MarketPR
MACROS&P 500, Nasdaq futures turn negative following Trump's Iran commentsJul 29MACROBrent crude rises on Iran-U.S. military exchange as Hormuz talks collapseJul 29CRYPTOGuatemala becomes third nation to recognize Jerusalem's City of David as national heritageJul 29WORLDKarl Ravech out at ESPN after 33 years as broadcaster cuts deepen into baseball coverageJul 29IRHOELECTRA AI named to Volta Foundation data center battery paper as IRHO deal targets H2 2026 Nasdaq listingJul 29CRYPTOSupreme Court curtails TPS judicial review, leaving hundreds of thousands facing deportationJul 29MARKETSBTS concerts are too hot for Hybe: shares log worst session since June 2022Jul 29REGULATORYBank of England puts Asian equity risk at UK prime brokers in focusJul 29$UNIUniswap founder rejects v4 fee criticism, $UNI in focus on LP earnings disputeJul 29EARNINGSSK Hynix shares slide as exponential earnings growth misses AI-charged analyst expectationsJul 29MACROS&P 500, Nasdaq futures turn negative following Trump's Iran commentsJul 29MACROBrent crude rises on Iran-U.S. military exchange as Hormuz talks collapseJul 29CRYPTOGuatemala becomes third nation to recognize Jerusalem's City of David as national heritageJul 29WORLDKarl Ravech out at ESPN after 33 years as broadcaster cuts deepen into baseball coverageJul 29IRHOELECTRA AI named to Volta Foundation data center battery paper as IRHO deal targets H2 2026 Nasdaq listingJul 29CRYPTOSupreme Court curtails TPS judicial review, leaving hundreds of thousands facing deportationJul 29MARKETSBTS concerts are too hot for Hybe: shares log worst session since June 2022Jul 29REGULATORYBank of England puts Asian equity risk at UK prime brokers in focusJul 29$UNIUniswap founder rejects v4 fee criticism, $UNI in focus on LP earnings disputeJul 29EARNINGSSK Hynix shares slide as exponential earnings growth misses AI-charged analyst expectationsJul 29
NewsDigital Assets

Guatemala becomes third nation to recognize Jerusalem's City of David as national heritage

Guatemala has become the third country to formally recognize Jerusalem's City of David as part of its own national heritage, following the United States in October 2020 and Argentina under President Javier Milei. The move extends a pattern in which governments that tie their founding ideals to biblical principles are returning, by official designation, to the city those ideals share.

By Sofia AlmeidaDigital Assets DeskJuly 29, 20262 min read
Share

Guatemala has become the third country to formally recognize Jerusalem's City of David as part of its own national heritage, following the United States in October 2020 and Argentina under President Javier Milei. The move extends a pattern in which governments that tie their founding ideals to biblical principles are returning, by official designation, to the city those ideals share.

The designation in context

The United States did not classify the City of David as a Jewish or Israeli heritage site. It claimed the site as American heritage, a distinction Secretary of State Marco Rubio elaborated on in September 2025, standing on the excavated Pilgrimage Road. That road runs half a mile from the Pool of Siloam toward the Temple. Rubio said the principle that rights come from the Creator "did not come from the ether" and "did not come from someone's imagination," placing the origin at the site itself.

Advocates for the designation point to a specific episode in the city's history. When the prophet Nathan confronted King David over a moral failure, the king acknowledged wrongdoing rather than ordering Nathan's execution. That moment is cited as an early instance of a ruler submitting to law rather than standing above it.

What the archaeology shows

The argument is not purely textual. Archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar excavated in the City of David the personal clay seals of two officials named in the Book of Jeremiah: Jehucal son of Shelemiah and Gedaliah son of Pashhur. Those are the figures the text identifies as having thrown the prophet Jeremiah into a cistern for speaking truth against those holding power. The names on those seals match the names in the text.

Founding-era citations

Of roughly 15,000 political writings from the American founding period, the Bible was the most-cited source, surpassing Locke and Montesquieu combined. Thomas Paine referenced the Book of Samuel in Common Sense to argue the law, not a king, holds final authority. Benjamin Franklin proposed seven words for the Great Seal of the United States: "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." Jefferson's Declaration grounded unalienable rights in the Creator, not the state.

Guatemala's recognition arrives as the United States enters its 251st year. Whether additional governments formalize similar designations is the next confirmable development, with ongoing excavation at the City of David the other data point to watch.

About this story

Filed by the digital assets desk of MarketPR on July 29, 2026. Source: foxnews.com. Indicative figures are not investment advice.

←Back to the news index

More from the Newsroom

All stories →
01Digital Assets

Supreme Court curtails TPS judicial review, leaving hundreds of thousands facing deportation

A Supreme Court decision upholding the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian nationals has removed a key layer of judicial oversight, narrowing the legal options for hundreds of thousands of people now exposed to deportation. The ruling limits lower cou

Dev Okafor2 min read
02Digital Assets

South Dakota's bitcoin investor gubernatorial runoff and Georgia's succession race close on split-screen Tuesday

South Dakota's first gubernatorial runoff, pitting incumbent Gov. Larry Rhoden against self-made millionaire bitcoin (BTC) investor Toby Doeden, closed Tuesday evening with Rhoden holding a polling lead. The next confirmable milestone is the official county-by-county count, with

Dev Okafor2 min read
03Digital Assets

Massachusetts Muslim commission bill sets up DEI standoff with Washington

Senate Bill S.2134, a Massachusetts proposal to create a permanent 11-member Muslim commission with authority to recommend American Muslims for appointed state government positions, is advancing toward a Senate floor vote. The bill cleared initial committee markups and votes and

Yuki Tanaka2 min read

Key takeaways

Frequently asked

Which countries have recognized Jerusalem's City of David as national heritage?

The United States (October 2020), Argentina under President Javier Milei, and now Guatemala as the third nation have formally recognized the City of David as part of their national heritage.

How did the United States frame its recognition of the City of David?

The United States did not classify the site as Jewish or Israeli heritage but claimed it as American heritage, a distinction Secretary of State Marco Rubio elaborated on in September 2025 while standing on the excavated Pilgrimage Road.

What archaeological evidence is cited to support the designation?

Dr. Eilat Mazar excavated the personal clay seals of Jehucal son of Shelemiah and Gedaliah son of Pashhur, two officials named in the Book of Jeremiah, whose names on the seals match the names in the text.

How does the Bible relate to the American founding in this argument?

Of roughly 15,000 political writings from the American founding period, the Bible was the most-cited source, surpassing Locke and Montesquieu combined, and figures like Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson drew on it to argue that law and rights come from a higher authority rather than a king or the state.

What developments are expected to watch next?

Whether additional governments formalize similar designations is the next confirmable development, along with ongoing excavation at the City of David.