Will Iran Get the Bomb? - Darya Dolzikova and Matthew Savill (Royal United Service Institute-UK)
    More than a month after the Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities and scientists, the full extent of the damage to the Iranian nuclear program remains unclear. Yet, the exact extent of the material damage is secondary.
    Iran does not have to reconstitute the whole of its program to be able to produce a nuclear weapon and could, in fact, probably do so relatively quickly, should it decide to.
    The more challenging question is over the impact of the "12-day war" on Iran's assessments and decision-making as to the value and feasibility of developing a credible nuclear deterrent.
    Recent developments have probably reinforced incentives for Iran to pursue a nuclear weapon.
    The attacks have made painfully clear the ineffectiveness of Iran's other capabilities to deter and defend against attacks on its territory.
    In light of the Israeli degradation of both Hamas and Hizbullah and following the underwhelming performance of Iranian missiles, the limitations of Iran's "forward defense" strategy have become clear.
    However, intent to develop a nuclear deterrent is not sufficient. A single nuclear warhead - or even a small arsenal of nine or ten nuclear weapons - would not be a survivable deterrent.
    Such a small stockpile would be immediately targeted by Israel and, probably, the U.S.
    As the war demonstrated, Iran's air and missile defenses are unable to meet the requirements of defending Iran against a concerted Israeli attack.
    Darya Dolzikova is a Senior Research Fellow with RUSI's Proliferation and Nuclear Policy program. Matthew Savill is Director of Military Sciences at RUSI after a career at the UK Ministry of Defence. 

The Palestinians Remain the Greatest Obstacle to Palestinian Statehood - Gil Troy (JNS)
    Today, Palestinian leaders keep sabotaging any serious attempt at Palestinian statehood.
    Palestinian extremists may be running the world's oldest diplomatic con. They get the world to condemn Israel for opposing a two-state solution, while mainstream Palestinian ideology seeks a one-state solution "from the river to the sea."
    Most Westerners solve problems by division - giving each side half a loaf. Jihadists solve problems by annihilation - taking everything when you can, conceding nothing, especially against Jews - or Christians.
    To Westerners, compromising with enemies reflects strong character. To jihadists, compromising conveys weakness - and is a green light inviting aggressive attacks.
    The writer, a Distinguished Scholar of North American History at McGill University, is a Senior Fellow in Zionist Thought at the Jewish People Policy Institute. 

Radical Activists in the International Community System Set the Anti-Israel Agenda - Tirza Shorr (Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs)
    Anti-Zionist and anti-Jewish rhetoric at the UN and associated bodies is nothing new.
    Many members of the UN professional corps reflect this bias and embrace the postcolonial indoctrination that has swept academia, the media, and the general social discourse.
    Radical activists in key UN positions have utilized international community institutions to promote and advance terrorist entities.
    Politically active academics who disseminate biased narratives in international institutions have become the norm. Doctrinaire activism has seeped into every crevice of international community institutions.
    The writer is a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Center. 

Hamas Bears Full Responsibility for the Carnage since Oct. 7 - J.T. Young (RealClear World)
    Over almost two years since Oct. 7, Hamas has not slackened its zeal for killing Israelis; only its means for doing so have been diminished.
    When it releases hostages, it only does so on terms heavily favorable to it; it steadfastly refuses to release all the hostages it holds.
    Hamas bears full responsibility for the carnage since Oct. 7, not only in Israel but in Gaza too.
    Implicitly, the world knows Hamas will never stop killing, because it has no other purpose and no greater aim.
    The world cannot appeal to Hamas's humanity because the world knows Hamas has none to which it can appeal.
    So the world instead takes the easier route and presses Israel to stop what Hamas has brought on itself and Gaza but refuses to stop.
    Nations - Britain, France, and Canada - who demanded unconditional surrender for WWII's Axis powers - are validating everything Hamas has done, calling for a Palestinian state while Hamas retains the reins of government in Gaza.
    Never has Gaza shown itself less capable of self-government; never has such a state's justification been less valid; never has Israel had less confidence in such a state's future or its own security.

An Allegedly Civilized World Genuflects to Hamas - Star Parker (Toronto Sun-Canada)
    Suppose we had an incident like what Israel suffered on Oct. 7, 2023. The equivalent of 1,200 murdered in Israel is over 44,000 Americans.
    Suppose they, like what Israel suffered through, were not just murdered but violently raped and sexually mutilated.
    Would we negotiate with these creatures? Would their demands touch sympathetic chords among our population?
    Could we even imagine granting them sovereignty next to us, knowing their great dream is that we are eliminated?
    The Israelis would have to be crazy to concede autonomy to a Palestinian state with a history of terror.
    There are some 50 majority-Muslim countries in the world. There is one Jewish state.
    No solution will be reached if those who pretend to represent the civilized world give credibility to depraved murderers.

Israeli Software Provider Sapiens to Be Bought by U.S. Firm for $2.5 Billion - Sharon Wrobel (Times of Israel)
    Israeli financial software company Sapiens said Wednesday that it had signed an agreement to be purchased by U.S. private equity firm Advent International in a cash deal worth $2.5 billion.
    Founded in 1982, Sapiens is a developer of AI-powered applications and software solutions to help insurance companies cut costs by automating operations.
    Sapiens employs 5,000 workers, including 800 based in Israel. Its software platform is used by 600 customers across 30 countries.

Israel's Elbit Awarded $1.6 Billion European Defense Contract - Eitan Gerstenfeld (Globes)
    Elbit Systems reported on Wednesday a $1.6 billion contract for the supply of a range of defense solutions to a European country over five years.
    Products include long-range precision strike artillery-rocket systems, reconnaissance and loitering aerial combat drones, electronic warfare systems, intelligence collection and processing systems, and advanced electro-optical and night-vision systems.