BBC News and The Guardian report that Ericsson contractors were put at risk after their telecommunications firm insisted they stay working in areas controlled by the Islamic State (IS). Ericsson is one of the biggest telecommunications companies in the world, and has played a key role in the rollout of 5G networks across the UK. After several documents were leaked, it was revealed that Ericsson paid bribes to IS in order to secure their service still be functional under the caliphates control. The documents also showed that the company put its employees at risk of kidnapping by IS.

The Financial Times examines how the neutrality shown by the Gulf States over the last couple days, demonstrates the deeper ties the states have with Russian. The UAE and Saudi Arabia in particular want to maintain a neutral stance on their Ukrainian position because they need to preserve cooperation with Russia when it comes to energy and wider geopolitical issues.

The Iranian ambassador to the UK was removed from his position, according to a report from The Guardian. Ambassador Mohsen Baharvand was ‘ordered back’ to Tehran after video clips showed him attending a reception at the Iranian embassy in London in which several women did not have their heads covered.

The NSO is suing the Israeli newspaper Calcalist over several articles the magazine published about the group’s spyware being used illegally on Israeli citizens According to The Associated Press. Following the explosive articles, a subsequent inquiry found no indication of abuse. A statement from the company read: “The thorough investigation that was carried out pulls the rug out from under another attempt to discredit the company and its workers and serves as additional proof that not every journalistic investigation with a sensational headline about NSO is indeed based on facts.” The company is seeking £232,000 which it says will be donated to charity.

The Israeli media continues to be dominated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the precarious position Israel faces. Writing for Yediot Ahronot, Nahum Barnea breaks down the calls the invasion a “conundrum” and writes, ”What was missing in the heat of the debate was a modicum of humility. Israel is not party to the war in Ukraine. Nor is it a member of NATO. The world is not looking to Israel—not militarily, not politically, not morally. Its government must condemn the invasion because it begs condemnation. Simply so. That won’t change anything on the ground, but a government that refrains from condemning such an act betrays its role as a sovereign government and turns its back on the values of the democratic, Western camp that we presume to be a part of. Lapid realised this right away, and Bennett belatedly.”

Maariv explores what a wave of Ukrainian refugees will mean for the country. They outline the various steps needed to be taken.  The paper notes emergency meeting will be held to discuss the government’s preparations for a wave of immigration from Ukraine. In the Knesset committees will also hold a meeting today on Israel’s preparedness for a wave of immigration.

Writing in Yediot Ahronot Yossi Yehoshua comments on the fighting capabilities of the Russian and Ukrainian force, comparing them to Israeli army and reflecting on what lessons the IDF should learn “Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made a strategic decision to strengthen the IDF with ordnances, precision-guided missiles and defence systems. That is important, but it isn’t enough. The army in its current size is too small to cope with a war in multiple theatres. The writing is on the wall, and the responsibility resides with the political leadership and the top IDF brass.… We can’t afford that luxury. We’re a wealthy country. If Israel wishes to survive and to prosper, it needs to be prepared for a scenario that ultimately is quite likely.”

Reporting from the Ukrainian-Polish border Israel Hayom journalist Eldad Beck describes the dire conditions facing those fleeing to Poland for safety. Israel’s ambassador to Ukraine, who like the rest of the embassy staff was relocated west of the country describes the situation as “A humanitarian crisis is beginning to evolve.. The atmosphere over there is awful. People who have been two or three days on the road have found themselves in a nerve-racking wait for hours on end in the cold. There’s a lot of despair and anger over there.”

Yara Shibli, a young Bedouin originally from a northern town in Israel who now serves as a diplomat stationed in Ukraine and has been central in helping evacuating Israelis from Ukraine. Speaking to Yediot Ahronot she says “We’re helping Israelis as much as we can. Our people are on the ground all night long evacuating Israelis. We’ve been working day and night, and we haven’t slept in nearly a week.” She also told the paper how critical it was to have a member of Israel’s Foreign Ministry who speaks Arabic on the ground in Ukraine.

The Foreign Ministry has launched a new initiative to bring Arab citizens of counties party to the Abraham Accords to Israel and receive high tech training, according a report in Yediot Ahronot. Deputy Foreign Minister Idan Roll is leading the initiative and is scheduled to arrive in Bahrain today with hopes of enlisting their support for the initiative