12 June 2026

In this weekly update, we take you into the heart of a war that shows no signs of slowing down — a multi-front battle that Israel has been fighting, and surviving, for years.

We begin where the stakes are highest. Iran.

If you thought you understood what was happening in the Middle East, you have not been paying close enough attention to the bold and unpredictable moves of President Donald J. Trump. For weeks, Trump has been relentlessly pursuing a landmark deal with the Islamic Regime of Iran — and in a stunning move yesterday, he called off planned strikes against Iran, staking everything on what he calls an imminent agreement. From the Oval Office, Trump declared that the document could be ready to sign within days. But Tehran is not so easily moved.

Iran's Foreign Ministry responded with cold defiance, stating that the Islamic Republic had not yet reached a final decision on any agreement with the United States — and would not, under any circumstances, compromise on its "red lines". According to the official IRNA news agency, the regime is making clear that it answers to no one.

Meanwhile, the region is already bleeding. Just last weekend, the Islamic Regime of Iran launched fresh missile strikes against Israel — a dangerous escalation rooted in the relentless exchange of attacks between Israel and Hezbollah across the Lebanese border. The fuse was lit when a Hezbollah headquarters in the Dahieh district of Beirut was struck.

In a move that sent shockwaves through the region, Trump urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to stand down — to not respond — insisting that a deal was within reach and warning that the United States would not stand beside Israel in any strike against the Islamic Regime. And with that statement, something ancient stirs. For those watching with prophetic eyes, the signs are becoming impossible to ignore — the steady, sobering fulfilment of biblical prophecy, drawing closer with every passing day: that Israel would ultimately stand alone against its enemies. The clock is ticking. Deal — or no deal?

Judea and Samaria - UN ‘settler violence’ report based on distorted data

Then there is another warfront — one that rarely makes headlines the way it deserves to. Judea and Samaria. Known to the outside world as the West Bank. This is the ancient heartland of the Jewish people — and yet the same world that ignores Palestinian terrorism is actively working to evict Jewish residents from their own homeland. The weapon of choice? Distorted data, manipulated statistics, and carefully crafted narratives designed to build a legal and political case against Israel's very presence in the land. As reported earlier, the UN's latest report on so-called "settler violence" is a textbook example of exactly that.

“The UN’s methodology is unreliable, as it has traditionally counted as ‘settler violence’ even incidents of self-defense by Jews,” international law expert Eugene Kontorovich told JNS.

A new UN report accusing Israel of enabling rising "settler violence" in Judea and Samaria is being torn apart by researchers who say its findings are largely fabricated. The report comes from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry — a body that has repeatedly condemned Israel, previously accusing it of genocide, starvation, and systematic destruction. Israel refuses to cooperate with it due to clear bias, and the US has also criticized it. The core problem, according to Eugene Kontorovich and Avraham Shalev of the Kohelet Policy Forum, is that the UN's data is deeply flawed. The main source — UN agency OCHA — counts virtually everything as "settler violence," including Jewish acts of self-defense, Israeli military anti-terror operations, and even Jews hiking or visiting the Temple Mount. Between 98–99% of recorded incidents involved Israeli security forces, not settlers at all.

The raw data itself comes from NGOs, several of which — including Addameer, Al-Haq and DCI-P — have been designated terror organizations by Israel's Ministry of Defense for ties to the PFLP. When you actually run the numbers, the picture collapses entirely. Nine Palestinian deaths attributed to settlers in 2025 translates to a per capita rate lower than most major European cities — comparable to Boise, Idaho. Meanwhile, the report completely ignores the other side of the ledger: in 2025, Shin Bet foiled 1,374 Palestinian terror plots, while 25 Israelis were murdered and 197 injured. In short — a politically driven report, dressed up as research.

Gaza - US building military base on Gaza border with no clear purpose

As the war with Iran and Hezbollah dominates the media spotlight, we must not lose sight of who started this conflict in the first place. In Gaza, Hamas shows little interest in ceasefire negotiations — and as long as the Trump administration continues to treat them as a legitimate state actor, peace remains as distant as ever.

A security source: ‘The chance of fighting resuming in the Gaza Strip is greater than the possibility of a diplomatic agreement.’

While global attention is fixed on Iran, quiet preparations for Trump's Gaza plan are pressing ahead. The central obstacle remains unchanged — Hamas refuses to disarm, Cairo talks have collapsed, and Israeli security sources now believe renewed fighting is more likely than a diplomatic solution. Despite the deadlock, the US military has begun constructing a major new base on the Gaza border near Kibbutz Re'im, designed to serve as the military and civilian headquarters for forces implementing the Trump plan. Tenders are already being issued for the construction.

Five countries have agreed to send troops — Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania — with Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan expressing willingness in principle. Most have paused their commitments due to the ongoing war with Iran, though Indonesia continues training its designated force of around 5,000 troops. Israel has stated it will not accept soldiers from countries it considers hostile, including Pakistan and Turkey.

The base is being fully coordinated with the Israeli Defense Ministry and IDF, and could be operational within months.

The infrastructure is being built. The troops are being trained. But until Hamas moves, this base may be a headquarters waiting for a war — or a deal — that hasn't arrived yet.

Hamas Is Not Negotiating — It's Stalling

Nearly three years after the October 7 massacre and six months into Trump's ceasefire initiative, one reality is unmistakable: Hamas remains armed, in control, and completely unwilling to disarm.

This week, mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey met Hamas in Cairo once again, attempting to convince the group to comply with Trump's plan for Gaza's demilitarization. The talks failed. Hamas continues to set preconditions — full Israeli withdrawal, safety guarantees for its leaders, and political integration — before it will even consider surrendering weapons. It is not negotiating in good faith. It is bargaining for survival.

The proposals on the table — "depositing" weapons with Palestinian authorities or placing them under international supervision — are detached from reality. Hamas spent decades building tunnels, stockpiling rockets, and entrenching itself militarily. It is not going to hand that over because mediators asked politely.

Making matters worse, Qatar and Turkey — two of Hamas's longest-standing political and financial supporters — are serving as mediators. Expecting them to pressure Hamas into disarming is absurd.

The broader picture is equally troubling. Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran increasingly read Washington's desire for stability as weakness. Rather than complying with American demands, they are setting conditions and dictating terms. They appear convinced that the US will compromise rather than confront.

Every ceasefire has allowed Hamas to regroup. Every negotiation has bought it time. Nearly three years on, it remains defiant and organized — which is not diplomatic progress, but diplomatic failure. The hard truth is simple: terrorist organizations do not negotiate themselves out of existence. Until the Trump Administration stops treating Hamas as a legitimate political actor and starts applying real pressure on Hamas and its sponsors, the world will keep watching the same futile spectacle — mediators begging a terrorist group to give up weapons it never intends to surrender.

Meanwhile, the fight against Hezbollah is intensifying. Weapons storage sites and terrorist infrastructure are being systematically targeted. The stockpile Hezbollah has built — right under the eyes of a powerless Lebanese government and ineffective UN peacekeepers — is enormous, as evidenced by the fact that the group remains capable of launching sophisticated missiles and drones against Israel. Israel has made its position clear: its fight is against Hezbollah, Iran's puppet — not against Lebanon or its people!

Israel to Lebanon: Our Fight Is with Hezbollah, Not You

In back-to-back messages this week, both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Herzog reached out directly to the Lebanese people, drawing a sharp distinction between Lebanon as a nation and Hezbollah as an occupying force.

Netanyahu's message was both an appeal and a warning. He reminded Lebanese citizens of what their country once was — the cafés, the culture, the calm — all destroyed by Hezbollah and Iran. He made clear that Israel has eliminated nearly 10,000 Hezbollah fighters and is systematically clearing South Lebanon, but emphasized that Israel seeks peace, not conquest. "Once Hezbollah is dismantled, the possibilities are endless," he said.

Herzog, speaking in Arabic from Israel's northern border, extended a direct hand of peace to Lebanon's president and people, while setting a clear condition: Lebanon must break free from Iranian and Hezbollah influence and function as a truly sovereign nation. He noted that it was Hezbollah — not Israel — that repeatedly violated UN resolutions and ceasefire agreements.

Both leaders delivered the same core message: Israel will defend itself without hesitation, but its vision for the region is cooperation and prosperity, not war. The door to peace is open — but only Lebanon can walk through it, and only if it reclaims its future from Tehran.

This week, let us pray for the people of Israel, for their leaders and their allies. Pray for the enemies of the Jewish people. That their hearts will turn to God And their evil plans will be thwarted.

Above all, let us continue to look to God and trust that He will fulfill His promises. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and the speedy coming of the Messiah of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He alone can protect His people, and usher in a kingdom of peace and righteousness.

UN ‘settler violence’ report based on distorted data

“The UN’s methodology is unreliable, as it has traditionally counted as ‘settler violence’ even incidents of self-defense by Jews,” international law expert Eugene Kontorovich told JNS.

US building military base on Gaza border with no clear purpose

A security source: The chance of fighting resuming in the Gaza Strip is greater than the possibility of a diplomatic agreement.

The Ongoing Charade of Hamas Disarmament

Nearly three years after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led massacre in Israel, and more than six months after US President Donald Trump announced his ceasefire initiative for the Gaza Strip, one reality remains painfully clear: Hamas is still armed, still in control of large parts of the Gaza Strip, and still openly refusing to surrender its weapons.

Netanyahu calls on Lebanese people to ‘seize your future, join Israel’

Israel’s war is against Hezbollah, not Lebanon, said the Israeli premier, who emphasized that Israelis yearn for peace with Beirut.

Trump calls off strikes on Iran, claims agreement could be signed this weekend in Europe

Iran says no final decision made following latest US claim that accord is at hand; Netanyahu’s office calls deal an ’emerging MoU regarding entry into negotiations’ after he speaks with president

Did the war against Iran fail? A forgotten historic moment may prove otherwise

Despite the disappointment over the emerging agreement with Iran, the current campaign has produced one strategic achievement that should not be underestimated