“The Friedman nomination is helpfully clarifying, in the same way as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s election eve promise last year that there would be no Palestinian state on his watch. With the veil now stripped back, it’s possible to have a more honest debate about these issues, one that we should welcome,” writes Matthew Duss.

Four member states plan to bring resolution to the floor in Cairo’s stead, after Trump convinces Sissi to drop motion.

“Friedman’s selection is bad for America, bad for Israel, bad for the Palestinians, and bad for American Jews. His far-right positions on the Arab-Israeli conflict could create huge new problems for the United States in the Middle East, while driving a wedge between Jewish Americans and the Jewish state,” writes Michael Cohen.

“When Americans sing carols about the ‘Little Town of Bethlehem’ this Christmas, they should keep in mind who lives there,” writes Bethany Allen-Ebrahamian.

If there’s still any question about whether [U.S. Ambassador to Israel designate] Friedman will find an ally in his opposition to a two-state solution, which he claims was only an “illusion” serving “both the U.S. and the Arabs,” one has to look no further than John Bolton, who is reportedly a top candidate–albeit a controversial one–for the highly influential post of Deputy Secretary of State.

New Zealand, Venezuela, Malaysia and Senegal give Cairo deadline to decide if it will reintroduce resolution shelved after heavy pressure from Israel, Trump.

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman announces that the military prosecutor is looking into the killing of a 15-year-old Palestinian teen in Gaza, after soldiers shot a flare directly at his face.

The Jerusalem Planning and Construction Committee will be asked to approve plans for 192 housing units in Ramat Shlomo and 136 units in Ramot—both neighborhoods in east Jerusalem.

Israel’s high court gave the government a 45-day extension Thursday to evacuate a Jewish outpost in the West Bank after settlers there pledged to leave peacefully.

“After a year in which the government incited against Arab society and the media pandered to the Right’s agenda, the attempt to expel Joint List MK Basel Ghattas points to a worrying future,” writes Abed Abu Shehada.

“Despite lukewarm relations between Palestine and Egypt, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not turn his back on Cairo,” writes Ahmad Melhem.