After a week of disapproval from world leaders for his controversial visit to the Temple of the Mount, Itamar Ben Gvir is in the headlines again. Israel's new national security minister has ordered Israeli police forces to ban the flying of Palestinian flags. "Today I directed the Israel police to enforce the prohibition of flying any PLO flag ... and to stop any incitement against the State of Israel," Ben-Gvir posted on Twitter. The new government has moved fast against the Palestinian regime. Israeli sanctions have been described as a counterattack against the PA's strategy to turn the UN vote in their favor. In an effort to retaliate against the Palestinian's UN move, the Israeli government has withheld forty million dollars in tax revenues and stripped PA officials of privileges. Coming off of the deadliest year in two decades, citizens of both countries are worried about how these counter moves will escalate the conflict.

Jewish farmers on the Eitam Farm near Efrat have been under attack over recent days. Ten days ago, the Eitam synagogue was damaged by Arabs from neighboring towns. The vandals pelted Jewish farmers with rocks on the Sabbath, injuring at least one. On Monday, one resident was forced to draw his weapon to disperse the aggressors. Once alerted, The Israel Dog Unit (IDU) helped secure the area by deploying two patrol dogs with their professional dog trainers. To ensure their safety, the farming neighborhood residents were trained in proper care of their new best friends. The IDU was established in 2001 and has been instrumental in search and rescue, military, and neighborhood watch efforts all over Israel.

A recent survey has discovered what Israelis already know. Citizens of The Land of Milk and Honey are among the most generous in the world. In fact, almost half of the entire population (42.5%) is involved in some type of volunteering. Israel stands among the top countries in charitable outreach, along with Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. The poll studied demographics like age, gender, and education. The Orthodox community in Israel has an exceptionally high volunteer rate, with 60% of people in that community regularly pitching in. According to the data, Israeli volunteers concentrated most of their efforts on welfare, education, health, and protecting the environment and religion. Upon receiving the survey results, Israeli president Issac Herzog stated: "It is up to us to boost social involvement and choose to see what unites us ... not what divides and separates us."

ARIEL BUSSO