U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley declared on Thursday that Iran was “showing its true colors” by renewing ties with the Islamist terror militia Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip and has made no secret of its genocidal desire to destroy Israel. “It’s long past time for the international community to hold Iran to the same standard that all countries who actually value peace and security are held to,” she said.

Israel’s High Court of Justice rejected a petition by the Israeli Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Association which demanded recognition of same-sex marriage in Israel, saying the question needed to be settled by the elected government of the country, not the civil courts. “Essentially, the petitioners are asking from the court to recognize same-sex marriage via legislation, despite the fact that they are not recognized by Israeli law,” the verdict read.

American TV comedian Conan O’Brien continued his Holy Land tour on Thursday, visiting Safed’s Ziv Medical Center where large numbers of Syrians wounded and displaced by the multi-faceted civil war in that country have been treated and cared for. “I am amazed and excited by what is being done here at Ziv for the sake of people from a neighboring country and an enemy, and I think you are the ones who need to receive the Nobel Peace Prize,” O’Brien told the staff.

Israeli Border Police units uncovered a workshop in the West Bank village of Beit Arush Thursday morning, confiscating several crude firearms and other weapons designed to be used in terror attacks. The raid was part of a broad effort by the security services to reduce the number of illegal weapons in circulation. That effort, however, suffered a setback this week when it was discovered that a large number of rifle cartridges were stolen from an IDF base in the south, marking the third such theft of weapons from military bases this year.

Iran is exploiting its contribution to the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria in order to entrench its status as a power broker, without which no new order will be established in either of those countries. Iran seeks to create a “Shiite crescent” to include Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon to create a platform for the “resistance front” in its ongoing struggle against Israel.

Archeologists from Israel’s Antiquities Authority explain how recent excavations in Jerusalem includes direct evidence of the Biblical narrative.