In a major coup against those attempting to delegitimize Israel’s sovereignty in Jerusalem, US lawmaker Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) made an impassioned speech on the floor of Congress last week defending Israel’s ancient and Biblical claims to the land.
Ros-Lehtinen, the Chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on the Middle East & North Africa, spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives about the significance of recent archaeological discoveries found in Jerusalem.
“For quite some time there has been an effort at the United Nations to delegitimize the Jewish State of Israel and to try to whitewash the Jewish peoples’ historical and Biblical connection to Israel,” said Ros-Lehtinen. “Denying the historic connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem is false. Amazing archaeological discoveries are frequently made that prove the roots of the Jewish people are in Israel.”
The impetus for Ros-Lehtinen’s address was due to the recent discovery of a seal inscribed with the name of the Biblical King Hezekiah by archaeologists from the Hebrew University and City of David.
“Earlier this month a Hebrew University archaeological team unearthed an unprecedented impression of a royal seal of King Hezekiah from the First Temple period. This marks the first time that a seal impression of an Israelite or Judean king has ever been discovered within the context of an archaeological excavation,” Ros-Lehtinen explained. “It proves that not only is Israel the religious center for Jews; it is their ancestral and historic homeland.”
According to Ze’ev Orenstein, Director of International Affairs for the City of David Foundation, “In order to truly understand the discourse surrounding Jerusalem today, one must recognize the significance of the ongoing archaeological excavations taking place in the City of David which affirm the 3,000 year-old connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem.”
The recent find has induced the congresswoman to make a trip to Israel to view the rare archaeological find herself. “I look forward to visiting the City of David in the near future to see firsthand the rich history of the Jewish people,” she said.
