United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gave an interview with Israel Radio on Friday in which he said, among other things, that it is “completely clear that the Temple that the Romans destroyed in Jerusalem was a Jewish temple.” Palestinian officials reacted with outrage to the comment, which is supported by extensive historical writings including the New Testament, as well as archeological evidence unearthed over the last 150 years.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement at Sunday’s cabinet meeting that he wanted to “make it unequivocally clear that our position has always been, and will always be, that the US Embassy needs to be here, in Jerusalem.” However, did not make a specific appeal to US President Donald Trump to move forward with the idea.

The leadership of Ultra-Orthodox (haredi) political factions along with Israel’s chief rabbis and other officials issued a statement Sunday demanding that the government repeal a recent cabinet resolution which paved the way for a section of the Western Wall to be set aside for prayers by self-described “progressive” streams of Judaism. The idea, which has been a point of sometimes violent contention between haredi and progressive factions for years and has even contributed to a widening split between Israel and Jewish communities in the US.

The IDF and Palestinian Authority medical officials reported Monday that a Palestinian was shot and killed while participating in violent riots against Israeli soldiers near Jenin Sunday evening. The PA identified the dead rioter as Muhammad Mahmoud Abu Khalifa, 16, adding that five other rioters were wounded in the incident.

A tweet made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office over the weekend voicing support for US President Donald Trump’s idea of building a wall along the US-Mexico border led to a retaliatory and rebuking Tweet by Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs Luis Videgaray. Mexico’s Jewish community joined its voice to the rebuke of Israel’s government.

The U.S. remains the most powerful country on earth, followed by China, Japan, Russia, Germany, India, Iran, and Israel. A small country, Israel is a rising power with a growing impact on world affairs. Overall, the Jewish state continues to develop diplomatic, economic and military power and to insert itself into the heart of regional politics.

Dr. David Commins, a professor of history at Dickinson College specializing in modern Islamic thought gives his presentation “Saudi Arabia in Transition” during the Great Decisions 2017 lectures series.