HEADLINES
- Iran masterfully uses conflicting signals in talks
- Israel moves to register West Bank lands
- Holocaust survivor Bella attacked in Ramat Gan

The time is now 9:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In the conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, two opinion pieces frame Iran’s approach to negotiations and power dynamics. The first recalls the twelve-day war of June 2025, when US and Israeli strikes devastated Iran’s enrichment facilities at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, and notes that the most effective weapon was cognitive: a cascade of contradictory signals. Reportedly, Tehran was told to “leave,” then told that “Now is the time for peace,” followed by “Unconditional surrender” and then “A real opportunity for negotiations,” leaving Tehran paralyzed as every possible response was pre-emptively mined. Eight months later, a Muscat-based review of Iranian internal communications is said to show that Iran copied the method, refined it, and is running it back against Trump. Across five rounds between Oman and Rome in the spring of 2025, the article says Iran’s approach included enrichment down to 3.67% and the transfer of a stockpile to a third country. When Trump sent contradictory messages, a Foreign Ministry spokesman complained that “The contradictory messages are unhelpful,” and rounds were postponed. The piece argues regimes that survive decades are quick learners, noting that on February 3, 2026, Tasnim published three headlines simultaneously, signaling ongoing messaging tactics.

The second piece, Pahlavi or Khamenei: Iran is at a crossroads, argues that the West mistakes regime survival tactics for reform and that Iranians know better, having paid with their lives. It cites US Senator Marco Rubio’s testimony that there is no simple answer to what happens if the supreme leader and the regime fall, and warns that any transition brokered from inside the system would be another disaster for Iranians and for Israel. With negotiations ongoing, the article contends that any agreement could bolster so-called reformers, even as the Islamic Republic has killed tens of thousands of its own citizens. In the current uprising, it says more than 36,500 people have been killed, marking the deadliest mass repression of the 21st century, with Internet access restricted and only a fraction of Iranians able to circumvent censorship. The author, writing from London, describes messages from supporters inside Iran sent via Instagram about arrests and deaths, illustrating a climate of repression.

In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), Israel moves to reopen West Bank land registration amid annexation talks. The government announced the plan, with Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Defense Minister Israel Katz issuing a joint statement. The proposal envisions registering extensive areas in the West Bank in the state’s name and authorizing the Justice Ministry’s Authority for Registration and Settlement of Land Rights to oversee settlements, with a dedicated budget for this purpose. The plan aims to enable a transparent and in-depth clarification of rights, to end legal disputes, and to facilitate infrastructure development and market land. The statement says the move is in response to illegal settlement procedures promoted by the Palestinian Authority in Area C and is described as an essential security and governance measure to ensure control, enforcement, and full freedom of action for the state.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor was attacked in broad daylight in Ramat Gan. The woman, identified as Bella, was assaulted on Ben-Gurion Street by a 36-year-old resident who shouted insults and punched her, leaving her with serious facial injuries. She was evacuated by Magen David Adom to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, where she received treatment and remained under observation for several hours. Bella said she could have been killed, describing how the attacker closed in rapidly and shouted antisemitic slurs, leaving her shaken and recalling trauma from the past.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the High Court of Justice has ordered Justice Minister Yariv Levin to explain why he has not convened the Judicial Selection Committee to begin judicial appointments, saying the absence of a full committee leaves courts understaffed and the public’s access to justice at risk. The court gave Levin a sworn affidavit by March 8 and gave the Attorney-General and petitioners until March 15 to file arguments, with a late-March hearing anticipated. The petitioners, including the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, say the judiciary has been paralyzed for more than a year and a half. Separately, after rioting in Bnei Brak, Shas head Aryeh Deri urged law enforcement to act decisively against those involved in violence but to avoid collective punishment of the general public, which largely abides by the law. In a separate development, Netanyahu trial hearings scheduled for this week were canceled following the death of the presiding judge’s mother, with the courts announcing bereavement leave through Sunday. Judge Oded Shaham sits on the panel with Rivka Friedman-Feldman and Moshe Bar-Am, and the case spans the three indictments known as Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000, with Netanyahu denying any wrongdoing.

In Uplifting News, a machzor handwritten in 1272 in Würzburg, Germany, has endured through centuries of hardship to reach Israel and now sits on display at the National Library in Jerusalem. The story traces the journey of the early Jewish community in Würzburg, which began toward the end of the 11th century, and follows the scribe Simhah ben Yehuda, whose meticulously copied prayers took nearly a year to produce. The text was beautifully illuminated by Shemiah Hazorfati, and the machzor’s survival and migration reflect the enduring value placed on sacred manuscripts as they traveled toward the nation of Israel.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-886455
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-886493
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-886690
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-886688
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-886691
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1285156
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-886686
https://www.jpost.com/history/article-886473