News:
Palestine's latest [1] UN resolution [2] fails to garner nine votes [3], which would have raised the question of a US veto [4], in the Security Council [5]. (New York Times/Reuters/Los Angeles Times/BBC)
The US reconfirms its support for peace based on the 1967 borders [6]. (Ha'aretz)
US and Israeli intervention [7] led to the Palestinian defeat. (The Guardian)
Jewish-American groups credit Pres. Obama [8] for engineering the defeat. (Ha'aretz)
Palestinians say Australia may have damaged its relations [9] with the Arab world by voting against the resolution. (The Guardian)
Palestinians plan their next steps [10]. (AP)
Some in the Palestinian leadership are reportedly urging Pres. Abbas [11] to seek ICC membership [12], possibly in the next day or two. (Ha'aretz/Times of Israel)
Hamas again [13] condemns the PLO's UN initiatives. (Ma'an)
Israel [14] says it is "satisfied" by the UN vote, but reiterates its criticisms [15] of the Palestinians and Europe. (AFP/Ha'aretz)
Israel's UN envoy was absent [16] during the vote. (Ha'aretz)
An Israeli settler runs over [17] a Palestinian child walking to school in Tuqu. (Ma'an)
Israeli settlers set a Palestinian home on fire [18] while the family inside sleeps. (Ma'an)
Israeli police arrest suspects accused of vandalizing [19] a Jerusalem abby. (AP)
Fatah is preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary [20] in Ramallah. (Ma'an)
US forces in Iraq are training new troops [21] to combat ISIS, beginning in February. (New York Times)
Iran denies reports the US offered it a prisoner swap [22]. (AP)
Russia says US sanctions [23] may hurt talks on Syria and Iran. (AP)
International calls [24] emerge for the release of Bahrain's [25] leading opposition figure. (New York Times/AP)
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah [26] is admitted to hospital [27] for tests. (AP/Xinhua)
Tunisia's new secular president, Beji Caid Essebsi [28], is sworn in [29]. (Ha'aretz/BBC)
A slowdown in aid [30] from the Gulf threatens Egypt's economic recovery. (Al Monitor)
Commentary:
Itamar Eichner [31] describes how the Palestinian UN draft was defeated. (YNet)
Raphael Ahren [32] says the Palestinian defeated the UN is good news for Likud MK's. (Times of Israel)
The Daily Star [33] says Fatah has been brought down by a "simple failure to show moral leadership and address core grievances.". (Daily Star)
Adnan Abu Amer [34] says the rapprochement between Egypt and Qatar has rattled Hamas. (Al Monitor)
Jay Michaelson [35] says "pinkwashing" Israel on gay rights is incredibly wrong. (The Forward)
Javier Solana [36] says an international course correction on Syria must begin in Aleppo. (GulfNews)
Colum Lynch [37] says fear of angering Pres. Assad has left a gap in the UN Syria relief program. (Foreign Policy)
Michael Young [38] says Lebanon faces a familiar set of old problems. (The National)
Ali Ibrahim [39] wants to know who's setting Libya's oil on fire. (Asharq Al Awsat)
Ali Mamouri [40] thinks Basra may be moving towards independence. (Al Monitor)
The Gulf News [41] says defeating extremism will be the priority in the Middle East in 2015. (GulfNews)
Alastair Sloane [42] looks at how the war on terror became a lucrative business. (The Daily Star)
Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi [43] sees improved Gulf relations with Egypt and Qatar as a positive sign for Arab unity. (Arab News)
Aaron David Miller [44] lists five reasons why 2015 is going to bring positive changes to the Middle East. (Foreign Policy)
Joseph Kechichian [45] says Middle Eastern states will survive the challenge from pseudo-states and substate actors. (Gulf News)
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