(shofar blows)

- This week on "Jerusalem Dateline,"

the U.S. Congress votesto fund Israel's Iron Dome

after progressive Democratstry to defund the program.

Does this spell trouble aheadfor U.S.-Israel relations?

And, rescuing those leftbehind in Afghanistan

as the Taliban carries outdoor-to-door executions.

Plus, how the biblical feast of Sukkot

brings people closer to God.

All this and more this weekon "Jerusalem Dateline."

Hello, and welcome to this edition

of "Jerusalem Dateline,"I'm Chris Mitchell.

The U.S. House of Representativesvoted overwhelmingly

to fund Israel's IronDome anti-missile system.

The vote came after progressiveDemocrats blocked funding

during an earlier voteto extend the debt limit

and keep the government funded.

Many see their action to defund one

of Israel's main front lines of defense

as a foreboding sign of things to come.

After the bill passed,Israeli Prime Minister

Naftali Bennett thanked both Democrats

and Republicans alike for what he called

the overwhelming support for Israel

and the commitment to its security.

Democrats passed the firstbill without the funding,

and the later billgranting Israel $1 billion

for the Israeli air defensesystem passed overwhelmingly,

with 420 Democrats andRepublicans voting in favor

and just nine against.

The drama started earlier whenprogressive House Democrats,

including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

and Ilhan Omar reportedly wanted

to strip the $1 billion from the bill

for the Iron Dome anti-missile system

or they wouldn't voteto fund the government.

House Republican MinorityLeader Kevin McCarthy tweeted,

"Democrats just pulledfunding from the Iron Dome,

the missile defense systemthat has saved countless lives

in Israel from Hamas rocket attacks.

While Dems capitulate tothe antisemitic influence

of their radical members,

Republicans will alwaysstand with Israel."

Earlier this year, Cortez, Omar,

and other progressiveDemocrats in the House

and Senate proposeddefunding the Iron Dome

while Israel was fightinga war with Hamas.

During that war, the IronDome successfully shot down

hundreds of missiles fired by Hamas

into central and Southern Israel.

Hamas fired more than4,000 missiles at Israel

during the war into civilian areas.

CBN News interviewed one of the developers

of the Iron Dome during the war.

He sees the Iron Dome as a true lifesaver

on both sides of the fight.

Many believe without Iron Dome,

Israel would have beenforced into a ground war,

with potentially massivecasualties on both sides.

- By the end of the day,we can look in the mirror

and we could say we did somethingfor the defense of Israel.

We did something for ourcivilians and we're saving life.

And this is what the air defense is doing.

- [Chris] Former IsraeliAmbassador to the UN Danny Danon

told CBN News the vote is a troubling sign

of the direction of the Democratic Party.

- I'm worried that thosevoices become louder.

We know it for the majorityand not in the Congress,

not in the DemocraticParty, but they are vocal.

We expect our allies, andwe have a lot of allies

in the Congress, to speakagainst those voices.

So I'm telling AOC andRashida Talib and all those,

they don't care about the Palestinians.

They don't care about the Israelis.

They care about getting headlines

and getting support fortheir radical ideas.

- [Chris] Former IsraeliAmbassador to the U.S.

Michael Oren said the voteon the first bill sets new

and dangerous precedents inthe U.S.-Israel relationship.

- It is the first timethat the U.S. Congress

has specifically deniedmilitary aid to Israel.

That's the first precedent,the second precedent being

it's the first time that the U.S. Congress

has specifically denied military aid

to Israel for a defensive system.

- [Chris] Oren says Israelileaders need to take notice.

- And it's a warning for Israel.

It's a harbinger of things to come.

It is not the end of this process,

it's the beginning of the process.

And I think it shouldtrigger some serious longterm

strategic rethinkingon the part of Israelis

about the future of ouraid with the United States.

This decision should be a wake-up call

for Israeli decision-makers to begin

that process of rethinking.

(dramatic music)

- Israel should listen tothe threats of its enemies

more than the promises of its allies.

That's a warning deliveredby Israel's former ambassador

to the UN, Danny Danon.

I spoke with the Danonafter President Biden

addressed the UN andsaid the U.S. still wants

to rejoin the Iranian nuclear deal.

(dramatic music)

U.S. President Joe Biden made his speech

to the UN General Assembly.

He talked about going backto the Iranian nuclear deal,

the JCPOA, what wereyour thoughts about that,

about actually going backto the original deal?

- It was a bad deal in 2015,and today it's even worse.

We hope it will not happen.

And look what happened only a few hours

before the speech of President Biden.

All of a sudden the Iranians announced

that they are willing togo back to negotiations.

They are playing, they are cheating.

They are not honest.

And we hope that the U.S.and the other democracies

will not fall for thetraps of the Iranians,

will not go back to the JCPOA,

because going back to that agreement,

it's basically giving thelegitimacy to the Iranians

to continue with their ambitionsto achieve a nuclear bomb.

- A lot has happened in thelast six years, since 2015.

Iran is really just one step away

from military grade uranium.

How much of a threat doesIran pose now in 2021

than it did in 2015?

- No one can argue that they deceived

the international inspectors.

No one can argue that todaythey're in a better place.

And always they say, "We don't want it

for military usage," they are lying.

We proved it, we saw itin the archive we obtained

from Tehran that they werelying from the beginning.

So today they are closerto achieving a bomb.

And I want to remind you ofwhat happened with North Korea.

The U.S. was speaking withthem, negotiating with them.

One morning, we woke upand North Korea announced,

"We have the bomb."

We cannot let it happen with Iran.

- Does this put Israelin a difficult position?

If the U.S. wants to go back to the deal,

is it possible that Israel will have

to do something militarily?

- We have to defend ourselves.

I remember a meeting Ihad with Elie Wiesel,

a blessed memory, when Iwalked into UN on my first day.

And he told me, "Listen very carefully

to the threats of your enemies

more than the promisesyou get from your allies."

So we shouldn't thinkabout the promises we get

from the U.S. or fromthe EU or from the UN.

We should listen to thethreats coming from the Tehran.

And we will do whatever isnecessary to protect ourselves.

- What do you expect tohear from the prime minister

next week when he speaks to the UN?

- A strong statementabout the threats of Iran

and that Israel will notbe part of any agreement

that will allow Iran toobtain a nuclear bomb.

(dramatic music)

- For more than twodecades, the United States

has given Pakistan billionsof dollars in military

and financial aid in exchange for its help

in battling terrorism and radical Islam.

Yet experts say thatthe Taliban's takeover

of Afghanistan last month has shown

how unreliable a partner Pakistan has been

in fighting that war.

As CBN News SeniorInternational Correspondent

George Thomas tells us,some are now calling

on the United States to take a closer look

at its relationshipand the subversive role

the Muslim majority countrycontinues to play in the region.

- [George] Within hoursof the Taliban's takeover

last month, Pakistan'sPrime Minister Imran Khan

praised the Islamic fighters for breaking

what he called shackles of slavery.

- [Translator] When youbecome a mental slave,

then remember that mental slavery is worse

than actual slavery.

It's more difficult to breakthe chains of mental slavery.

In Afghanistan, they have justbroken the chains of slavery.

- [George] Pakistan'sinvolvement in Afghanistan

goes back some sevendecades, and their support

for the Taliban has been crucial

since their founding in the 1990s.

- From the very beginning, its inception,

they helped in actuallybranding the name Taliban.

- Pakistan's intelligenceservice, the ISI,

along with its military,helped fund, train,

and recruit Taliban fighters.

- The Taliban would be a shell of itself,

its insurgency would be wildly ineffective

without Pakistani state support.

- [George] Bill Roggio, Editorof the "Long War Journal,"

tells CBN News Pakistan'smilitary played a crucial role

in the early days of the offensive,

allowing a surge of newfighters to cross the border

and help the Talibanquickly overrun the country.

- There's credible reportsof Pakistani military units

donning Taliban uniform andhelping to serve as advisors

and fight alongside theTaliban in Afghanistan.

- Husain Haqqani, who servedas Pakistan's ambassador

to the United States, saysthe Taliban's reemergence

is a significant win for Islamabad,

even though the Muslim majority nation

was ostensibly America's ally in the war

against Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

- Most of the Taliban leaders have lived

in Pakistan all this time.

Their families are in Pakistan.

There is an ethnic overlap with Pakistan.

And so Pakistan now has major say

in Taliban's international affairs.

And that makes Pakistan the winner.

- [George] Pakistan'sInterior Minister boasting

that they are the custodiansof the Taliban saying,

"We have taken care of them.

They got shelter, education,and a home in Pakistan.

We have done everything for them."

That confession coming assome are now questioning

Washington's endless appetitefor Islamabad's con games.

- Pakistan has alwaysbeen the main problem.

The U.S. and the West'sinability to coerce Pakistan

to end its support for theTaliban is the primary reason

why Afghanistan is fallingto the Taliban today.

- [George] Lawmakers acrossparty lines are demanding

more severe consequences forPakistan's subversive role,

especially after gettingbillions in military

and financial aid from American taxpayers

while supporting the Taliban'sterrorist activities.

Secretary of State AnthonyBlinken questioned on the matter

during hearings on Afghanistan.

- Pakistan is currentlya major non-NATO ally

of the United States, givingit a number of benefits,

including privilegedaccess to U.S. arm sales.

Is it time for the United States

to reassess its relationship with Pakistan

and reassess its statusas a major non-NATO ally?

- This is one of thethings that we're going

to be looking at in thedays and weeks ahead,

the role that Pakistan hasplayed over the last 20 years,

but also the role that wewould want to see it play

in the coming years.

- [George] Meanwhile, 55% of Pakistanis

in a poll this week said they're happy

that the Taliban seized Afghanistan.

George Thomas, CBN News.

(dramatic music)

- [Chris] Coming up,rescuing those left behind

in Afghanistan, as the Talibangoes killing door to door.

(upbeat music)

- It is the most importantarcheological site.

Nevertheless, it has never been excavated.

- [Announcer] An almost impossible task.

- The Temple Mount was thelargest religious compound

in the ancient world.

- [Man] It is the most politicized piece

of real estate in the world.

- [Announcer] Leads to an improbable find.

- There is an ancientroad, also 2,000 years old.

- [Man] That is the buildingwhich is referred to

in the New Testament.

- [Announcer] That is confirmingthe stories of the Bible.

- Where did Jesus walk?

There's no question Hewalked on these steps.

- [Man] You can see it,there's no way to refute that.

- They existed, they walkedhere, they talked here.

- [Announcer] See the evidenceleft by an ancient witness.

- He lived there, he sawit, he knew the details.

- It's like the crown of our discoveries.

- [Man] May cause arewriting of the history

of the Temple Mount.

- [Announcer] And discover what was.

"Written in Stone, Secrets of the Temple."

Get your copy today for agift of any dollar amount.

Available now.

- [Announcer] Download the CBN News app.

24/7 news from a Christian perspective,

at home or on the road.

One place for all of your news.

Breaking news alerts

Set daily prayer goalsand pray for news stories.

Read the most important news

and watch CBN News Channel live.

CBN News, because truth matters.

Go to CBNNewsapp.com to get the app today.

- [Announcer] As we enterthe Jewish new year,

there's no better time toexplore the holidays of Israel.

In CBN's free guide,"Israel's Major Holidays,"

you'll discover why thesespecial occasions are so central

to Jewish life and culture.

You'll even learn aboutthe biblical feasts

and festivals that Jesusobserved throughout His life.

Get your free copy.

Call 1-800-700-7000

or go to CBN.com/IsraelHolidays.

(dramatic music)

- Last month, U.S. forces left Afghanistan

after the largest airlift in U.S. history.

Although thousands were evacuated,

the Biden administration left behind

an unknown number of Americans.

But the effort to rescue them isn't over.

These covert videos provide a true look

at life inside Afghanistanunder Taliban rule.

Arrest, abductions, and execution.

- I believe that level ofdesperation is even worse now

without the U.S. troopsthere, without any exit,

and people are hiding in safe houses,

and in hiding on the run.

The Taliban is actually doorto door doing executions,

where they're going tograb people, stuffing them

in trunks of cars and drivingthem off to execution sites.

I can imagine the onthe ground panic there

is even worse than it wasduring those evacuation days.

- [Chris] When the U.S.announced its pull-out,

Chad Robichaux joined otherretired Special Forces members

to form SaveOurAllies.org.

He says they rescued morethan 12,000 U.S. citizens

and Afghan allies during the chaotic weeks

before the U.S. military'sfinal flight out.

- The good news is is thatwe're still being successful

with evacuations, not in thebig numbers that we were.

We're still getting a hundredto 200 people out per day.

- [Chris] This type of rescueoperation is nothing new

to Dave Eubank of the Free Burma Rangers.

- We try to help peopleget out any way we can.

And I'm really gratefulfor the Tajik government

that right now has avery humanitarian look

of how can we help people.

- [Chris] The White Houseand State Department

put the number of U.S.citizens left behind

to about 100, Robichaux saysthe math doesn't add up.

- [Chad] The truth isit's not a few hundred.

My guess is at least 5,000.

- [Chris] Whatever the number,U.S. citizens are in danger.

- They are hunting down people right now

trying to get all the names of

anyone they perceive as an enemy.

- They're scared, theydon't know what to do.

They feel abandoned by our country.

It has a responsibility to help them.

- Robichaux and Eubanksay leaving no one behind

is an American value.

- The truth is it doesn'tmatter if it's 5,000,

it doesn't matter if it's 200,

it doesn't matter if it's one,

because from where I comefrom and as an American,

especially in the SpecialOperations community,

if one American is behind enemy lines,

if one American's life is in danger,

we will use every bit of military force

and strength and squash theearth around that person

to rescue that person.

- [Chris] He fears theBiden administration,

news media and much ofthe world are moving on.

For Afghan women, life got a lot worse

after this Taliban decree.

"All widows under the age of 35

whose husbands were killedin the previous regime,

if they are still widowed,will marry the Mujahideen

of the Islamic Emirate."

- [Chad] We have 20 million women

that are immediatelydeclared as sex slaves,

the amount of trafficking,sex trafficking,

that's going to happen out of Afghanistan.

- [Chris] Article II, "Allpatriotic and Muslim parents

of Afghanistan are calledupon to give your daughters

over the age of 18 to begiven to their husbands

in order to maintain Islamic ethics."

- [Dave] Actually,almost every day, Chris,

I started to cry because Ithought of these little girls

left in the hands of the Taliban.

And that's the biggest thing.

- [Chris] And ArticleIII, "All women working

in government offices are now ordered

to stay in their homes."

- The murder and persecution of Christians

and all this stuff is happening right now.

And it seems like not only the White House

and the mainstream media but the entire

international communitywants to be silent.

- [Chris] Yet the internationalcommunity may soon decide

if the Taliban will beAfghanistan's recognized government.

The Taliban just nominated an ambassador

to represent them at the UN.

(dramatic music)

Up next, following the biblical injunction

to live in a temporary dwelling for a week

and how it brings theJewish people closer to God.

- [Announcer] Now, for alimited time, you can get five

of CBN's criticallyacclaimed 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 understandthe biggest land dispute

in history.

- Many Palestinian Arabs claim

that the Jews stole Arab land.

But is that the real story?

- [Announcer] This exclusiveIsrael DVD collection

can be yours for a gift of $29.99 or more.

Call now or go online toget your Israel DVD bundle,

which includes streaming access.

(elegant music)

- Here we're committed to a heritage

of rigorous scholarship datingback over a thousand years.

- [Man] And to a faith tradition

dating back a thousand more.

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

where no topic is off limits.

- [Woman] And a culture of hope.

- [Crowd] 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.

- [Announcer] Spice up your summer

with these deliciousinternational recipes.

Introducing Operation Blessings' free

"Light and Lean" recipe book.

It's filled with flavorsyour whole family will enjoy.

Plus, you'll learn aboutOperation Blessings' work,

bringing nutritious food, clean water,

and medical care to millions in need.

Call 1-800-730-BLESSor go to OB.org/Summer

to get your free "Light andLean" recipe book right now.

(dramatic music)

- For thousands of years,Jewish people around the world

have followed the biblical injunction

to live in temporary dwellings

during the Feast ofTabernacles, or Sukkot.

Here's a story we dida number of years ago,

before COVID-19, where CBNcorrespondent Julie Stahl

takes us inside one of those sukkahs

and hears how it brings theJewish people closer to God.

Some call him Hashem.

(speaking in Hebrew)

- [Julie] It's an ancientbiblical commandment

that's still being kept today.

Some call it a Jewish camping trip,

but with the conveniences of home.

- Shalom, welcome.- Hi, shalom.

- We're so glad to have youhere with us in our sukkah.

- Yes, thank you.

- We're here in our sukkah,

which is really the home-away-from homes

for this whole week of theFeast of Tabernacles, Sukkot.

- [Julie] Like manyIsraelis and Jewish people

around the world, Seth andTe'ena Ben-Haim build a sukkah,

or booth, on the back porch

of their Jerusalem apartment every year.

- It helps us remember, first of all,

we're commanded to rememberthe Exodus from Egypt

and how we needed towander through the desert

for 40 years without permanent dwellings.

But it also reminds us thateven though we've been brought

into the land of Israel,

we haven't reached our final destination.

- So tell us about the sukkah itself.

How do you make a sukkah?

- The main thing is that it's a roof

that will make us feel thatwe're open to the elements.

- [Julie] And why is that?

- Well, because otherwise we'd be

in the protection ofour homes in some ways.

And we're supposed to bein this flimsy tabernacle

so that we can rememberthat ultimately we're

under Hashem's protection.

- [Julie] Most sukkahs are decorated,

at least in part, by the children.

Families eat, sleep,study and play together

in their temporaryhouses for a whole week.

Despite the camping conditions,

it's considered a joyful time.

- And you can focus onthe real important things,

like relationships, and just sitting down

and studying the Word and talking

with the children aboutGod's faithfulness.

- [Julie] Jonathan and his sister Rebecca

enjoy the holiday so muchJonathan made his tree house

into a sukkah.

- Just for Sukkot.- [Julie] Just for Sukkot.

And that, too, that's very pretty.

So you decorated your sukkah up here.

- Yes.- [Julie] Wow!

Another part of the Sukkot celebration,

recorded in Leviticus 23,is bringing a special fruit

and branches to rejoice before the Lord.

- We offer them toHashem, all four of these,

in our prayers every morning.

We wave them in many different directions

and we really look to above,and that's what this type

of roof helps us remember, too.

We're looking to above

'cause that's where ourhelp is gonna come from.

- [Julie] Julie Stahl,CBN News, Jerusalem.

(dramatic music)

- [Chris] Still ahead,how Jewish people prepare

for the holiday and build a sukkah.

Thank you for watching Jerusalem Dateline.

We're committed to providingyou with unbiased reporting

from the Holy Land.

Through weekly broadcasts,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

and prophetic perspective.

This is a big vision,and is only made possible

by the generous supportof people like you.

- [Announcer] Call us tollfree at 1-800-700-7000.

Or go to CBN.com/Jerusalem Dateline

and make a donation thatwill help spread the light

of truth about Israelthroughout the world.

- [Gizmo] Ready, set-- [Kids] Go!

- Hello, friends, it is me Gizmo.

We have been working onsomething new and very exciting.

- [Announcer] Superbookpresents "Gizmo Go!",

a new show for the whole family.

- Cool!- Amazing!

- [Announcer] "Gizmo Go"is created especially

for younger children,teaching core biblical values

in a way they'll understand.

- God told Moses He had seenthe suffering of His people

and that He wanted to set them free.

Moses was very afraid, but God told Moses

he wouldn't be alone.

- [Announcer] Join the Superbook Club

and get "Gizmo Go, Tina's First Day,"

plus, two copies to share with others,

all for your gift of only $25.

Each DVD contains aBible-based "Gizmo Go" show,

a karaoke version of an originalsong and much, much more.

Join Gizmo, Tina and their robot friends

for all new Superbookadventures, lessons and fun.

- Do you want to come, too?

- [Announcer] "Gizmo Go," a great new way

for young children todiscover God's truths.

♪ I got the joy ♪

♪ I dance around because I know it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I move around because I got it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy's in the heart ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I dance around because I know it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I move around because I got it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy's in the heart ♪

- If you're tired and 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 gonna 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 get your free DVD

or booklet of Protect Your Sleep today.

- Well, now that you'veseen what it's like to be

inside a sukkah, we'd like to give you

a behind the scenes look.

Before COVID-19, CBN News took a trip

to the Jerusalem market known as The Chuke

to see how people prepare for the feast.

And then what it's liketo put a sukkah together

in a non-coronavirus year.

Take a look at what you can see

on our social media channels.

(speaking in Hebrew)(lively Israeli music)

- So I just want to tell youwhat we're actually doing here.

It's in the Book of Leviticus and it says,

"You shall take foryourselves on the first day

the fruit of beautiful trees,branches of palm trees,

the boughs of leafy trees,and willows of the brook."

These funny looking lemonsare called etrogs or citrons.

They're Citron fruits,and they are edible,

but we don't buy them to eatat this time of the year.

You want to make sure you get one

that doesn't have a blemish in it,

because it's a specialfruit that it speaks about

in the Book of Leviticus for this holiday.

(upbeat music)

(speaking Hebrew)

- Okay, here we are, andwe're gonna build a sukkah.

So here we go.

(upbeat music and whistling)

Chag sameach, have a happy holiday.

(upbeat music)

(dramatic music)

- Well, that's what it'slike here in Jerusalem

during the feast of Tabernacles.

That's all for this editionof "Jerusalem Dateline."

Please join me in prayer forthe people of Afghanistan.

Father, we pray for those people right now

in harm's way, that you would rescue them.

We pray for Dave Eubank and Chad Robichaux

and others who arerescuing people right now.

And we pray for thosethat are in harm's way,

in peril, in danger, thatyou would protect them

with your Holy Spirit and your angels.

We ask that in Jesus' name, amen.

Please continue to pray for these people

that are in harm's way.

And thanks for joining us on this edition

of "Jerusalem Dateline."

We'll see you next week.

(dramatic music)