News:

Four Israeli Ambassadors in Europe are summoned over new settlement construction. (Ha’aretz)

Israel responds by summoning four European Ambassadors. (Xinhua/Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu dismisses international critics of Jewish settlements. (AP)

Netanyahu accuses the EU of a “hypocritical attitude” towards settlements. (AFP/Xinhua)

Netanyahu says if Pres. Rouhani agrees to recognize Israel, he would consider meeting him. (The Jerusalem Post)

Israeli sources claim Netanyahu privately backs a proposal to transfer Palestinian citizens of Israel to a future Palestinian state. (Times of Israel)

Israeli Finance Minister Lapid says Israel cannot absorb four million Palestinians. (Ynet)

UNSG Ban launches a new initiative and deems 2014 a “Palestinian Solidarity Year.” (PNN)

A PLO official condemns visits by rightist Israeli Jewish groups to the Al-Aqsa compound. (Ma’an)

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says the Oscar nominee film “Omar” is from “Palestine” not the “Palestinian Territories.” (AP)

Israel’s Energy Minister Silvan Shalom will attend a conference in the UAE. (BBC)

An Israeli draft law that would criminalize using the word “Nazi” as an insult sparks debate on freedom of speech. (AP)

Israeli settlers farm lands confiscated from Palestinians in a village south of Hebron. (Ma’an)

Brandeis University is considering re-establishing a partnership with Al-Quds University. (JTA)

Seven Palestinian refugees are killed in a bombing at the Yarmouk camp. (Ma’an)

Syrian rebels in Damascus accuse pro-Assad forces of deception by using cease-fires to extract victories. (The New York Times)

Sec. Kerry urges the Syrian opposition to attend next week’s peace conference. (AP)

The Syrian opposition will meet to decide whether to join peace talks. (AFP)

Syrian FM al-Moallem says his country is prepared to implement a ceasefire in Aleppo. (AP/ Los Angeles Times)

The UN calls on all nations to keep their borders open to Syrian refugees. (AP)

Seven people are killed in Lebanon by a Syrian rocket. (Xinhua)

Gen. Sisi turns his attention to Egypt’s other problems and may run for president. (AP)

A student is killed at Cairo University in clashes between supporters and opponents of former Pres. Morsi. (Xinhua)

Iraqi officials say clashes with militants and a suicide attack killed five people. (AP)

Unemployed Tunisians clash with police in the city of Gabes. (AFP)

The Obama administration sends US lawmakers the latest Iran nuclear deal text. (Los Angeles Times)

Commentary:

Uri Savir says our duty beyond mutual recognition and conflict resolution, is to agree on a narrative for the future. (The Jerusalem Post)

Asmaa al-Ghoul says Hamas has failed to tackle youth issues. (Al-Monitor)

Yoel Marcus accuses DM Ya’alon for being partly responsible for the fact that Israel is the fourth hated country on earth. (Ha’aretz)

Jonathan Power says Sharon was “a man of very extreme views.” (The Jordan Times)

Zeev Sternhell says Sharon was an “immoral” man. (Ha’aretz)

Alan Philps says the Geneva II talks provide hope in ending the conflict. (The National)

Michael Glackin says the West will pay for its inaction in Syria, and the Geneva II is destined for failure. (The Daily Star)

Daniel Levy and Julien Barnes-Dacy say all external actors should be committed to avoiding a breakdown of the Geneva Talks. (Foreign Policy)

Amir Taheri says what is happening in the Arab world is neither an “Arab Spring” nor an “Islamic Awakening.” (Asharq Alawsat)

Meghan O’Sullivan says Washington must pressure Iraqi PM Maliki to change his sectarian politics and “growing authoritarianism.” (The Gulf News)

Fareed Zakaria advises against an active US involvement in Iraq. (The Washington Post)

The LA Times says the violence in Iraq should be a US concern. (Los Angeles Times)

David Kirkpatrick says the landslide approval of the Egyptian charter now sets the stage for a presidential bid by Sisi. (The New York Times)

The New York Times praises the Tunisian new constitution but not Egypt's. (The New York Times)

The Gulf News says stability in Lebanon depends on whether the Special Tribunal can hand out justice to the killers of the late PM Hariri. (The Gulf News)


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