Police says there has been an uptick in recent weeks in violence in Jerusalem, while UN data shows an increase in Palestinian fatalities in West Bank; all are a result of Hamas' attempt to stir up tensions in area, while keeping Gaza quiet

The fact Israel has recently been folded into U.S. Central Command could greatly benefit the Jewish state and help form a front against Iran, but tensions over China and Russia remain unresolved

Omicron appears to be more contagious than previous variants of the disease and having originated in South Africa, it has since been discovered in Israel, Belgium, Botswana and Hong Kong

The newly discovered COVID variant carries a mix of known and unknown mutations, which may render it immune to the current vaccines, though its severity remains an open question