Overview

• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is headed back to the US at the end of December for his 5^th visit since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. Discussions are expected to focus on normalization efforts with Lebanon and Syria, Iran’s rearmament attempts and the Trump Gaza Plan.

• According to a Financial Times report, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair will not head the “Peace Council” due to opposition from Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt. Instead, an Egyptian businessman will be appointed, a decision welcomed by Hamas.

• Turkey and Qatar are pushing a two-year phased disarmament plan, beginning with heavy weapons and followed by storage of remaining arms. Hamas officials stated they are open to a long-term hudna.

• In a classified briefing to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, an IDF representative showcased that the IDF is actively formulating a contingency plan to forcibly disarm Hamas should the political process collapse.

• Turkey has concentrated military forces near Manbij in northwestern Syria, preparing for an operation against Kurdish forces. 

• U.S. envoy Tom Barak stated that obstacles to selling F-35s to Turkey may be removed within 4–6 months, contingent on Ankara abandoning the S-400 system, citing the strong Trump–Erdoğan relationship.

• Ra’ad Sa’ad, Head of the Weapons…