Date

News:

A Palestinian man stabs and wounds seven people on a Tel Aviv commuter bus. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Israeli leaders blame Pres. Abbas for the Tel Aviv bus attack. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

The Tel Aviv bus assailant says he was motivated by the Gaza war, tensions at the Al-Aqsa mosque and “martyrdom.” (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post) 

Israel’s State Comptroller says he has opened an investigation into last summer’s Gaza war. (New York Times)

PM Netanyahu will address a joint session of Congress on Feb. 1. (The Forward)

Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian fisherman in Gaza. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces demolish a Palestinian house in East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

Palestinian citizens of Israel are discussing ways of maximizing their leverage in the next Israeli election. (New York Times)

The Media Line looks at the status of Palestinian Christians. (The Media Line)

In Gaza, an IT company has “Google-sized aspirations.” (Reuters)

An EU court upholds sanctions against a wealthy uncle of Pres. Assad. (Reuters)

Jailed Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah was moved to a prison hospital after more than two months on hunger strike. (Reuters)

Egypt’s currency has fallen to a historic low against the dollar. (AP)

Al-Qaeda in Yemen urges Muslims to carry out lone-wolf strikes in Western countries. (Reuters)

Houthi gunmen deny occupying the Presidential palace and overthrowing the government. (Reuters/AP/Washington Post)

As prices of food, water and electricity rise further beyond reach, struggling Iranians are losing hope for the future. (Reuters)

Pres. Obama says he will veto any new Iran sanctions. (JTA/Times of Israel)

Commentary:

Ha’aretz says it is unacceptable that police “errors” occur mainly with Palestinian citizens of Israel. (Ha’aretz)

Raphael Ahren interviews Canadian FM Baird. (Times of Israel)

Yossi Mekelberg says public opinion suggests there will be another fragmented multi-party legislature in Israel. (Al Arabiya)

Asmaa al-Ghoul says the victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack found sympathy in Gaza. (Al-Monitor)

The National says that by focusing on domestic issues, Obama is turning his back on the Middle East. (The National)

Thomas Friedman says Western and Muslim countries should speak cleanly about Muslim extremism. (New York Times)

Salman Masalha says only a serious ideological shake-up will move the Arab and Muslim world toward modernity. (Ha’aretz)

AP interviews PM al-Abadi. (AP)

Michael Young says Hezbollah will not retaliate against Israel. (The National)

Rami Khouri and Tariq Alhomayed speculate about Hezbollah retaliation. (Daily Star/Asharq al-Awsat)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Yemen has entered a “dark tunnel” threatening the country's unity. (Al Arabiya)

Jason Pack says the West must stay neutral in Libya. (New York Times)

Robin Wright interviews Ennahda leader Ghannouchi. (Wilson)

Tamara Wittes and Marc Lynch say  women should be included in the Middle East policy conversatio. (Washington Post) 

David Ignatius looks at where American foreign policy will go after Obama. (Washington Post)


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