| DAILY ALERT |
Thursday, February 19, 2026 |
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News Resources - North America, Europe, and Asia:
Vice President JD Vance said Iran had failed to acknowledge core U.S. demands in talks in Geneva on Tuesday, after which Washington said it had agreed to give Tehran two weeks to close the gaps between the sides. Vance said it was clear from his briefing from the talks that they hadn't yielded any breakthrough. "It was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through," Vance told Fox News. On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said expectations for a deal weren't high in Washington. "No one has ever been able to do a successful deal with Iran," he said. "But we're going to try." (Wall Street Journal) The Trump administration is closer to a major war in the Middle East than most Americans realize. It could begin very soon. A U.S. military operation in Iran would likely be a massive, weeks-long campaign and would likely be a joint U.S.-Israeli campaign. One Trump adviser said, "The boss is getting fed up. Some people around him warn him against going to war with Iran, but I think there is 90% chance we see kinetic action in the next few weeks." There's no evidence a diplomatic breakthrough with Iran is on the horizon. But there's more and more evidence that a war is imminent. (Axios) See also U.S. Sends 50 Fighter Jets to Middle East in Military Buildup Against Iran - Barak Ravid More than 50 F-35, F-22 and F-16 fighter jets have moved to the Middle East over the last 24 hours, according to open source flight radar data and a U.S. official, Axios reported on Tuesday. (Axios) During Iran's nationwide protests in December and January, the Iranian regime imposed a near-total nationwide internet shutdown that severely restricted independent documentation of abuses and cut Iranians off from the world. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Rubio took steps to impose visa restrictions against 18 more Iranian regime officials and telecommunications industry leaders who are complicit in serious violations of human rights, particularly inhibiting the right of Iranians to free expression and peaceful assembly. 58 individuals have now been targeted by this policy. (U.S. State Department) The U.S. will complete the process of withdrawing all of its remaining 1,000 troops from Syria over the next two months, American officials said, bringing an end to a decade-long U.S. military presence that fought Islamic State. (Wall Street Journal) News Resources - Israel and the Mideast:
Internal discussions across the U.S. administration have produced a broad consensus that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have exhausted the leeway granted to them by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in presenting a proposal for agreed principles on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program. Officials in Washington believe there is no realistic prospect that Iran will meet core American demands in the negotiations. A U.S. administration source said special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner presented Iran's proposal to President Donald Trump, along with their own assessments. They concluded that the chances of securing a reasonable deal with Iran are diminishing. Messages reflecting that assessment have been conveyed to Tehran both directly and through mediators including Turkey, Qatar and Oman. The messages contain an unmistakable warning that failure to provide satisfactory answers to U.S. demands and questions would carry severe consequences. The source added that repeated threats by senior Iranian officials reinforce the impression in Washington that the Islamist regime is not genuinely seeking compromise. Israel was told that the U.S. will not allow Iran to stall for time. (Israel Hayom) Senior Israeli defense and government officials have been stepping up their preparations for the worst-case scenario, in which America and Iran get into a war that might well involve Israel. Israel remains very skeptical about the chances that an American-Iranian agreement will be achieved. The Israel Defense Forces has been accelerating its preparations to defend against an Iranian revenge attack, and if necessary, also to join the U.S. in an attack on Iran. (Ha'aretz) After the latest round of talks in Geneva on Tuesday, and despite optimistic signals from Tehran and comments by a U.S. official that Iran would return within two weeks with proposals, Israeli officials are pessimistic about the chances of success and noted that Iran's leadership is refusing to discuss ballistic missiles and support for proxy groups. U.S. officials are said to be far from optimistic. IDF Brig.-Gen. (res.) Itzik Bar, head of the National Emergency Authority, said Tuesday, "We are in a state of readiness. At the moment, the readiness is for another campaign against Iran." (Ynet News) Former Israeli Navy chief V.-Adm. (res.) Eliezer Marom said Wednesday: "We need to understand that our interests [in Iran] are to hit the ballistic missiles, which are a strategic threat to us. We saw what they are capable of doing during the 12 days of war in June, so we developed a security policy that says we cannot allow those who threaten to destroy Israel to surprise us. We will not allow monsters threatening us to grow." "Even if they [the U.S.] decide not to attack, it is likely that there will be no choice, and Israel will have to attack. I believe that Netanyahu received U.S. approval in meetings with Trump" for such a scenario. "We are approaching the time when Israel will not be able to wait and will have to attack, because every day that passes, the Iranians are producing more missiles and launchers. We will have to act. Israel's decision point is approaching, and the scenario that could unfold is that Israel will attack [Iran's] missiles when it becomes clear that these [nuclear talks] have no continuation." (Jerusalem Post) Former Israeli Cabinet minister Yuval Steinitz, chairman of defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, said Tuesday: "There is no absolute way to prevent surprises. Historically, from the Battle of Salamis in ancient Greece to the present day, it has been proven that over time both sides always manage to surprise each other. You have to build yourself in such a way that if you are surprised, you absorb a blow but not a collapse or a disaster." Referring to the possibility of renewed confrontation with Iran, Steinitz said, "They learned lessons from what happened in the 12-day war and improved. But we also improved greatly and learned many things. And this time there is an additional element that did not exist in June: we have the big brother, the United States." "A nuclear capability will remain [the] No. 1 [threat], even if we have denied the Iranians 90% of that capability. The second threat is ballistic missiles, and it is serious. During Operation Rising Lion, their plan was to launch 1,500 to 2,000 missiles at Israel. Because we conducted a hunt on Iranian soil, they managed to launch only 550. Of those, unfortunately, 50 struck. War is not a pleasant event even if you win." (Ynet News) Kosovo and Kazakhstan on Wednesday joined Indonesia, Morocco, Greece, and Albania in agreeing to participate in the International Stabilization Force for Gaza, according to Israeli sources. (Jerusalem Post) American commentator Tucker Carlson is "totally wrong" about the experience of Christians living in Israel, Shadi Khalloul, founder of the Israeli Christian Aramaic Association NGO, told the Jerusalem Post on Wednesday. Carlson has made repeated claims of widespread mistreatment of Christians in Israel and briefly visited Israel on Wednesday to meet with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. "He's speaking about me, about my people who live here in Israel, and it's totally wrong, total lies," said Khalloul, noting that much of the Arab and Islamic world is "very hostile" to Christians. "We build churches freely in Israel; the state allows us freedom of worship, the freedom of movement, the freedom of speech." "The reality of our ladies - they can go out for work and drive their cars, and nobody harasses them, and go in the streets, and nobody harasses them, while in Arab countries, everything is the opposite. They are harassed; they are oppressed. They are living in fear. That's the difference that people should know about." Acknowledging reports of Christians being spat on in Jerusalem, Khalloul said it was a "fanatic, tiny minority that don't represent the Jewish majority" and not an issue the large majority of his community has ever encountered. "We ask the government to punish them, and they are punished, and they are followed by the secret service and police." (Jerusalem Post) See also Israel Refutes Tucker Carlson's Claim of Being Detained by Israeli Airport Security The Israel Airports Authority said that contrary to reports, Tucker Carlson and his entourage were not detained, delayed, or interrogated. Mr. Carlson and his party were politely asked a few routine questions, in accordance with standard procedures applied to many travelers. The conversation took place in a separate room within the VIP lounge solely to protect their privacy and to avoid conducting such a discussion in public. No unusual incident occurred, and the Israel Airports Authority firmly rejects any other claims. (X-Israel Foreign Ministry) The IDF on Wednesday announced the appointment of the first female missile boat commander, Lt.-Cmdr. R. (Jerusalem Post) Global Commentary and Think-Tank Analysis:
Iran After the Iranian people in January were massacred by their rulers at greater scale than ever before, this should be a moment to confront the true nature of the Iranian regime. Yet U.S. officials are again mired in discussions about nuclear enrichment and stockpiled uranium. No wonder Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced "good progress" in Geneva. Given the ideas Iran has floated so far, a deal would likely require Mr. Trump to cave. Why would he do that while the regime is afraid of its own people, badly weakened militarily by Israel, and under financial pressure? The main concession Iran is discussing is to suspend uranium enrichment for a time. But Iran isn't enriching now, thanks to U.S. bombers. The fundamental error is thinking that the U.S. can stop the nuclear threat while reinforcing the regime's hold on power. Iran's nuclear obstinacy is rooted in the nature of the regime - aggressive and revolutionary from the start. Nuclear, missiles, massacres and proxy militias are all fallout from its rule. They won't end until the regime does. (Wall Street Journal) Gaza As President Trump prepares for the inaugural gathering of his "Board of Peace" in Washington on Thursday, there are detailed proposals encompassing hopes and dreams for a gleaming new postwar Gaza. Then there is reality. American officials are discussing plans to build a military base for peacekeepers in an Israeli-controlled area of southern Gaza. The Israeli military and private contractors are removing unexploded ordnance and rubble from patches of the Israeli-controlled part of Gaza. The severe food shortages of the war have eased. (New York Times) A network of free private schools in Gaza called Academies of Hope are the brainchild of Palestinian American neurosurgeon Dr. David Hasan. Some 9,000 pupils in grades one through nine are attending classes in five campuses in southern Gaza built with money raised largely from Jewish donors in the U.S. and Israel. Dr. Hasan has worked to keep Hamas from endangering his schools, verifying that none of his staff have ties to militant groups. He has revamped the Palestinian Authority's curriculum without permission, prompting threats of reprisal from its education ministry. There are no lessons demonizing Jews or glorifying perpetrators of violence against Israel. Illustrating the changes, a math problem comparing the number of "martyrs" killed in the first and second intifadas has been replaced with one involving attendance at a West Bank soccer match. A reading comprehension selection praising Dalal Mughrabi - a woman who led a 1978 massacre that killed 38 Israelis, 13 of them children - has been replaced with one about Hind al-Husseini, a pioneering Palestinian educator. An Islamic studies reading about an attempt by Jews to kill the Prophet Muhammad has been replaced with one about the prophet's expressions of respect for Jews. There are new weekly lessons on "peace building" that teach ideals like tolerance and respect for differences, the golden rule and conflict resolution. In a video of a recent lesson, a boy draws pictures of the Palestinian and Israeli flags side by side. "I wish there will be no more wars so that we can live," he says. Dr. Hasan said he had not returned to Gaza since April 2024 because he had aroused suspicion. When he wasn't operating, he said, he was poking into hospital storerooms and asking questions, trying to learn if Israeli hostages might be on the premises. He fled, he said, when he was alerted that armed militants were looking for him. (New York Times) U.S.-Israel Relations On Feb. 14, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Munich Security Conference that following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the West succumbed to a dangerous illusion. Many believed that liberal democracy would become universal; that national interests would be replaced by a "rules-based global order"; and that borders and sovereignty would lose their central importance. This euphoria, he argued, ignored the lessons of history and human nature. There was an assumption that global norms and legal mechanisms would ensure stability and peace. Yet during that period, hostile actors strengthened their military capabilities and prepared for confrontation. In an imperfect world, states cannot allow their adversaries to shield themselves behind principles of international law which they themselves routinely violate. For Israel, the doctrine Rubio articulated suggests that the U.S. does not seek weak or dependent allies. It prefers partners that are strong, sovereign, and capable of defending themselves. After years in which certain American approaches seemed to favor a restrained Israel, the current message is different: a powerful, self-reliant Israel that deters its enemies serves not only its own interests but also those of the U.S. A strong and cohesive Israel is viewed as an integral component of the broader Western alliance and therefore as part of the U.S.'s own national interest. America expects its allies - including Israel - to strengthen their sovereignty, enhance their military and technological capabilities, and act with confidence in the defense of their civilization and national interests. The writer is a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and Prof. Emeritus at Ben Gurion University. (Israel Hayom) Israel and the West Human Rights Watch was established in 1978 as Helsinki Watch by Robert Bernstein, president of Random House, after he met with dissidents in the Soviet Union. Bernstein believed in exposing abuses to pressure regimes and lead to positive outcomes. HRW became an NGO superpower with an annual budget of $100 million, and the accompanying media footprint and political power. However, having diverted far from Bernstein's founding vision and principles, HRW is dominated by radical ideologues who help lead a worldwide orchestra that demonizes Israel, including the Gaza "genocide" blood libel, through the manipulation of human rights values and institutions. In 2009, Bernstein denounced the organization for abandoning the founding mission "to pry open closed societies, advocate basic freedoms and support dissenters;" ignoring "brutal, closed and autocratic" Arab dictatorships; and exploiting human rights in order to turn Israel into "a pariah state." Most journalists still embrace the NGO halo effect, treating them as altruistic non-partisan research-driven frameworks that are beyond criticism. The writer is founder and president of NGO Monitor. (Los Angeles Jewish Journal) Palestinian Arabs Hamas leaders may have told U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during secret meetings that they do not rule out the possibility of the group laying down its weapons. When addressing Arab audiences in Arabic, however, recent statements by senior officials Khaled Mashaal and Mahmoud Mardawi show that Hamas remains vehemently opposed to Trump's plan, specifically the provisions concerning disarmament, the involvement of foreigners in the governance of Gaza, and the deployment of an international security force. In early February, Mashaal, head of Hamas's political bureau abroad, said his group would be prepared to discuss the issue of disarmament only after the reconstruction of Gaza begins. He said that Hamas, backed by Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, is willing to accept a truce lasting 5-10 years, but without handing over its weapons. Finally, he repeated his group's unequivocal rejection of Trump's "Board of Peace." Mardawi also declared that his group "will not give up its weapons," though Hamas might consider surrendering its weapons only after a Palestinian state is established. It is crucial that the Trump administration and the rest of the international community start paying attention to what Hamas says in Arabic, not what some of its leaders or friends in Qatar and Turkey tell foreign officials in English and behind closed doors. Hamas evidently does not take seriously Trump's repeated warnings that it must disarm and relinquish control of Gaza. Even if Hamas does hand over some of its weapons as part of a facade, it will never actually lay down all its weapons: they are central to its ideology, which requires Muslims to take part in the Jihad to liberate all of Palestine, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. (Gatestone Institute) Antisemitism Jew hunting. In recent days groups of people who consider themselves members of the community of the good have started going door-to-door in Brighton, Bristol and Sheffield asking if households will support a boycott of the world's only Jewish state. They are then noting the response given. If you dare to tell them that you will not boycott Jewish-produced goods, your address will be taken and the information held on file. It seems clear to me that there are issues involved in the use of this data according to the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law. This is not merely a one-off activity pursued by a tiny fringe group. It is becoming a national operation, backed by the Green Party. These door-knocks are intended to be a long-term, regular activity and the spread of neighborhoods being targeted is growing. The community of the good and on the "right side of history" is, in reality, anything but. So self-consumed are these people with their own oft-proclaimed virtue and rectitude that they cannot comprehend the idea that anyone who disagrees with them might not be amoral or even evil. History has repeatedly shown the dangers posed by those who believe unswervingly in their own rectitude, and it is a lesson being played out today with, as so often, Jews as the target - with antisemitic incidents soaring to record levels. Noting down the addresses of those who refuse to support their demands is a tactic used by totalitarians through the ages. This is Jew hate, pure and simple. (Jewish Chronicle-UK) Observations: Israel's Recent Changes in Judea and Samaria Are Not De Facto Annexation - Amb. Alan Baker (Times of Israel)
The writer, former Legal Adviser and Deputy Director-General of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, heads the international law program at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. |
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