* TOP RABBI: America is Collapsing, Israel Must Step Up As New World Superpower One of Israel’s most respected rabbis, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, has released a statement on the status of America as a waning world superpower and a message of hope for Israel to fill the void.
* Israel will urge Biden to work with Saudis, other Arab states central to Iran strategy Israeli security officials say Biden will be pushed to focus on the Iranian threat to America’s allies in the Middle East.
* Restart, Reset or Renew? The Strategy against Iranian Nuclear Ambition Even if the deal negotiated in 2015 by the Obama administration were worth the effort, it is impossible to imagine the Iranians willingly recommitting to enrichment levels they have long since blown past.
* What Will Happen When Khamenei Dies? The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ali Khamenei, is 81 years old and reportedly in declining health.
* Iran trying to deepen roots in Syria despite signs it may no longer be welcome An article from an Assad ally suggests that Damascus may be looking to shift away from the Shiite axis even as Tehran tries to build up local support with Lebanon-style project.
* Abbas’ advisor praises rock thrower: “May his hands be blessed” The picture above of an older Palestinian man throwing a rock with a sling shot would almost be comical if rocks being thrown by Palestinians were just a game and not a lethal weapon with which Israelis have been murdered.
* Wary of Biden tack on Iran, Israel revisits military options, newspaper says Israel is revising military options for a possible clash with Iran, an Israeli newspaper reported on Thursday, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government braces for differences with the incoming U.S. administration on Iranian nuclear policy.
* Turkey-Israel Reconciliation? It was Erdogan who in October called Jerusalem a Turkish city. Referring to the Ottoman occupation of Jerusalem (1517-1917), Erdogan said: "It is still possible to encounter traces of the Ottoman resistance in this city that we had to leave in tears during the First World War. In other words, Jerusalem is our city, it is a city from us."
* Uganda: Imam converts to Christianity, Muslims murder him The death penalty for apostasy is part of Islamic law. It’s based on the Qur’an: “They wish you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be alike.
* After Trump’s departure, China will lead the world 2020 was an extraordinary year for the Chinese Communist Party. 2021 promises to be even better and don't count on Biden to act. Op-ed.