Tonight, I am reporting from Tel Aviv. I arrived in Israel yesterday and have been meeting with Israeli experts in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

As you might expect, Israel's war with Hamas has reduced the number of tourists and pilgrims coming to the Holy Land. I am happy to report that life is near to normal. While the war is upper most in people's minds Israelis are offering a helping hand to victims of the war against Hamas. Tel Aviv hosted small businesses from the South of the country so they can sell their goods in Israel's financial center. Tel Aviv store owners bent over backwards to make this a successful project and average Israelis shopped and shopped.

This is one example of how Israelis are pulling together. As we have reported, One Jerusalem has successfully sponsored day trips for families from the South to Jerusalem. One of our volunteers reported that praise is being heaped upon One Jerusalem for this effort.

I just finished a long meeting with a friend who spent part of today in meetings with leaders of Israel's Defense Forces. He told me about the high morale among the troops and the severe punishment Israel is visiting on Hamas and its leadership. He said that Hamas's chain of command has been "severely disrupted." We also talked about scenarios that could end this operation. Central to all these options is how to relieve the physical hardships of the Arab people caught in the cross fire. One thing is certain Israel has gone a long way to re-establishing its commitment to defending its country and citizens against Israel's enemies.

For 8 years, Israel has restrained itself from responding to thousands of rockets fired on innocent Israelis. Now Israel appears to be commited to making sure that its enemies know that if they attack Israel they will pay a severe price.

It is important for people to understand that the majority of the Israeli soldiers who died in combat were religious Jewish family men. These are the same people who are often described as relgious zealots. They are not. They are actually the people who are putting their lives on the line for all the people of Israel.

I also heard from a father of a soldier that soldiers he knows told him how Hamas boobytrapped a ten storey building with 100 pounds of explosives. In other Hamas wanted kill hundreds of Arabs. Fortunately, the Israelis defused the explosives.

Benjmain Netanyahu, continues to explain to the West what is at stake in this war. As I write, he is on FOX News warning against the dire consequences should Iran give radical terrorism a nuclear umbrella. He keeps repeating that Israel is fighting against an Iranian proxy: Hamas.

Listen to Netanyahu's Exclusive One Jerusalem call to hear him talk about the war and Hamas.