NEWS:

new, leaked NSA document suggests the US shares raw intelligence data on American private citizens with Israel. (The Guardian)

In a new report, the IMF says the Palestinian economy is highly precarious. (AP)

A Palestinian man is wounded in a clash with Israeli occupation forces near Nablus. (Xinhua/Ma'an)

An Israeli court rejects claims of "incitement" against Palestinian officials. (Ma'an)

American delays in action in Syria seem to disappoint many Middle East allies. (Christian Science Monitor)

Israelis are beginning to plan on greater self-reliance following the postponement of US strikes on Syrian targets. (New York Times)

Israel says it will not ratify the Chemical Weapons Convention before its Arab neighbors. (Xinhua)

PM Netanyahu welcomes Russian proposals eliminating Syrian chemical weapons. (Xinhua)

Syrian rebels express outrage at the Russian proposal on Syrian chemical weapons. (AP/Reuters)

perceived lack of alternatives to Pres. Assad may be driving US hesitancy on Syria. (AP)

Egypt steps up its campaign in Sinai after soldiers are killed by extremists. (New York Times/Ma'an)

New Egyptian restrictions are causing increased hardships on Palestinians in Gaza. (Reuters/Ahram Weekly)

Hamas is seeking to reduce tensions with Egypt. (Voice of America)

An Israeli Jerusalem court convicts three Palestinians of working for Hamas-related charities. (YNet)

There is no Arab representation in Israel's highest academic society. (Ha'aretz)

Palestinians demonstrate outside Al Jazeera's offices in Ramallah after a perceived insult to the late Pres. Arafat. (The Media Line)


COMMENTARY:

ATFP Pres. Ziad Asali looks at Israel and Palestine in their new regional context. (Huffington Post)

Ben Barber says Israeli-Palestinian peace talks hold promise. (Gulf Today)

Jacqueline Shoen says hopes for Palestinian national reconciliation are at an all-time low. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Hilik Bar says Israel and the Palestinians have an obligation to try again to achieve a peace agreement. (Jerusalem Post)

Aaron Magid says Sec. Kerry is wrong to pressure the EU to ease its new occupation guidelines. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Yaakov Dov Bleich says Israel can never be "too Jewish." (The Forward)

Pres. Putin warns Americans about the dangers of action in Syria. (New York Times)

Fareed Zakaria says Pres. Obama is giving diplomacy a chance. (Washington Post)

The LA Times says Obama is right to give diplomacy a chance, but should not wait long. (Los Angeles Times)

The New York Times says the US and Russia at last seem to be working on a common aim in Syria. (New York Times)

Nick Kristof says Obama's threat of force has produced a Russian and Syrian climbdown on chemical weapons. (New York Times)

George Hishmeh says Obama has now put the ball squarely in Putin's court. (Gulf News)

Michael Young says Russia has saved Assad, at least for the meanwhile. (The Daily Star)

Ben Caspit says senior Israelis are wondering how to interpret the American hesitancy on Syria. (Al Monitor)

Shmuel Rosner says Israel stands to lose from American hesitation on Syria. (Al Monitor)

Salman Shaikh says Obama will be haunted by his Syrian hesitancy for the rest of his presidency. (Foreign Policy)

Nathan Guttman looks at what he calls "deep divisions" in J Street on the question of Syria. (The Forward)

Linda Gradstein says Gulf states are starting to question American resolve on Iran. (The Media Line)

Gershon Baskin says intensified diplomacy or Syria ought to help the international community deal with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Jerusalem Post)

Abraham Rabinovich says, three years later, PM Meir realized how the 1973 war could've been avoided. (Times of Israel)

Hussein Shobokshi praises Arab satirists, especially Bassem Youssef and Nadim Koteich. (Asharq Al Awsat)


American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017