Wednesday, February 11, 2026 | 3:00p.m. Eastern Time

February 18, 2026 | Israel Insider with Alex Selsky

A weekly update on the most significant events happening in Israel.

Alex Selsky is a senior adviser to the Israel Victory Project and serves on the board of directors of Middle East Forum-Israel. Mr. Selsky currently serves as a reserve major in the IDF Homefront Command emergency information unit. He is also a lecturer at the School of Politics and Journalism at Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College. Previously, Mr. Selsky served as an advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, spokesperson for the Israeli National Economic Council, member of the board of governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel, member of the executive board of the World Zionist Organization, and CEO of the International Israel Beytenu Movement.

Register Now:


Loading...

More from MEF
There are some problems that Israel has no choice but to address with force. Image: an Israeli tank maneuvers into position in the evening near Bet Hanoun, Gaza; June 18, 2025.
Middle East Forum Online
Israel Is Fighting Tomorrow’s War with Yesterday’s Tools
Israel Can Present Impressive Military Achievements While Upholding the Purity of Arms, Yet at the Same Time Watch Its Room for Maneuver Steadily Shrink
September 13, 2026
 · 
Zvi Hauser
If Britain were to do without Israeli military technology, it would have to abandon Sky Sabre, the air defense system that uses Rafael’s MIC4AD software—the same as that used in the “Iron Dome.” Image: the stand of Israeli Rafael Advanced Defense Systems at the ILA Berlin Air Show, June 5, 2024.
Middle East Forum Online
London’s Skies Are Protected by Israeli Technology
Even the EU Is Turning to the ‘Space Zionists’ for Help
September 13, 2026
 · 
Giulio Meotti
Israel’s relationship with Europe reached an unhappy watershed on Tuesday as British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced an unprecedented set of sanctions targeting West Bank settlements.
Middle East Forum Online
Failing to Act in the West Bank or in the West, Israel Brought U.K.’s Sanctions Upon Itself
The Decision Underscores How Ineffective Israel’s Government Has Been in Maintaining Support Among Erstwhile Western Partners
September 13, 2026
 · 
Lazar Berman
When tens of thousands of unauthorized migrants crossed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in late July 2026, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (above) faced a catastrophic breakdown of border control and European confidence.
Middle East Forum Online
Sánchez’s Scapegoat: How Spain Uses Israel to Mask Its Border Crisis
The Spanish Leader Claimed That Digital Networks Linked to Israel and Russia Spread Online Hoaxes That Exacerbated the Post-Crisis Fallout
September 13, 2026
 · 
Amine Ayoub
The state capitol building in Cheyenne, Wyoming, a state that has become a haven for criminal and terrorist organizations intent on disguising their operations as legitimate businesses.
FWI News
Wyoming Business Laws Protect Gaza-Based Charity from Scrutiny
Investigative NGO Coleven Documented Charity’s Ties to Hamas in Gaza
September 13, 2026
 · 
Dexter Van Zile
The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed on August 7 by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, represents the first formalization of the slow emergence of a conservative Sunni Islamic bloc intended to provide a strategic counterweight against both Israel and Iran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Saudi Arabia Faces Its First Mecca Defense Pact Test
The Houthis Have Announced a Maritime Blockade Against Saudi Arabia and Attacked Saudi-Linked Oil Tankers
September 13, 2026
 · 
Kaswar Klasra
A large memorial banner of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at an entrance of the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, Iran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Where Is Ali Khamenei’s Will?
Officials Have Not Said Why a Will Hasn’t Been Made Public, Claiming His Sons Have It, but It’s Unlikely There’s Only One Copy
September 13, 2026
 · 
Potkin Azarmehr
The Russian cruise missile Kh-35 is a subsonic anti-ship rocket.
Middle East Forum Observer
Russia and Iran Coordination Illustrates Why Financial Cooperation Is Only Half the Battle
No Sanctions Authority Is in Use to Stop the Direct Transfer of Weapons-Relevant Technology and Expertise
September 13, 2026
 · 
Leonid Baratz
Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman
Middle East Forum Observer
Is Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Reign Over?
Bin Salman Has Prioritized His Own Rivalry with the United Arab Emirates Above Strategic Stability
September 12, 2026
 · 
Michael Rubin
American policy has remained tethered for too long to an obsolete “One Somalia” framework that penalizes success and rewards incompetence. By contrast, the emerging alignment between Ethiopia and Somaliland offers a functional, self-sustaining security framework.
Middle East Forum Online
Cairo’s Pivot, Ethiopia’s Alignment: Horn of Africa’s Security Shift
To Secure Freedom of Navigation and Counter Adversary Influence, Washington Must Realign Its Strategy and Actively Back Somaliland
September 12, 2026
 · 
Amine Ayoub