BBC News reports on the massive seizure of the drug Captagon, an amphetamine, in Italy which revealed the scale of illegal drug production in Syria. The drug is used recreationally across the Middle East and is also taken by fighters who say it gives them ‘a feeling of invincibility on the frontlines.’ The report notes that this ‘is the largest haul ever seized, with a street value of more than $1bn (£900m) and was followed by smaller drug raids across the Middle East, in what appears to be a co-ordinated effort against the lucrative narcotics trade likely run by the Syrian regime and its allies.’

BBC News reports that Germany and Finland have brought home five women and 18 children from Islamic State camps. While three of the women were under investigation for belonging to the terror group, the two countries said the women and children were brought back for humanitarian reasons.

In the BBC’s series of letters from African journalists, Zeinab Mohammed Salih considers the controversial deal between Sudan and Israel to normalise relations and why it has provoked mixed emotions from supporters of Israel. The report notes that there are more than 6,000 Sudanese migrants in Israel, the majority of which have not been granted official refugee status. The normalisation deal now threatens ‘the temporary refuge granted to those who make it to Israel’ due to fears of being sent back to Sudan.

The Telegraph reports the owners of Beitar Jerusalem, a football club known for its vocal minority of racist fans, have vowed to stamp out racism. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, an Emirati royal family member, recently bought a 50 per cent stake in the club. Club co-owner Moshe Hogeg said the new partnership is the best chance of stamping out racism from the club. He told The Telegraph that he saw in Sheikh Hamad someone who “shared my ideology of co-existence and of being brave. If we do it in the right way, if we succeed, I think we can inspire a lot of people worldwide.”

The Financial Times reports on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receiving the coronavirus vaccination noting that ‘the jab was also the starting shot to a completely different race: looming elections that will determine Mr Netanyahu’s political legacy as Israel’s longest-serving premier.’

The Telegraph reports that doctors from Yemen called for urgent help to save the lives of conjoined twins. The twins are in ‘critical condition’ and in need of surgery abroad. However, the closure of the Sanaa airport due to a Saudi air blockade complicates their treatment options. The ongoing war destroyed the healthcare system and resulted in what the UN describes as the world’s biggest humanitarian disaster.

The Independent reports that Loujain Al-Hathloul, a leading Saudi women’s rights activists may face a 20 year jail term after the state prosecutors office decided to seek the maximum possible jail sentence. Al-Hathloul’s family has condemned the decision, and her younger sister told The Independent that the jailed activists was secretly tortured, despite public prosecution having denied the claims.

Nesrine Malik writes for The Guardian about the Arab Spring saying that it was not in vain. She writes “A decade later, when the phrase “Arab spring” has become synonymous with shattered dreams of liberation, it is painful to think back on the early days and weeks of protests. It is painful now to remember the heady months of joy and optimism – the sense of power that we had as Arabs for the first time in our lifetimes… Things may be worse than they were a decade ago, but there is one fact that is now clear to the despots and the people alike – a fact that gives the people an advantage they lacked the first time around. It can happen. It has happened before. Now we know what it looks like. And next time, we will know what is required of us.”

The Guardian and The Associated Press report that dozens of phones of Al Jazeera journalists were hacked using spyware sold by a private Israeli intelligence firm. A report from the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab claims that they discovered a ‘major espionage campaign against one of the world’s leader media organisations.’ The malicious code they discovered was reported used by clients of Israel’s NSO Group. The attack, which occurred in July, was described as ‘the largest concentration of phone hacks targeting a single organisation.’

The Guardian reports that Hezbollah leaders and senior members worry that Trump will use the last weeks of his presidency to ‘act decisively against Iran and Hezbollah before the new president takes a widely anticipated softer stance.’ The group does not want to be drawn into conflict with Israel or seen as explicitly acting on behalf of Iran, according to interview with two mid-ranking Hezbollah members.

The Times reports that Saudi Arabia’s princes are split over normalising relations with Israel. The paper draws on reports of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s (MBS) secret meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last month. While MBS appears to be in favour of perusing diplomatic relations with Israel, his older cousin, Prince Turki bin Faisal said the country would not follow its neighbours in making peace with Israel. While MBS is said to have dominant power in the kingdom, and wants closer trade, tourism and security ties with Israel, it seems his father, King Salman, has the final say in any normalisation with Israel.

Richard Spencer writes for The Times that the ‘carrot and stick approach is not so simple in the Middle East’ illustrating the complicated nature of the US re-entering the Iran nuclear deal and the implications of such a decision on Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Simon Tisdall argues in The Guardian that Trump’s deals will not bring the Middle East any peace. He writes ‘Peace is always a welcome prospect – but never at any price. Trump’s horse-trading on Israel’s behalf has made a cruel mockery of Palestinian rights. By agreeing to normalise relations with Israel, the UAE and Bahrain broke with the 2002 Arab peace plan that makes recognition conditional on the creation of a viable, independent Palestinian state.’

The New Statesman argues that Iran’s execution of journalist Ruhollah Zam should be seen as a warning to the west because it is part of a ‘wider escalation in the Iranian regime’s disregard for international law.’

All the Israeli media report on a suspected terror attack after the body of a missing woman was found near a West Bank settlement. Esther Hogan, 52, was reported missing by her husband after she did not return from her run yesterday afternoon. Reports suggest there were signs of severe violence on the body. While no suspect has been identified, police believe the killing was politically motivated.

Yediot Ahronot reports that Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s special advisor, is due to arrive in Israel today for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi. Kushner will lead an Israeli-American delegation to Morocco tomorrow to discuss the normalisation agreement, on what will be the first ever direct El Al flight from Israel to Morocco. The delegation is also expected to discuss broadening the circle of peace and urge other countries to join President Trump’s initiative.

Ynet reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu lashed out at officials for keeping ‘secret’ reports of the mutated coronavirus speaking in the UK. Deputy National Security Council chief Eitan Ben-David told the meeting that, “the issue of the mutation has been known for a week, from information not based in the media” to which Netanyahu responded “I did not know.” Israel implemented a mandatory 14 day quarantine at state run hotels for arrivals from the United Kingdom due to the mutated virus. This led to a standoff yesterday between dozens of Israelis returning from London who refused to enter isolation because the isolation order was made in flight. Police ultimately had to escort a bus of travels to a state run hotel.

Ynet and Israel Hayom report that the Iranian hacker group, Pay2Key, confirmed on Sunday they were behind a cyberattack which infiltrated Israel’s Aerospace Industries (IAI). IAI is a state owned company responsible for producing Israel’s civilian and military aircraft as well as missiles and aeronautical and astronautical technologies. The hackers breached the computer system of an IAI subsidiary, Elta, which develops the radar used in the Iron Dome batteries. The hacker group wrote “IAI might think they have the most protected network, but this should be backed with proof.” IAI has yet to respond to the hack group’s post and said no breaches were made into their servers but that were monitoring the situation. Ido Naor, founder and CEO of Israeli cybersecurity company Security Joes, told Israel Hayom: “Based on the reputation of the [Iranian] hacker group, we believe a real threat lies behind the tweet, which will materialize in the near future. The attacks on Intel, Amital and Shirbit only reinforce the fact that Israel is under a concentrated and deliberate attack.”

Kan Radio News and Ma’ariv report that the Likud and Blue and White have likely reached a compromise, resolving some of the ongoing tensions between the parties. According to the preliminary agreement, the parties agreed the final day for passing the budget would be pushed until the end of December and that the 2021 budget will be approved by January 5, 2021. If the budget is not passed by the new date, the Knesset will automatically dissolve and elections will be held on March 23. The parties also agreed that the alternating premiership will be implemented on its original November date. Blue and White sources said last night that if no understandings were reached that would allow the coalition agreement to be honored and to have a functioning unity government, the Knesset would be dissolved as early as tomorrow.

Ma’ariv notes that one of the major points of contention in the agreement between the Likud and Blue and White is over the curtailment of Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn’s powers and a decision that senior civil service appointments must be approved by ministers from both parties. The agreement calls for the appointment of an attorney general to be approved by the cabinet after the ministers are given a number of candidates by the search committee. Currently, the justice minister is the chairperson of the search committee, so the issue is really over how many candidates reach the final stage before the cabinet vote. This has led to tensions within Blue and White with reports speculating that Gantz agreed to undercut Nissenkorn to ensure the alternating premiership. This may ultimately lead to a split in the party, with Nissenkorn reportedly threatening to leave the party.

Yediot Ahronot’s Ben-Dror Yemini comments on the latest political developments, writing “The easiest thing to do—now that a desperate attempt is being made to avert elections—is to inveigh once again against Benny Gantz…   Nevertheless, we all need to recognise that Gantz is trying to spare Israel yet another needless election… It is important that we all bear the following in mind: notwithstanding all of the current Knesset’s flaws, as long as it continues to serve, it will prevent Netanyahu from passing legislation in one form or another—a French law or an override clause—that is designed to extricate him from the defendant’s dock. A new election might be the very mechanism for providing him with that opportunity. All of which is to say that even if Gantz’s camp is currently vilifying him, Gantz is actually serving that camp’s purposes.”

Israel Hayom reports that Yamina was offered to join the coalition on numerous occasions. Sources claim that Netanyahu offered Yamina the Defense Ministry and Justice Ministry. Yamina officials say they refused the offer, while Likud officials denied the claims, calling them ‘nonsense.’ Likud officials also said that Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn was trying to undermine understandings reached between the Likud and Blue and White and that his conduct was a sign he was set to leave Blue and White for Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party.

A new poll on Channel 13 News  asks ‘if elections were held today, which party would you vote?’ Likud receives 28 seats; New Hope, 19; Yesh Atid-Telem, 16; Yamina, 14; Joint List, 11; Shas, 7; Meretz, 7, United Torah Jerusalem, 7; Blue and White, 5; Labour, Jewish Home and Gesher do not pass the threshold. In another question, the poll asked ‘who in your opinion is best-suited to serve as prime minister?’ Netanyahu receives 32 per cent, Saar 15 per cent; Bennett 12 per cent; Lapid, 12 per cent; Gantz, 8 per cent.