The Times of Israel is liveblogging Wednesday’s events as they unfold.

Israeli Olympic figure skater qualifies for free skate after successful short program

Israeli figure skater Mariia Seniuk scores 58.61 points in the women’s short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, landing her in 22nd place and clinching her a spot in the free skate to be held Thursday evening.

Only the top 24 of the 29 skaters advance from the short program to the free skate, where the medal winners will be determined.

Seniuk, making her Olympic debut, performed to “Run” by Ludovico Einaudi, turning in a clean performance with only minor errors and hitting every one of her planned elements, including a triple lutz and a triple flip + triple toeloop.

She tells Reuters that while she had been prepared for boos or protests, the crowd welcomed her with cheers.

“I’m skating for Israel and some of the people don’t support [it] but I really enjoyed the atmosphere today… it’s very, very special… you can just feel it,” Seniuk tells the wire agency. “I felt the support… I’m very, very grateful to everyone, and especially to the people who were holding the flag.”

85 countries back statement condemning Israel for deepening its control of West Bank

Eighty-five countries have signed on to a Palestinian-led joint statement condemning the recent security cabinet decisions aimed at tightening Israel’s control of the West Bank.

“We strongly condemn unilateral Israeli decisions and measures aimed at expanding Israel’s unlawful presence in the West Bank,” says the statement organized by the Palestinian Mission to the UN.

“Such decisions are contrary to Israel’s obligations under international law and must be immediately reversed. We underline in this regard our strong opposition to any form of annexation,” the countries add.

The measures passed by the security cabinet include steps making it easier for settlers to purchase West Bank land, while expropriating it from Palestinians who claim ownership.

The statement is backed by countries worldwide, spanning Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas.

A statement on behalf of 85 States and a number of international organizations condemning Israel’s unilateral measures and policies in the occupied West Bank and rejecting annexation???????? pic.twitter.com/BhEo22f6bZ — State of Palestine (@Palestine_UN) February 17, 2026

A statement on behalf of 85 States and a number of international organizations condemning Israel’s unilateral measures and policies in the occupied West Bank and rejecting annexation???????? pic.twitter.com/BhEo22f6bZ

— State of Palestine (@Palestine_UN) February 17, 2026

Settlers reportedly raid Bedouin hamlets in West Bank; no arrests made

Israeli settlers attacked a Bedouin hamlet outside Ramallah as soldiers stood by, Palestinian media and Haaretz report.

The incident began when a settler from a nearby outpost began grazing his sheep in between the homes of residents of the Bedouin hamlet adjacent to the village of Rammun, reports say. The settler then tried to bring his sheep into the Bedouin hamlet’s sheep pen, but was blocked by locals who feared he was trying to steal their livestock.

Several more settlers then reportedly arrived at the scene and a clash broke out. IDF forces arrived at the scene and stood by for an extended period before employing riot dispersal measures. However, those measures were targeted at the Palestinians and not the settlers, Haaretz says, citing witness testimony.

מתנחל רועה צאן בין בתי בדואים בפאתי הכפר רמון צילום: @justherds pic.twitter.com/FYFbn7VY9U — הארץ חדשות (@haaretznewsvid) February 17, 2026

מתנחל רועה צאן בין בתי בדואים בפאתי הכפר רמון

צילום: @justherds pic.twitter.com/FYFbn7VY9U

— הארץ חדשות (@haaretznewsvid) February 17, 2026

Three Palestinians were lightly wounded as a result of the clash, the Palestinian Authority’s official Wafa news site says, adding that the Bedouin residents also accused the settlers of stealing some of their belongings.

No arrests were made. The IDF does not respond to requests for comment.

Such incidents of settler harassment have been taking place on a near-daily basis across the West Bank. The targets are frequently Bedouin hamlets in Area C of the territory, which is under full Israeli control.

Hundreds of Bedouin Palestinians, including some from the hamlet outside Rammun, have decided to flee to other parts of the West Bank.

Earlier Tuesday, settlers from the Giborei David outpost reportedly raided another Bedouin hamlet outside the village of Duma in the central West Bank.

היום בדומא:מתנחלים מהמאחז הבלתי חוקי ״גיבורי דוד״ תקפו פעילי שלום ופלסטינים מהקהילה הבדואית.המתנחלים ריססו את אחד הפעילים בגז פלפל, שברו חלק מהקיר ומהגג של הבית, ותקפו פיזית את הפעילים. התקשרנו למשטרה ולצבא, שבמשך שעות לא הגיעו למקום. pic.twitter.com/I8VGN4KNhG — עמית אורפלי Amit Orfali ???????? (@AmitOrfali) February 17, 2026

היום בדומא:מתנחלים מהמאחז הבלתי חוקי ״גיבורי דוד״ תקפו פעילי שלום ופלסטינים מהקהילה הבדואית.המתנחלים ריססו את אחד הפעילים בגז פלפל, שברו חלק מהקיר ומהגג של הבית, ותקפו פיזית את הפעילים.

התקשרנו למשטרה ולצבא, שבמשך שעות לא הגיעו למקום. pic.twitter.com/I8VGN4KNhG

— עמית אורפלי Amit Orfali ???????? (@AmitOrfali) February 17, 2026

Footage from Israeli activists trying to protect the hamlet shows the settlers breaking down the wall of one of the makeshift homes.

The activists say that the settlers pepper-sprayed and assaulted them and the local Palestinians.

Giborei David’s residents have allegedly taken part in repeated attacks on nearby Palestinians in recent weeks.

Asked for comment on the latter incident, the IDF says it received a report of a clash between a Palestinian and an Israeli during which the Israeli used pepper spray. Troops arrived at the scene and separated the sides, the army said. There were no arrests made at the incident.

Smotrich says next government should ‘encourage migration’ of Palestinians from West Bank

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says that he will work in his next term to “encourage migration” of Palestinians from the West Bank as well as the Gaza Strip.

The idea, which critics say amounts to ethnic cleansing, has been pushed repeatedly by far-right leaders, including Smotrich, in the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, but has largely focused on Gaza.

Smotrich’s declaration represents a relatively rare instance of a senior Israeli politician expressing a desire to expand the controversial goal to the West Bank.

The minister makes the declaration at an event for his far-right Religious Zionism party, during which he lays out what he says should be the goals of the next government, including doing away with the 1990s-era Oslo Accords and applying Israeli sovereignty to the West Bank, a move akin to annexation.

“Destroy the idea of an Arab terror state; finally, formally and practically cancel the cursed Oslo Accords and get on the path of sovereignty, while encouraging the migration both from Gaza and from Judea and Samaria,” the biblical term for the West Bank, Smotrich says. “There is no other long-term solution.”

Smotrich draws applause from those in the room.

Elections are slated to be held by October. Smotrich’s party has consistently polled either near or below the electoral threshold.

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