Al-Monitor Daily Briefing: Trump says Iran prisoner swap shows deal can be made

If you have trouble reading this email, [view it in a browser](. [logo]( [fb_icon]( [twitter_icon]( EDITOR'S PICKS Monday, December 9 | Daily Briefing [By: Laura Rozen on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019]( Washington 1 [Trump says Iran prisoner swap shows deal can be made]( A successful US-Iran prisoner swap is a confidence building measure but it remains to be seen whether it could be a prelude to negotiations on broader US-Iran tensions. Israel 2 [Arab party reconsiders support of Gantz over Jordan Valley annexation]( Talks about annexing the Jordan Valley raise concerns amid Arab Knesset members that the Blue and White party is veering right. Iraq 3 [Chaos spreads in Iraq as PM office remains vacant]( As Iraq approaches the constitutional deadline for selecting the new prime minister, chaos is spreading in the streets. Washington 4 [Democratic lawmakers reckon with 2020 rhetoric on Israel aid]( Presidential candidates who want to place conditions on Israeli military aid have prompted pro-Israel House Democrats to go on the offensive. Turkey 5 [Why is delivery of S-400 missiles to Turkey delayed?]( The testing of the battle management and multimode engagement for the Russian-built S-400 air defense missile system in Ankara was both a technical necessity as well as an expression of diplomatic determination for full activation of the S-400s. Iran 6 [Iran braces for harsh times under new budget]( Iranian President Hassan Rouhani presented a draft budget to parliament. Israel 7 [What does silence of Blue and White party cover?]( The common desire of Blue and White’s leaders to topple Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cannot justify their silence, when it comes to the Jewish settlement in Hebron or support for insane ideas like Jordan Valley annexation. Gulf 8 [Saudis' release of Houthis met with both hope, skepticism]( Houthi senior officials welcomed Saudi Arabia's release of detainees, but much remains to be resolved in the bloody four-year battle. Turkey 9 [Erdogan in NATO: Russia’s ‘Trojan horse’?]( President Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned from London to Ankara as a “loser” who failed to achieve anything at the NATO summit. Israel 10 [Israel's Foreign Ministry, Netanyahu's private candy store]( Instead of appointing experienced and professional diplomats to fight Israel’s diplomatic battles, many of them find themselves without any jobs. 11 [Islamist, secularist rivals clash as Tunisan government takes shape]( Tunisia's incoming prime minister is including various political parties in talks on forming the new government, but his inclusion of the liberal secular party Qalb Tounes has irritated the dominant Ennahda faction. Palestine 12 [Palestinian election fever begins, minus the elections]( Some Palestinians are gearing up for elections, yet the chance of them taking place in the near future is slim. Egypt 13 [Sisi favors security appointees for Egypt's governorships]( Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's decision to appoint security personnel as new governors is quietly controversial. Iran 14 [Is Iran's long-serving speaker retiring from politics?]( Iran's parliament speaker said he is not running in February's parliamentary elections and also does not plan to run for president in 2021; these statements brought jubilation to the camp of his hard-line rivals and triggered debate as to what his next steps might be. STAY CONNECTED [fb_icon_footer]( [twitter_icon_footer]( [instagram_icon_footer]( [rss_icon_footer]( CONTACT US [Support & Contact]( [Advertise](mailto:advertise@al-monitor.com) NEWSLETTERS [Subscribe]( TERMS OF USE [Visitor Agreement]( [Privacy Policy]( © 2019 Al-Monitor. All Rights Reserved. If you no longer wish to receive these emails you may [unsubscribe or manage your preferences]( at any time. Al-Monitor · 1850 K St NW · Suite 1225 · Washington, DC 20006 · USA