The skies above Jerusalem remained overcast on Monday morning following a weekend which saw rain falling in many parts of the country. The level of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret) was reported on Monday to have risen four feet since the beginning of the rainy winter season in October, although the Water Authority cautioned that it is still as much as 16 feet below historic levels of what would be considered “full” and faith leaders throughout the Holy Land urged their followers to continue praying for more rain before the onset of summer.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif gave a fiery speech at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday, demanding that European countries reject an appeal by US Vice President Mike Pence the day earlier at the same conference to follow Washington’s lead in walking away from the JCPOA nuclear agreement and rejoining the campaign to confront the Islamic Republic’s renegade nuclear program. Also on Sunday, Iranian President Hassan Rohani gave a televised address in which he demanded that his country’s neighbors ignore its malign activities and believe him when he says that the clerical regime in Teheran “is ready to work with regional states to preserve security in the Middle East.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Intelligence and Transportation Minister Israel Katz as acting foreign minister for the duration of the current government on Sunday. The appointment is highly significant as Katz is highly popular within the faction and has strongly signaled his desire to lead the party when Netanyahu eventually departs the scene.

Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shi’ite terror militia Hezbollah, took part in “Martyrs Remembrance Day” events Saturday by giving a speech in which he said, among other things, that his troops are prepared to do battle with Israel. He also made reference to a recent report by IDF Ombudsman Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yitzhak Brick which cast serious doubts on the readiness of the IDF ground forces, saying that Israeli leaders “do not trust their army but we trust ours.”

Reports emerged over the weekend that the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem’s Old City is about to get a massive NIS 200 million facelift, with repairs and improvements being made to a variety of sites in the neighborhood popular with locals and tourists alike. The project is being launched jointly by the Company for the Reconstruction and Development of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem and the office of Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion. Funding is being provided by the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Construction and Housing and the Jerusalem Ministry of Heritage.

Jordan and the Palestinian Authority have set up a joint council to administer the Temple Mount and the Jerusalem holy places as a preparatory step toward scuttling President Trump’s “Deal of the Century.” This is a dangerous move that is a violation of the Oslo Accords and compromises Israel’s sovereignty in Jerusalem.

Analysts from Israel’s leading think tank share their thoughts regarding the upcoming elections in Israel, including in-depth analysis of various issues facing voters and likely outcomes of different campaign strategies.

The Word from Jerusalem magazine is the flagship bi-monthly newsletter of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. Written and produced by our team of journalists, analysts and leaders in Jerusalem, the Word from Jerusalem is your go-to resource for news, prayer points and updates on the latest developments out of the Holy Land. Available in print and on-line editions.