Politics

The Israeli parliament has approved a draft bill that would legalize settler homes built on private Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, a measure that has drawn condemnation by left-wing MPs and Israel’s close ally, the United States. Pro-settlement nationalists that dominate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government voted to move the bill through the Knesset on Wednesday. Palestinians have condemned the bill and also the international community’s inaction.

President-elect Donald Trump has offered retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn the post of national security adviser. The former DIA chief has been criticized by some for his refusal to taking an anti-Russian stance. RT reports: The 57-year-old three-star general, who once ran the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), is considered a controversial figure in US circles for a number of reasons.

Did OPEC just run out of short-squeeze ammo?

On any normal day the following two headlines from OPEC would have sent oil prices soaring....

• IRAQ OIL MINISTER 'OPTIMISTIC' OPEC WILL CLINCH OUTPUT DEAL
•  IRAQ OIL MINISTER SAYS DIFFERENCES NARROWING OVER OPEC OUTPUT DATA

But it appears the jawbone ammo has run dry...

Moments after Donald Trump offered the Attorney General spot to senator Jeff Sessions (which he promptly accepted), it was announced that Trump had also picked rep. Mike Pompeo as CIA director, who likewise accepted.

Trump has offered position of CIA director to US Rep Mike Pompeo and Pompeo has accepted -transition official

— Steve Holland (@steveholland1) November 18, 2016

Benjamin Friedman expects the Trump administration to be hawkish on foreign policy: