Four captive Jews: The Jewish community had taken different approaches to American Jews taken prisoner in Pakistan, Cuba, Iran and, until a recent escape, Bolivia. (Forward)
Very Jewish midnight Mass: A Jerusalem church welcomes throngs of Jewish visitors eager to take in a Christmas spectacle. (Public Radio International)
Tel Aviv Christmas: From Filipino and African migrants to Arab Christians, Christmas has diverse celebrants in Tel Aviv. (TLV1)
Occupation double standards?: Some Israelis want to know why the European Union is taking a tougher line on Israel than on Morocco over its occupation of Western Sahara and on Turkey over its occupation of Northern Cyprus. (Times of Israel)
No peace now: The positions taken by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the Arab League suggest that a comprehensive peace agreement is not imminent, writes Elliott Abrams. (Council on Foreign Relations)
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