The Hebrews, a Semitic-speaking people, first appeared in Mesopotamia. Between 1900 and 1500 B.C.E., the Hebrews migrated from Mesopotamia to Canaan and then into Egypt. At this time, a tribe of Hebrews 26 claimed to be the descendants of Abraham began to call themselves Israelites. The Hebrews were enslaved by the Egyptian pharaohs until 1250 B.C.E., 27 their leader Moses led them on an exodus out of Egypt to the Sinai Peninsula. Moses persuaded his followers to become worshipers of Yahweh. The Hebrews who wandered into the Sinai with Moses decided to return Canaan. The move was not easy, and the Hebrews were faced with constant threats from the Philistines who occupied the coastal region. Twelve Hebrew tribes united first under Saul and then his28 , David. By the tenth century, David and his son, Solomon, had created an Israelite kingdom. Economic progress was made as Israeli people began to trade with neighboring states. New cities were built and one in particular, Jerusalem, was built by David to honor God. In the sixth century, the region of Judah was destroyed and several thousand Hebrews 29 to Babylon. The prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah declared that the Babylonian captivity was God’s punishment. 30 this calamity, the Hebrews survived as people.

    The fourth longest tunnel in the world, the Gitthard Tunnel in Swiss, is the most critical road connection from Italy to Germany. It was considered to be one of the safest European tunnels until October 24 th, 2001. One kilometer short of the south entrance, a truck veered out of control and collided with another car. The petrol leaked on the roadway. A fierce fire 31 inside the tunnel within a few moments later. Flames spread over 300 meters and the temperature reached 1,200 degrees Celsius. Large chunks of the roof were brought down by the raised temperature. Most cars and vans at the heart of disaster scene 32 like a molten mass. Eleven people died and 128 people were injured in the what would be remembered as one of the worst road accidents in Switzerland. The tunnel was also fitted with a 33 fire detection system and four powerful ventilation shafts that allows to refresh air in the tunnel, and to evacuate fumes, within 15 minutes of an accident. None of that was enough to prevent the tragedy. This 34 shows the fragility of Europe's transalpine routes. The tragedy 35 demands from environmental groups, safety campaigners and transporters for a shift from all freight traveling through road to rail transport. After two decades of construction work, the 35-mile Gotthard base tunnel will provide a high-speed rail link under the Swiss Alps between northern and southern Europe. The rail base tunnel not only significantly reduces the danger of road crashes, but also brings environmental benefits to the Alps by reducing pollution caused by the amount of freight hauled by heavy trucks.