Author: Author1

JPost: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” Will Rogers once quipped, a remark as true in diplomatic relations as in personal ones.

Which is why the first weeks and months of a new American administration are so important: they set a tone, they create those first impressions that people take with them, become ingrained and are later difficult – though not impossible – to alter.

The first impressions that former president Barack Obama left on Israel were largely negative, traveling during his first 16 weeks in office to Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, but pointedly bypassing Israel. That itinerary said much about the administration’s break with the previous one, and how Washington under Obama was readjusting its foreign policy.

Jewish Press: In a clandestine operation, on Thursday afternoon the Samaria Regional Council restored the ancient wall surrounding the ancient Joshua Ben-Nun altar, Kipa reported. The ancient site is located in Area B, which is in the Palestinian Authority’s jurisdiction.

The restoration was carried out by more than 30 employees of the Ayish earthworks contractor and construction professionals and was closely monitored by archaeologists of the Samaria Regional Council, as well as the former security director of the council, Shuki Levin.

Levin guarded Prof. Adam Zertel when he discovered the altar about 35 years ago.

In recent months, the Palestinian Authority intentionally destroyed the Biblical-era site, grinding into gravel the stones that made up the altar as part of a plan to pave a new road near the city of Shechem.

Some 100 ft. of the western wall of the altar compound was restored using local stones, however, it was not possible to restore the northern wall, which is about 60 ft. long and was also damaged by the Palestinian Authority. This restoration would require a more thorough archeological work. Read More

And they said, “Come, let us build us a city, and a tower with its top in the sky, to make a name for ourselves; else we shall be scattered all over the world.” Genesis 11:4 (The Israel Bible^TM)

Israel 365: Amazon has just unveiled the plans for its new corporate headquarters that will stand in Arlington, Virginia, directly across the Potomac River from Washington DC. The announcement inaccurately describes the design as a “double helix” but scholars of ancient history and the Bible will readily recognize the ancient model for the design: the Tower of Babel.

Construction on their second corporate headquarters is expected to begin next year and when completed in 2025 at a cost of $2.5 billion. It will include 2.8 million square feet of new office space distributed across three 22-story buildings. The location is less than four miles from the Capitol Building. John Schoettler,  head of Amazon’s global corporate real estate portfolio, announced the second half of the project designed by architecture firm NBBJ. Read More