(trumpet blowing)

- This week on "Jerusalem Dateline,"

Israel and the Palestinian Authority

hold highest level meetingin more than 10 years,

where will it lead?

And with the Afghanistan pullout complete,

where does it leave those left behind

and what impact will it haveon Israel and the Middle East?

Plus letters to God,placed in the Western Wall.

All this and more this weekon "Jerusalem Dateline."

(dramatic music)

Hello and welcome to this first edition

of our 11th season of"Jerusalem Dateline."

I'm Julie Stahl, fillingin for Chris Mitchell.

The surprise moved bythe Israeli government

to reach out to the Palestinian Authority

is getting mixed reviews.

And did Prime Minister Naftali Bennett

get pressure from the White House

to offer economic help.

CBN Middle East bureauchief Chris Mitchell,

takes a look at the reasons behind it.

(effects whooshing)

- [Chris] In what somewould call an about face,

Israel is offering economic assistance

to the Palestinian Authority

and easing its blockade of the Gaza Strip.

While it could indicate an Israeli

and US policy change toward Palestinians,

it's also an attempt to weaken Hamas.

- Our declared goal is todo whatever is possible

to improve the life of Palestinians,

in terms of the economy,security also self-governance

and also public healthand fighting the pandemic.

And Israel has approveda series of measures

to improve the economic situation.

- [Chris] The measuresinclude a $150 million loan,

as well as authorizing work permits,

for an additional 15,000Palestinians to work inside Israel.

The move follows a surprise meeting

between defense minister Benny Gantz

and PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas,

the highest levelmeeting between the sides

in more than 10 years.

Former Israeli ambassadorto the UN Danny Danon says,

while this coordination is necessary,

he believes the high profilemeeting was out of line.

- We have to rememberthat President Abbas,

still supports terrorism.

They pay salaries to convicted terrorists.

And I don't think he deserves

the respect he got from Minister Gantz.

- [Chris] Danon says,

there may have beenpressure from Washington

since the meeting happened

shortly after Bennet'smeeting with President Biden.

- And, I'm sure thisissue was also brought up

in the discussions between President Biden

and Prime Minister Bennett.

- [Chris] Foreign Minister Yair Lapid

confirmed this move doesn'tmean negotiations are resuming.

Still Lapid says Israel is not interested

in weakening the PA.

- I am a devoted believerin the two-state solution.

I think this is the right solution,

but we'll have to admit to the fact,

this is not feasible inthe current situation.

- [Chris] Reserve MajorGeneral Eitan Dangot.

is former coordinatorof government activities

in the territories.

He believes the meeting highlights

the importance of the West Bank to Israel

and has meant to strengthenAbbas against Hamas.

- Hamas used the last escalation on May

as the top of the interest,

around the Palestinian issue.

They took the leadershipand they will put themselves

as those who are,

let's say caring and servingthe Palestinian people.

- [Chris] While the PA rules

Palestinian areas in the West Bank,

Hamas is gaining power there.

Hamas which is dedicatedto Israel's destruction

has ruled Gaza since 2007,

when it seized control from a PA faction.

- We are not interestedin going back to Gaza.

We are not interested inchoking Gaza in sieges.

We just wanna make sure

nobody's firing rocketsand missiles on us.

And if Hamas willguarantee peace and quiet,

they can guarantee alsothe functioning economy

and humanitarian aidto the people of Gaza.

- [Chris] Israel is also opening

the Kerem Shalom crossingfrom Israel into Gaza,

to all equipment and goods,

increasing the number ofmerchants allowed into Israel

and expanding the fishing zone off Gaza.

- Several days after the meetingbetween PA president Abbas

and Israeli defense minister Gantz

and less than a week afterIsraeli Prime Minister Bennett

returned from his meetingwith President Biden,

Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

hosted a rare summit forJordan's king Abdullah II,

and Palestinian authorityPresident Mahmoud Abbas.

The talks were aimed at reviving

the Middle East peace process

between Israel and the Palestinians

and strengthening the ceasefire

that halted the Israel-Hamas war in May.

According to a statementfrom el-Sisi's office,

the three discussedthe two state solution,

to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

They all agreed, the Palestinians

have a right to a Palestinian state

with the Eastern part ofJerusalem as its capital.

Israel opposes dividing Jerusalem

and has made it clear thatthe economic assistance

it's giving to the Palestinian authority

does not signal a return to negotiations.

The US stuck to its August 31st deadline

and pulled its troops outof Afghanistan on time.

CBN's George Thomas

takes a look at how things wrapped up

and what those left behind are facing.

(effects whooshing)

- [George] 19 Years, 10 months and 23 days

after the US mission in Afghanistan began,

Major General, Chris Donahue

commander of the 82nd Airborne Division

was the last Americansoldier to leave Afghan soil,

shortly before midnightin Kabul on Monday.

- Tonight's withdrawal signifies

both the end of the militarycomponent of the evacuation,

but also the end of thenearly 20 year mission

that began in Afghanistan

shortly after September 11th, 2001.

- [George] A mission that was not cheap.

- The cost was 2,461 US service members

and civilians killed,

and more than 20,000 who were injured.

- [George] By early Tuesday morning,

the Taliban's Islamic fightersalong with their top leaders

were strolling the tarmac ofKabul's airport in full control

and declaring that the mythof American invincibility

had been busted in Afghanistan.

- [Interpreter] We haveachieved our independence

and we were able to forcethe Americans to leave

after 20 years of jihad and sacrifice.

- [George] Over 18 days, the US military

airlifted about 123,000civilians from the airport,

including 6,000 Americans,

in the largest non-combatantevacuation US Army history.

Still us citizens who wanted to get out

are still trapped inside,

along with thousands of Afghan partners.

- There are still a smallnumber of Americans under 200

and likely closer to 100who remain in Afghanistan

and want to leave.

- [George] But just two weeks ago,

the president promised tostay until every American,

including Afghan allies andtheir families, were out.

- If there's American citizens left,

we're gonna stay 'til we get them all out.

- [George] Now with US Forces out,

the question is, will Afghanistan

become a terrorist safe haven again.

The Taliban says it willnot allow the country

to be a launching pad for terror attacks,

but many experts believe their takeover

is a boost for terror groupslike Al-Qaeda and ISIS.

- And unfortunately, going to see

a massive boost in terror,recruitment and radicalization

based on the belief thatjihadist in Afghanistan

first defeated the Soviet Union,

and now they defeated the United States.

- [George] And the ramificationsare already reverberating,

especially for Afghanistan'sreligious minority groups.

At a safe house in Kabul,Jaiuddin, not his real name

has been in hiding alongwith 12 other Afghans,

since the Taliban seizecontrol of the city,

nearly three weeks ago.

- [Jaiuddin] One of us isalways awake during the night,

always walking around and praying.

So if the Taliban shouldcome and knock on our door,

we should alert everyone.

- In an exclusive interview with CBN News,

Jaiuddin and the others who are part of

Afghanistan's very smallChristian community,

told us they have no passports,

no US government issued exit papers.

And right now see theirhopes of escape diminish.

- [Sarah] We had many plansfor preaching the Gospel

with other brothers and sisters,

but then the Talibantook control so quickly,

it happened so fast.

- And now they'd beenmarked by the Taliban.

- [Jaiuddin] Every day,I receive a phone call

from a private number

and the person warns methat if he sees me again,

he will behead me.

- [George] While Jaiuddin says,

he's not afraid of dying,

he's asking the worldto pray for his country.

- [Jaiuddin] We arepraying for each other,

that the Lord would puthis angels around our house

for our protection and safety.

(upbeat music)

- [Julie] Coming up.

What are the possible ramifications

of the Afghanistan pullout forIsrael and the Middle East?

(upbeat music)

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(upbeat music)

- Israeli Prime Minister Bennett

is calling his meeting withPresident Biden, a success.

The meeting took place under the shadow

of the US pullout from Afghanistanand terror attacks there.

Here's what Bennett and Biden had to say

about Israel's greatest threat Iran.

(effects whooshing)

Before boarding his flight home.

Bennett described thetime with President Biden

as a direct and personalconnection based on trust.

(speaking in foreign language)

- [Interpreter] We achievedall of the objectives

for the trip and even beyond that.

We agreed with the Americanson a joint strategic effort

to halt the Iranian nuclear race.

We have taken a significant step

in equipping and building Israeli power.

- [Julie] While the twoleaders differ in approach,

they agree Iran must neverget a nuclear weapon.

- We're putting diplomacy firstand see where that takes us.

But if diplomacy fails,

we're ready to turn to other options.

- These very days illustratewhat the world would look like,

if a radical Islamic regimeacquired a nuclear weapon,

that marriage would be a nuclear nightmare

for the entire world.

Iran is the world's number one exporter

of terror, instability, andhuman rights violations.

- [Julie] Bennetthighlighted Israel strategy.

- First goal is to stop Iran

on its a regional aggression

and start rolling in back into the box.

And the second is to permanently

keep Iran away from ever being able

to break out their nuclear weapon.

- CBN's Gary Lane spokewith Israel's former

Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon,

about how the US pullout from Afghanistan

is changing the dynamics in the region,

strengthening radicals inLebanon, Gaza, and Iran.

- Ambassador Danon, it'sgood to talk with you again.

So, and emboldened Talibannow in control in Afghanistan.

What does that mean for Israel?

- For us when the US isstrong, Israel is strong.

And when the perception is

that the US is gettingweaker, we are weaker.

Those pictures that wesaw coming from Kabul,

actually giving more strengthsto the radicals in Lebanon,

to the radicals in Gaza andto the radicals in Tehran.

And I think the question is

whether the new administration will now

continue to negotiate with Tehran,

and we'll try to re-enter the agreement

with Iran all over again.

- And many other Islamic terrorist groups

see that the most powerfulmilitary in the world

was defeated and embarrassed by the enemy

they fought against for 20 years,

the Taliban's now in control.

So how about the terrorist group

on Israel's Northern border?

Let's talk about Hezbollah first.

Do you expect them to make a move,

or are they too weakfinancially and politically

to attack Israel right now?

- The issue is the perceptionof strengths and power.

I served as deputy minister of defense

and I learned that it's not about

the real strengths you have,

about the number of tanks or submarines,

it's about the perception.

And I think today,

the perception that the US is weaker

and those people sitting inBeirut the heads of Hezbollah,

they know that we willretaliate, we will attack them.

And I think they know it very seriously,

so they will think twicebefore challenging the IDF.

And also politically,

they know that the people in Lebanon

will blame them for the consequences.

So I don't know what will happen.

And also you have to understand

that the people in Hezbollahin Beirut don't decide,

they get orders from Tehran.

So the radicals in Tehran will decide

when the next conflictwill be ill in the nose.

- Well, hat's the big concern.

Is that not what Iran is is going to do?

And I know your PrimeMinister Naftali Bennett

recently met with presidentBiden at the White House,

and Biden said he will not allow Iran

to possess a nuclear weapon on his watch,

but how can Israel trust his word on that?

Given that many of America'sallies feel abandoned,

they feel let down by the hastywithdrawal from Afghanistan.

Can you depend on his word?

- We have to trust ourselves.

History have taught us that

we have to be the ones securing our future

and our wellbeing.

And I think we have a reason to worry

because they new administration

actually acknowledgethat they are willing,

they are eager to sign a deal

with the administration in Tehran.

I don't know why,

but now the only reasonthat we don't have agreement

is because the leadership in Tehran

are not willing to negotiate with the US.

I hope it will stay that situation,

because the last thing we want

is another bad agreementthat will allow Iran

to become nuclear,

allow them to send theirproxies weapons and funding.

We don't want to seeit becoming a reality.

- Many Americans believe Israel

may be forced to act alone

against Iranian nuclear weapons.

Prime Minister Bennett suggestedthat Israel will take steps

against the Islamic Republic,a little bit at a time.

So how could you stop them

without US military backing and support?

Don't you need that?

- We have the capabilitiesto defend ourselves.

If we will have no choice,we will do it ourselves.

We did it in the past.

I want to remind you where we destroyed

the nuclear reactor in Iraq,

the nuclear reactor in Syria.

We hope it will not be the case

that it will be only Israel

against the radicals of Iran.

But if nothing will stop them,

we will be there to stop them.

(upbeat music)

- [Julie] Coming up, the Feast of Trumpets

and the blowing of the shofar.

- It is the most importantarcheological site,

nevertheless, it has never been excavated.

- [Narrator] An almost impossible task.

- Temple Mount was thelargest religious compound

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- [Announcer] Leads to an improbable find.

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♪ Yeah, I've got joy ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I dance around because I know it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I move around because I've got it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy inside my heart ♪

(upbeat music)

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I dance around because I know it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I move around because I've got it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy inside of my heart ♪

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(upbeat music)

- We're entering a specialseason of biblical Holidays.

These traditional Jewish holydays begin with Rosh Hashanah

the traditional new yearand include Yom Kippur,

the day of atonement.

But there's more to this season

and the Bible points the way.

CBN Middle East Bureau ChiefChris Mitchell tells us why.

(horn bellowing)

- [Chris] Rosh Hashanahliterally means head of the year,

the new year,

but biblically it's much more than that.

In the Book of Leviticus,

it's called (speaking in foreign language)

the day of the blowing oftrumpets or Ram's horn,

the judgment day.

- The only commandmentduring Rosh Hashanah

is actually to hear thesound of the shofar.

And so everybody gatheringin the synagogue,

to hear the sound of the shofar.

It's something that peopleconnect to their soul

to hear the sound of the shofar.

(horn blowing)

- The piercing sound of the shofar

is meant to remind the hearers

to repent of their sinsand to make things right

with their brothers and sisters.

The rabbis say thatreconciliation with God and man

confounds the enemy.

- The shofar is a musicalinstruments made from a horn.

This is the oldest musical instrument

and the Jewish Orthodox have committed

to hear the sound of shofar,

during new year, our judgment day.

- [Chris] As part ofa two family business.

Eli Ribak is a thirdgeneration shofar maker.

- The post is grinding, polishing,

then we open a mouthpiece.

This is quick,

but it's a lot of experience

and a lot of handwork

because each horn is a differentsize, different thickness,

so you have to be experiencedto make a good Shofar.

- [Chris] The Ram's horn isused as the traditional shofar

because when Abrahamshowed his willingness

to sacrifice his son Isaac,

God provided a Ram tobe used in his place.

- Actually, all type of horns are kosher

except of a cow.

- [Chris] That's because the Jewish people

don't want to remind God

of the time Israelworshiped the golden calf

in the wilderness.

Besides the distinctivetones of the different horns.

There are three different blast sounded.

The shofar is blown in synagogues

and at the Western Wall each morning,

for a month before the holiday

to give plenty of time for repentance.

- You and I both know thatwe need a lot of reminders

in our daily life to repent,to think of the things of God.

It's like an alarm clock for the soul.

- Ribak says it's not just Jewish people

who blow the shofar.

- We sell the shofar all over the world.

We sell it to Jewish, to Christian,

Messianic people, evangelist people.

- [Chris] Rosh Hashanah is thefeast of the seventh month,

but in Jewish traditionrepresents the new year.

- At the coronation ofthe Kings of Israel,

the shofars would blow.

They would announce the new king

or they would announcethe coming of the king.

Oftentimes in the Christian world,

shofars are blownthroughout the entire year,

but in Judaism and a Jewish practice,

the shofars are only blown

for a very limited timethroughout the year.

During this time, the monthof Elul and Rosh Hashanah

- [Chris] Boaz Michael founderof First Fruits of Zion says,

that's a foreshadow for those who believe

in Yeshua, Jesus.

- And they tell us something,

they're speaking to us,

they're reminding us of something.

And one of the thingsthey're reminding us of

is the creation of the world,

the coming of the king, KingMessiah one day at this time,

the coronation of Hiskingdom here on Earth.

This is what the shofaris to remind us of.

And it's speaks to us every day,

when we hear that sound.

- [Chris] Chris Mitchell,CBN News, Jerusalem.

(upbeat music)

- Still ahead,

letters to God arrive in Jerusalem

and are placed in the Western Wall.

- Thank you for watching"Jerusalem Dateline."

We're committed to providing you

with unbiased reportingfrom the Holy Land,

through weekly broadcast,podcasts and online media.

Our vision is to reachmillions around the globe

with the true story ofwhat's happening in Israel

and the Middle East,

all from a biblical andprophetic perspective.

This is a big vision andis only made possible

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(orchestral music)

- Here, we're committed

to a heritage of rigorous scholarship

dating back over a thousand years.

- [Man] And to a faith tradition

dating back a thousand more.

- [Lady] This is how wecreate a culture of inquiry

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(upbeat music)

- If you wanna send a letterto God, where do you send it?

Jerusalem of course.

Take a look at whathappens to those letters

and heartfelt prayers,

when they arrive in the Jewish State.

(effects whooshing)

Each year, hundreds of people worldwide

address letters to God andsend them to the Israel post.

- [Interpreter] We're keeping a tradition

with the postal authority,

with letters that people send to God.

- [Julie] As part of an annual tradition,

those letters were placed inthe cracks of the Western Wall

ahead of next week'sRosh Hashanah holiday.

- [Interpreter] Here, by the Western Wall,

we know God says "thatmy house will be called

"the house of prayer for all nations."

Here is a place that prayersare raised from everyone.

- [Julie] Western wallrabbi Shmuel Rabinovich

says they asked God to hearand answer the prayers.

"Dear God, please end the corona pandemic

and make my parents buy me anew iPhone and a JBL speaker."

writes Aaron from Germany.

"Forgive me my Father.

"I have been unable to repent.

"Please care for my late husband's soul

"and the living on Earth."

Writes Sylvia from Ecuador.

"Dear God, please bringnew friends into my life

"and tell my family to help me

"because most of us donot talk to each other,

"and I have no one to talk to"

Writes Anna, a single mom from Canada.

Israel Post CEO Danny Goldstein,

says the postal authority is happy to help

people who can't be here, gettheir prayers to the Wall.

The post office used tobring bags of letters

to the Western Wall.

Now that people can senda request by technology,

it's not so much,

but still there was a30% increase this year,

over last year, probably due to COVID.

(speaking in foreign language)

- [Interpreter] People usuallycome to pray at the Kotel,

but now it's hard for them to get here.

So they're sending more letters.

- Goldstein says the worldwide pandemic

has led many to ask God for good health,

healing and a return totheir normal routines.

We want to wish all of our Jewish viewers,

(speaking in foreign language)

a happy holiday and a good new year.

That's all for this edition.

Thanks for joining us.

Remember, you can follow us on Facebook,

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I'm Julie Stahl.

We'll see you next timeon "Jerusalem Dateline."

(upbeat music)