Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran revises proposal as Trump ramps up warnings Tehran revised its response to the US as Trump warned Iran to “get moving” after a strike on a UAE nuclear plant. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Trump’s Gaza plan stalls as Hamas resists disarmament The militant group appears to be stalling as the mediators push it to accept a US-backed disarmament proposal. United States
Israel's Netanyahu suing New York Times over column on Palestinian rape Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rejected New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof's accusations of systematic sexual abuse and rape of Palestinian prisoners, calling the claims a "blood libel." United States
Newsletter: Palestine Palestine elections chief: Vote ‘transparent’ despite war, restrictions In an exclusive interview, Rami Hamdallah defended the transparency of recent Palestinian local elections while outlining the political and logistical barriers to voting in Gaza and East Jerusalem. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Feature Gazans show cautious hope ahead of first local elections in 20 years By Rasha Abou Jalal In Gaza City, reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Analysis On eve of Palestinian local elections, competition in short supply By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Interview Olmert: Only Israel-Lebanon deal can curb Hezbollah, occupation 'unviable' Ehud Olmert Former Israeli prime minister
Europe, US to offer Israel, Palestine economic benefits The French-British peace initiative will be formally launched after the Israeli elections, offering both sides economic benefits. Palestine
Muslims join Christians for Christmas celebrations in Gaza More Muslims in Gaza are buying Christmas trees and joining in Christmas festivities as an occasion to solidify unity and forget the recent war with Israel. Palestine
To beat unemployment, young Gazans turn to birds In light of the repeated Israeli assaults on the Gaza Strip that have destroyed the local economy, some young Palestinians are breeding canaries to overcome poverty and unemployment. Palestine
Outrage as Palestinian soccer team cancels friendly with Iran The Palestinian soccer team canceled a friendly match with Iran, sparking online outrage that it was at the instigation of Iran's competitors. Legacy: Gulf
Is Palestinian state only guarantee against Hamas? The Israeli right fears the campaign has moved from the “Iran nuke danger” to “Hamas’ takeover of the West Bank,” ignoring regional concerns for Israel’s security and aligning with their wish to avoid Hamas empowerment. Palestine
Postponing UN bid won't reverse Palestinian momentum The Palestinians need not worry about postponing the vote on their UN bid until after the Israeli elections, since even if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is re-elected, the push toward Palestinian statehood is inevitable. Palestine
Student political groups face crackdown in West Bank The Palestinian Authority’s security forces have targeted student movements in West Bank universities. Palestine
Swine flu cases rattle Gaza Cases of swine flu have emerged in Gaza, where hospitals are unprepared for an outbreak and health services continue to deteriorate. Palestine
Terror list removal may soften Hamas Hamas might be looking to tone down its rhetoric to translate its recent legal victory into political progress. Palestine
US, Europe try to preserve Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation While Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas promotes his UN bid, the US and Europe stick to the well-known old formula: Anti-terror cooperation in the region depends on progress on the Palestinian statehood issue. Palestine
Can Israel, Palestine exist in one space? In an interview with Al-Monitor, Dan Goldenblatt, co-CEO of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information, presents his vision of two states in one space, arguing that this proposed solution could be accepted by both the Israeli right and the Palestinians. Palestine
Hamas scores diplomatic victory in Europe Senior Hamas officials run a department in Gaza whose sole mission is to have the movement removed from terror lists. Palestine
