Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent NJN's views and policy positions.

Bibi's Emergency Trip to Washington

Q. All it took was an opening eight-hour round of indirect US-Iran talks in Muscat, Oman, to prompt Prime Minister Netanyahu to announce an emergency trip to meet President Trump this week. Why? What dynamic is at work here?

A. There are a number of possible explanations, all equally intriguing. Taken together, they describe the very complex triangle of US-Israel-Iran interaction and the highly questionable quality of leadership in Washington, Jerusalem, and Tehran. 

Best to start with the official explanation from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office:  "The prime minister believes that all negotiations must include limiting ballistic missiles and ending support for the Iranian axis." 

This presumably reflects Israel’s understanding that Washington and Tehran agreed in Muscat last weekend to discuss only the Iranian nuclear project and not a demand to limit or dismantle Iran’s missile project and to constrain Tehran’s support for anti-Israel proxies like Lebanese Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis. Netanyahu, according to this explanation, will protest to Trump and insist that Messrs. Witkoff and Kushner reverse their position and demand that negotiations comprise these issues too. 

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer.

Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent NJN's views and policy positions.

Legislative Round-Up, February 6, 2026

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings & Markups
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press Releases/Statements

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1. Bills & Resolutions

(REPORT ON KILLING OF SHIREEN ABU AKLEH) HR 7281: Introduced 1/30/26 by Carson (D-IN) and 13 Democratic cosponsors, “To require a report on the death of Shireen Abu Akleh.” Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also see: press release – Rep. Carson Reintroduces the Justice for Shireen Act

(INTERNET FOR IRANIANS) HR 7380 [bill text]: Introduced 2/4/26 by Swalwell (D-CA) and 5 bipartisan cosponsors, “To make certain improvements relating to the coordination of efforts to promote internet freedom and access to information in Iran, and for other purposes,” aka the “Internet Reach and Access Now Act” or “IRAN Act.”  Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Also see: Swalwell press release – Swalwell, Lawmakers Introduced Bill to Promote Internet Freedom and Accesss to Information in Iran; Tenney (R-NY) press release – Congresswoman Tenney Leads Bipartisan IRAN Act to Expand Internet Freedom for the Iranian People