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Daybreak: The Land Swap That Never Was

Plus Iran test-launches and Germany donates to Auschwitz, and more in the news

by
Marc Tracy
December 17, 2009

Haaretz uncovers the deal then-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered the Palestinians over one year ago: in exchange for the small part of the West Bank home to 75 percent of the territory’s Israelis, he would have given up nearly as much of Israel proper in areas bordering Gaza, as well as a safe-passage route from Gaza to Hebron. [Haaretz]
• Iran test-launched an improved version of its most sophisticated missile, provoking international condemnation. Fired from Iran, the Sajjil-2 can reach parts of Europe, as well as Israel. [WP]
• This morning, Israeli officials arriving in the West Bank settlement of Talmon to monitor the construction freeze were met with somewhat violent resistance from settlers. [JPost]
• After months of negotiations, Germany agreed to contribute over $87 million to the upkeep of the memorial at Auschwitz, in Poland. [WSJ]
• Britain’s highest court struck down a North London Jewish day school’s admissions policy of judging an applicant’s Jewishness by the traditional test of whether his or her mother is Jewish. [NYT]

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.