What Jimmy Carter Has to Teach Donald Trump About Peace in the Middle East, The Forward
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami writes, “Carter never did realize his dream to see a just and peaceful end to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Neither did he get to see what choice the modern state of Israel and the Jewish people will eventually make at the fork in the road that he so controversially framed in his 2006 book. But he leaves behind some valuable lessons for those who hope, following in his footsteps, to resolve this seemingly irresolvable conflict.”
The 23-State Solution, Substack
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami writes, “What this means for Israel and its friends around the world is the most fundamental choice of its 75 plus year history: will it continue down the Netanyahu/Smotrich/Ben Gvir path of annexation and endless conflict or work hand in hand with the Arab world to build a 23-state solution including a secure, successful state of Palestine.”
Hamas Approves List of Israeli Hostages for Potential Exchange, Reuters Reports, CNN
Hamas has approved a list of 34 Israeli hostages to be exchanged in a possible ceasefire deal, Reuters reported, citing a Hamas official. The Israeli government denied receiving a list of hostages from Hamas, adding that the names published in the media are from an older list that Israel had presented to mediators.
Hamas and Israel Wrangle Over Talks As Israeli Strikes in Gaza Intensify, Reuters
A renewed push is underway to reach a ceasefire in the 15-month war between Israel and Hamas, and return Israeli hostages who were taken to Gaza, before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. The effort comes amid a surge in Israeli military action in the enclave. This weekend, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed 105 Palestinians, medics said. The Israeli military said it had killed dozens of Hamas militants.
Biden Notifies Congress of $8 Billion Arms Sale to Israel, Axios
The State Department has notified Congress “informally” of an $8 billion proposed arms deal with Israel that will include munitions for fighter jets and attack helicopters as well as artillery shells, two sources with direct knowledge tell Axios. This will likely be the last weapons sale to Israel the Biden administration approves.
Hamas Releases Video of Israeli Hostage Liri Albag As Ceasefire Talks Resume, BBC
Hamas has posted a video showing a 19-year-old Israeli captive, as indirect talks between the group and Israel on a ceasefire and hostage release deal resume in Qatar. The footage shows Liri Albag calling for the Israeli government to reach a deal.
Three Israelis Killed in Palestinian Shooting Attack in West Bank, BBC
Three Israelis have been killed and eight wounded in a Palestinian shooting attack on a bus and other vehicles in the north of the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military and paramedics say. The Magen David Adom ambulance service identified the dead as two women in their 60s and a man in his 40s. The driver of the bus was seriously wounded.
Israeli Soldiers Face Risk of Arrest Abroad for Alleged War Crimes After Serving in Gaza, NBC News
In a case that has sparked outcry in Israel and praise elsewhere, one soldier vacationing in Brazil fled the South American country earlier this month after a judge ordered federal police to pursue an investigation in response to a legal filing accusing the soldier of war crimes in Gaza.
Israel Warns Lebanon Truce Could Collapse if Hezbollah Doesn’t Withdraw in South, CNN
Israel warned on Sunday that the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah could collapse if the Iran-backed group does not withdraw beyond the Litani River in southern Lebanon, one of the key stipulations of the truce.
Israel Conducts Raids in Syria Amid Accusations of Cease-Fire Violations, The New York Times
The Israeli military said on Sunday that it has been conducting “operational raids” in recent weeks on Mount Hermon in Syria, continuing a military campaign on Syrian soil that is drawing increasing international condemnation.
Israel’s Attorney General Slams Bill to Alter Selection Process of Supreme Court President, Haaretz
A legal opinion written by Deputy Attorney General Avital Sompolinsky states, “The fundamental change in choosing the Supreme Court president at this stage rises to the level of ‘changing the rules in the middle of the game.’ When the matter is an amendment to a basic law, it is also abuse of constitutive authority.”
The Case for Hope for Palestinians, The New York Times
Khaled Elgindy writes, “These are, of course, only a few of the emerging Palestinian leaders. Whether the future that arises out of the ashes of Gaza is defined by them and their peers or by continued chaos and violence will to a large extent also depend on how the rest of the world responds — and whether the United States and other Western governments can finally listen to and embrace authentic Palestinian voices and Palestinian agency.”
‘This Is Basically a Civil War’: West Bank in Fear As Palestinian Authority Battles Militant Groups, The Guardian
Bethan McKernan and Sufian Taha write, “Israel hopes it can delegate stamping out militant activity to the Ramallah-based authority, and the PA is seeking to prove it will be able to handle governing the Gaza Strip when the war there ends. Instead, growing anger at the lengthy, destructive raid, and what is considered by much of the Palestinian public as increasing PA complicity in the occupation, could fuel further unrest.”
West Bank Settlers Hope Trump Will Back Annexation Dreams, The New York Times
Isabel Kershner writes, “But in the hills around Shilo and the neighboring settlement of Eli in the central West Bank, the mission of Jewish settlement expansion is clear. Alongside official government-approved settlements, outposts have been built in recent decades without official permits. Some have been retroactively authorized by Israel and have come to resemble the more established neighborhoods.”
‘We’re Still Breathing, and We Don’t Want to Die’: Testimonies From the Inferno in Northern Gaza, Haaretz
The IDF is completing its expulsion of Palestinians from northern Gaza – an area that once housed a population the size of Tel Aviv’s. Residents who fled describe an unprecedented, brutal operation.