Rida Abu Rass

A Saudi official saying this on Al Jazeera, a Qatari media outlet, is far more telling than any nugget of information carefully leaked to an American media outlet.

This war will permanently alter the relationship of the Gulf states, the US, and Israel.

I study world politics for a living, and as much as I try, I still can't make sense of what's been coming out of Ottawa on Iran over the weekend aside from a mix of myopic risk aversion, incompetence, foolishness, and Stockholm syndrome relapse.

Yep, all depends on US support. Wouldn't bet on any US administration just turning off the tap anytime soon, but I do think that's where we're headed.

I think so, yes. Barring significant changes in the balance of power. Just look at what's happening already.

Yep

bsky.app/profile/dipl...

Israel's continued dominance will of course depend on continued US support, which is far from guaranteed, in the long-run. Turkish, Saudi, and popular responses can also reshape regional politics, but this will also take time.

It's likely the US will pack up soon, claiming mission accomplished, while giving Israel the green light mow the lawn as it pleases. Iran becomes Lebanon, and Israel the region's sole, barricaded, spartan hegemon.

Netanyahu certainly benefits from this. A permanent state of emergency.

+ in historically Palestinian ("mixed") cities, Arabs are shunned from, and harassed at bomb shelters.

This picture was taken by my dad this morning, outside a bomb shelter in Ramleh. The sign reads "Gaza is ours, forever!".

玉險 Office of the Prime Minister Cabinet du Premier Ministre Statement by Prime Minister Carney and Minister Anand on the situation in the Middle East "The Canadian government is closely following Iran-related hostilities throughout the Middle East and urges all Canadians in Iran to shelter in place. Canadians in the wider region should follow local advice and take all necessary precautions. Canada's position remains clear: the Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East, has one of the world's worst human rights records, and must never be allowed to obtain or develop nuclear weapons. Canada and our international partners have consistently called upon the Iranian regime to end its nuclear program, including at the 2025 G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis and with the United Nations' reimposition of sanctions in September. Despite diplomatic efforts, Iran has neither fully dismantled its nuclear program, halted all enrichment activities, nor ended its support for regional terrorist proxy groups. Canada stands with the Iranian people in their long and courageous struggle against Iran's oppressive regime. Canada has listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity, and has sanctioned 256 Iranian entities and 222 individuals in response to the regime's repression and its violence both against its own people, and persistently, beyond its borders. Canada reaffirms Israel's right to defend itself and to ensure the security of its people. Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security. The Canadian government urges the protection of all civilians in this conflict. We will take all possible measures to protect our nationals and Canadian diplomatic missions throughout the region." February 28, 2026

“Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security.”

Well. For those of us wondering if he’d walk the walk of the Davos speech, this is a pretty big answer.

Nope.

I thought his speech was clear:

"intermediate powers like Canada, are not powerless. They have the capacity to build a new order that encompasses our values, like respect for human rights, sustainable development, solidarity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the various states."

BREAKING — 51 Iranian children are dead after a strike hits Minab girls elementary school in Iran.

US AND ISRAEL ATTACK IRAN; BAHRAIN SAYS US NAVY FLEET HQs TARGETED Multiple explosions heard in Tehran, elsewhere, as Israel and US launches attacks; Iran retaliates by targeting Israel.

Al Jazeera and Reuters reporting explosions in Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, all sites that host major U.S. bases. www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblo...

Over the past two and a half years, Iran has been careful not to cross certain escalation thresholds. With this, it seems all bets are off. Explosions reported in several countries across the region.

The Jewish Israeli woman who loved and was loved by Palestine’s most famous poet died this week. Their romance couldn’t survive politics, but the poetry it inspired is loved by millions. My article for @newlinesmag.bsky.social: newlinesmag.com/running-note...

خلص بكفي

Israel warns of Ramadan escalation while doing everything to provoke one Eroding the status quo at Al-Aqsa, backing settler pogroms, ignoring violent crime: If there is an eruption, it will have been engineered by Israel alone.

Israel warns of a Ramadan escalation — while doing everything to provoke one

Eroding the status quo at Al-Aqsa, backing settler pogroms, ignoring violent crime: If there is an eruption, it will have been engineered by Israel alone.

@mekomit.bsky.social

www.972mag.com/israel-ramad...

I write these roundups myself, and host them on my own website (no Substack, no monetization scheme). A way to make my existing, open-source, media-based research accessible to broader audiences.

I have to skip the next couple of weeks. Will return March 13th.

2026-02-20 - Rida Abu Rass News from Israel, Palestine, and MENA: February 20, 2026

This week's roundup of under-reported news from Palestine, Israel, the Middle East and North Africa:

Some sources:

- english.wafa.ps/Pages/Detail...
- www.unrwa.org/newsroom/off...
- www.972mag.com/israel-west-...
- www.alhaq.org/monitoring-d...
- www.972mag.com/ras-ein-al-a...

This is not limited to area C. Operation Iron Wall (2025) - which concentrated on Tulkarm and Jenin, deep within areas A and B - has served as a sort of testing ground for mass displacement: hundreds of homes have been slowly and systematically bulldozed; tens of thousands have been displaced.

A map of the West Bank, highlighting its divisions into three areas - A B and C - under the Oslo Accords.

The plan - the gradual ethnic cleansing of the West Bank - is in effect, plain for all to see.

Settler gangs, accompanied and aided by Israeli soldiers, have already displaced thousands in "area C"(anything blue on this map) - especially in Masafer Yatta / South Hebron, and the Jordan Valley.

Smotrich pushes for displacement of West Bank, Gaza Palestinians In addition to the finance portfolio, Smotrich serves on Israel’s security cabinet, which makes key decisions regarding the occupied West Bank

Smotrich, last Tuesday: "We will finally, formally, and in practical terms nullify the cursed Oslo Accords and embark on a path toward sovereignty, while encouraging emigration from both Gaza and Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]".

www.newarab.com/news/smotric...

Tweet from the US Department of State: "The United States and Europe belong to a civilization that stretches over continents, crossed over oceans, and persisted for thousands of years: from Athens to Rome to America. Western Civilization must embrace its noble legacy if it is to reverse its decline."

There is no coherent historical legacy that directly links Athens and Rome to Christian Europe and the United States while leaving out the Islamic world. This is such ahistorical nonsense.

Israel’s new separation wall will sever Jordan Valley from rest of West Bank The army is issuing evacuation orders and seizing land to prepare a massive barrier — part of a wider project to annex the Palestinian 'breadbasket.'

Israel is moving forward with plans for a 300-mile wall, running parallel to the Jordanian border, which would sever the Jordan Valley from the rest of the West Bank.

The Israeli military has already issued evacuation orders and seized land in preparation for the barrier's construction.

Israel’s attacks on Gaza persist as ’Peace Board’ set to meet The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since the start of the ceasefire has surpassed 600, days ahead of the inaugural session of the ’Board of Peace’.

Israeli forces killed at least 12 Palestinians in Gaza yesterday, and another today. At least 603 Gazans have been killed in Israeli strikes since the so-called ceasefire went into effect last October.

www.newarab.com/news/israels...

A Palestinian influencer spent 27 months in Israeli prison — for social media posts Abdel Rahim Haj Yahya, an Israeli citizen, was convicted of incitement to terror soon after October 7. He is convinced it was because of his large following.

www.972mag.com/abdel-rahim-...

הפרוייקט מנוהל לא משהו אבל החווית שימוש טובה. לא כבד מדי.

YouTube video by מכון עקבות Akevot Institute Partition of the Land - Dahlia Scheindlin | No Solution Means War

I don't agree with everything Scheindlin says, but this video is super insightful, and should have many more views that it does:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfCD...

2026-02-06 - Rida Abu Rass News from Israel, Palestine, and MENA: February 6, 2026

This week's news roundup from Palestine, Israel and MENA:

ridaaburass.com/z_ridaaburas...

Why a Palestinian protest in Tel Aviv exposed the limits of Israeli solidarity A mass demonstration against organized crime showed that Palestinian suffering can be acknowledged — so long it is stripped of any political meaning.

Insightful analysis:

www.972mag.com/tel-aviv-pal...