong. (bell dinging)

- [Narrator] "Written inStone: Jesus of Nazareth"

for a gift of any dollar amount.

Call 1-800-700-7000, or goto cbn.com/writteninstone.

- That changes everything.

- [Narrator] A new wave of antisemitism

is sweeping the globe,

and the Jewish State faceshostility at every turn.

Now is the time forChristians to support Israel.

In CBN's free booklet, "WhyChristians Stand With Israel,"

you'll discover why Christianssupport the Jewish State,

and why we must stand togetherwith the Jewish people.

Get your free copy today.

Call now or go to cbn.com/standwithIsrael.

- [Narrator] Watch breaking news,

In-depth exclusive stories and programs,

from health to entertainment,

you won't find anywhere else.

The CBN News Channel, aperspective you can trust.

Enjoy credible news reportingfrom around the world.

Discover inspiring programsand stories of hope

all in one place, froma Christian perspective

The CBN News Channel, aperspective you can trust.

To watch the CBN News Channel,

download the app orvisit cbnnewschannel.com.

(rock music)

- In October, fightingbroke out between two former

Soviet countries, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The short war resulted in more than

5,000 dead, and 100,000 displaced.

As Chuck Holton reports,

a ceasefire ended thefighting in November,

but Armenia has been rackedby ongoing strife since then.

- Winter in Armenia.

The cold weather might be brutal,

but the citizens of thishistorically Christian nation

make it through bydrawing on warm traditions

of faith and family.

(men chanting)

Celebrating Christmas on December 25th

started back in 336 AD,when Emperor Constantine,

and the Holy RomanEmpire, declared that day

to be the day Jesus'birth would be celebrated,

but here in Armenia, theywere celebrating Jesus' birth

on January 6th, more thanthree decades earlier.

That's the day we now call theEpiphany in the United States

and they still do it that way here today,

more than 1,600 years later.

- We'll celebrate Christmason the Eve of Christmas

is the night of the January 5th,

and that's when we celebratethe candlelight liturgy,

and we announce the birth of the Christ.

And the next day in themorning, January 6th,

again we have liturgies at the churches

all over the world.

- More than 95% of Armeniansclaim Christianity,

and so religious holidays like this one

are very important here.

Following traditions passed down by the

Armenian Apostolic Church for millennia.

This is the Haghartsin Monastery

in the northern part of Armenia,

in a town called Dilijan,

and Christians have beencelebrating Christ's birth

at this spot in that church behind me

for over a thousand years.

This year's celebrationis a little subdued.

There's a reason for that.

We talked to one of thepriests here to find out why.

- It's about our existence,our identity, our everything.

- [Chuck] He's not talkingabout the Armenian church,

though that is centralto life here in Armenia.

He's talking about their homeland,

part of which was just lost ina short but intense conflict

with their eastern neighbor, Azerbaijan.

Starting in September, 2020,the Azeri army moved in

to take over lands whereArmenians have lived

for thousands of years,

and the loss is deeplyfelt among the people here.

- It's traumatic, let's say,

and we still need time to truly analyze,

and understand the whole

what's happened to us and why it happened,

and make a kind of strongcommitment for revival.

- This year, Armenia isnot really celebrating

the special holidays, theNew Year's and Christmas

in a festive way, because, as you know,

Armenia was hit by adevastating war in 2020,

which left us with heavy losses.

We lost thousands of young lives.

We lost our historic lands.

- [Chuck] Normally, thecapital city of Yerevan

is heavily decorated withlights for the Christmas season.

But this year, between theCOVID virus and the war,

the mood is subdued.

Nevertheless, these worshipers

are putting their faithin God for the future.

- [Seda] But this is a moment of mourning,

this is a moment of reflection,

and this is a moment of alsoappreciating what we have.

Also, this birth of Christis allowing us to think about

the rebirth of ournation, and of our dreams,

and hopefully beingable to stand up again,

and protect our land.

- [Chuck] From Armenia, Merry Christmas.

I'm Chuck Holton, for CBN News.

(rock music)

- [Chris] Up next, tired of coronavirus?

A look at a tour to the HolyLand in non-COVID times.

(inspiring instrumental music)

- [Announcer] Now, for a limited time,

you can get five of CBN's

critically acclaimed documentaries.

Experience the rebirth ofthe modern state of Israel.

- The historic bondsbetween the Jewish people,

and the land of Israel cannot be broken.

- [Announcer] Relivethe battle for Jerusalem

in the Six Day War.

- Jerusalem is yours, forever.

- [Announcer] Discoverhow Israeli volunteers

are changing the world.

- When people need us, wevolunteer and we come and help.

- [Announcer] Explore the world of

Israeli technological innovation.

- We're people of dreams,God gives us dreams,

and that's really the roots, I think,

of much of our innovation.

- [Announcer] And understand

the biggest land dispute in history.

- Many Palestinian Arabsclaim that the Jews

stole Arab land, butis that the real story?

- [Announcer] This exclusiveIsrael DVD collection

can be yours for a gift of $40 or more.

Call now, or go online to getyour Israel DVD bundle today.

♪ Yeah I do ♪

♪ I dance around because I know joy ♪

♪ I move around because I've got it, joy ♪

♪ Joy's in the heart ♪

♪ Joy, I dance aroundit because I know joy ♪

♪ I move around because I got it, joy ♪

♪ Joy's in the heart ♪

- Orphan's Promise iscommitted to loving and serving

at-risk children, to helpingkeep families together,

and to creating opportunitiesfor strong and sustainable

communities around the world.

We're working in over 60 countries,

and with your help, we can do even more.

We are out to change the world,

one child, one family,one community at a time.

Will you join us?

(inspiring instrumental music)

(rock music)

- 2020 was set to beanother record-breaking year

for tourism in Israel,

but sadly, COVID closed theskies and borders to tourists.

Now, looking ahead, wewant to give you a glimpse

of what a tour of Israellooks like in non-COVID times.

This is the scene outside the

Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

It's just one exampleof the many Christians

making their way to theHoly Land this year.

CBN News followed one churchgroup on their pilgrimage.

Many Christians begin theirjourney not in Jerusalem,

but up in the Galilee,

where Jesus began his earthly ministry.

That includes this group from Virginia's

New Life Providence Church.

- Who knows, Jesus might'vebeen stilling the storm

right in this very spot.

It certainly wouldn't be unlikely.

- [Chris] Pastor Dan Backens says

coming to Israel means a lot.

- As a pastor, what I enjoyabout coming to Israel

is first of all, to see the excitement

in the parishioners that come with me,

or the guests that can comealong on our tour group,

to see the Bible come alive for them,

or what God does in their own heart

through their trip here to Israel.

- [Chris] Debbie Carter waited38 years for her chance.

- I have cried, andwept, and leapt for joy

the whole time I've been here.

Just seeing the many spotswhere my Lord walked.

- [Chris] Many others feel the same.

- It's a life changing experience,

a life changing experience.

I would not have missed it for the world.

- [Chris] Like most Christianstouring the Galilee,

they also visited Capernaum,home of the Apostle Peter,

and the Mount of Beatitudes,

where Jesus preachedthe Sermon on the Mount.

After the Galilee, many tours head South

to visit the Dead Sea, and Qumran,

where the Dead SeaScrolls were discovered.

But for most, the highlight is Jerusalem

where Jesus died, wasburied, and rose gain.

Here, the group is on the Mount of Olives,

overlooking the city.

The most meaningfulthing for many Christians

is the opportunity towalk where Jesus walked.

For example, this is thepath many believe Jesus took

from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem.

One of those places isthe Garden of Gethsemane.

The gospels record this is the place

where Jesus prayed the nightbefore he was crucified,

and said to his Father, "Notmy will, but yours be done."

For some, it brought home the lesson of

the agony of Jesus in the garden.

- I don't ever have to bein the Garden of Gethsemane

pleading before the Father,because Jesus did it already.

- [Chris] They also walkedalong the Via Dolorosa

the traditional site whereJesus carried His cross

on the way to Calvary,

and also sang in St. Anne's church,

with its world famous acoustics.

♪ Hallelujah ♪

Their tour guide, Erez Bar-David,

has led thousands of Christians

throughout the land of the Bible.

- People go through avery, very deep experience

a spiritual and emotionalexperience when they're here.

I think it's just this deeperunderstanding of scripture.

- And when you read the scriptures,

you're kind of lookingat it in black and white,

but when you come here it justreally jumps off the page.

It makes the Bible jump off the page,

and you're able to seereally in color, you know,

wow like this is, this is real, you know?

This is really what ourfaith is built upon.

- [Chris] But is it safe?

Many people don't visitIsrael because they're afraid.

- If I could dispel any kinds of fear

about someone traveling to Israel.

You know, the media sometimes portrays

the threat of terrorism and unrest.

Israel is probably thesafest tourist destination

that there is, because everyone here,

Arab, Palestinian, Israeli,Jew, non-Jew, they want tourism.

- [Chris] Israel's Tourism Minister

sees evangelical Christians asmuch more than just tourists.

- You are not the guests.

You are partners.

The Holy Land also belongs to you.

- Christian pilgrims saythere are many reasons

to visit Israel, from thepersonal to the prophetic.

- It's a real tangibleway that we as Christians

in the United States can support Israel

in this very important time,not only prophetically,

but in just in their national history,

what they're going through too.

- It's become an amazingpersonal experience for me.

One that I'll never forget,

and it's almost toomuch to put into words.

- [Chris] And for many,it's like coming home.

(rock music)

Still ahead, a first of its kind discovery

dating to the time of Jesusin the Garden of Gethsemane.

(rock music)

(dramatic instrumental music)

- [Patrick] It was not my grace, but God,

that I might come to the Irishnations to preach the gospel.

- [Announcer] Now availablefrom CBN Films, "I Am Patrick."

Get your DVD for a gift of $15 or more.

- What brings you back, Roman?

- People thought thatthis mission was crazy,

that his efforts to Christianize Ireland

were doomed to failure.

- [Announcer] From slave to missionary.

- Who among you heeds the call?

- Why would this man put himself in danger

among enemies who do not know God?

- [Announcer] From sinner to saint.

- Patrick's story began a chain of events

that is quite remarkablein the impact that it had.

- I am Patrick.

- Those are the words thatbegin the history of Ireland.

- [Announcer] "I Am Patrick."

Get your DVD of thisinspiring documentary today.

Call 1-800-700-7000 or go to cbn.com.

(inspiring instrumental music)

- Here, we're committed to

a heritage of rigorous scholarship,

dating back over a thousand years,

and to a faith traditiondating back a thousand more.

- [Woman] This is how wecreate a culture of inquiry,

where no topic is off-limits,and a culture of hope,

- Where anything's possible!

- It's Christian leadership,

- And it's changing theworld for the better.

- It's higher learning.

- It's greater knowing.

- It's what makes us whole.

- It's what makes us Regent.

(inspiring instrumental music)

- Hey, if you're tiredand exhausted all day,

you can't think clearly, andyou really just need a cup,

or even a pot of coffeeto get through your day,

then join me, Dr. JoshAxe for this new series

where I'm going to teach youhow to transform your diet,

and use essential oils and supplements

to get a better night's sleep.

- [Announcer] Wake up to your best life.

Call 1-800-700-7000 to getyour free DVD or booklet

of, "Protect Your Sleep," today.

(rock music)

- For the first time,archeologists here in Jerusalem

have discovered evidencefrom second temple times,

near the church in theGarden of Gethsemane,

linking the place to the time of Jesus.

CBN Middle Eastcorrespondent, Julie Stahl,

tells us how a current building project

led to the ancient find.

- The Garden of Gethsemane,

marked by the Church of all Nations,

has been revered for generations

as the place where Jesus prayedon the night he was betrayed

before his crucifixion.

The church behind me was built

at the foot of the Mount ofOlives between 1919 and 1924.

When the foundationswere laid, remains of the

Byzantine and Crusaderperiods were discovered,

but nothing from the second temple times

when Jesus would have been there.

- 2000 years ago, it was a field

outside the walls of Jerusalem,

full with olive trees, andin the middle of the field

was some kind of olivepress for making oil.

- [Julie] The name, Gethsemane,comes from the Hebrew,

gat shaman, or oil press, in English.

Millions of pilgrimsvisit the site each year,

which is across the valley from

the Old City walls and Temple Mount.

Recently, the custodians of the site

began building a visitor'scenter and tunnel

linking the church groundswith the Kidron Valley

across the street.

When they discovered ancient ruins,

the Israel Antiquities Authoritystepped in to excavate,

and discovered a much older site.

- Suddenly in the middle ofthis underground passage,

the mountain collapsed,

and revealed ancient and amazing find.

The Jewish ritual bath,known by the name the mikveh.

- [Julie] Archeologist, Amit Re'em

explains the connection to the olives.

- According to the Jewish law,

when you are doing oliveoil, you need to be purified.

For the first time we havearcheological evidence

that something was here inthe second temple period,

the days of Jesus.

- [Julie] The findingsare set to be incorporated

into the new visitor's center.

- Up 'til today, pilgrimslike to come to this place

in thousands every day.

We hope to preserve theelement we are excited

to be able here, in Gethsemane,

to find something whichbelongs to the time of Jesus.

- [Julie] Archeologistsalso uncovered the remains

of a 1,500 year old churchin the Kidron Valley.

Later, a large hospice ormonastery was built on the site,

but it was destroyed in the 12th century,

probably as a result of Salah al-Din's

Muslim conquest of the city.

Re'em says the Gethsemane excavation

is an example of Jerusalem'sarcheology at its best,

combining traditions and beliefswith historical evidence.

Julie Stahl, CBN News,

at the foot of the Mountof Olives, Jerusalem.

- Well that's oneexample of the remarkable

archeological finds here in Jerusalem.

Because of the situationgoing on in the United States,

please pray for America

at this critical time in its history.

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

Remember, you can followus on Facebook, Twitter,

Instagram, and YouTube.

I'm Chris Mitchell,

we'll see you next timeon, "Jerusalem Dateline."

(rock music)

(camera shutter clicks)