Date

News:

Pres. Abbas orders the formation of a committee to oversee initiatives aimed at the ICC. (AFP)

The Middle East Quartet calls for the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. (JTA/Ynet) 

Pres. Putin says both Israel and the Palestinians need to make concessions to each other. (Jerusalem Post)

Fatah official al-Ahmed will meet with Hamas official Abu Marzouq in Cairo. (Ma’an)

The PA will pay civil servants a portion of January’s salary. (Ma’an)

The Israeli military completes the demolition of a Gaza tunnel discovered duringlast summer’s war. (JTA/Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Israel is preparing major expansions in four West Bank settlements. (Ha’aretz)

Israel publishes tenders for 580 new hotel rooms in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

Israeli forces open fire on a march east of Gaza City to protest delays of reconstruction. (Ma’an) 

The inability to travel freely between Gaza and the occupied West Bank affects thousands of Palestinians. (New York Times)

An extremist Jewish settler is sentenced to three years in prison for a “price tag” attack. (JTA/Times of Israel)

PM Netanyahu says he will go to Congress like he went to Paris and “speak for all Jews.” (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Israeli parties are seeking to obtain the ethnic-Russian vote in the upcoming elections. (Reuters)

Netanyahu accuses the publisher of the influential newspaper Yediot Ahronot of carrying out a smear campaign against him. (AP)

Jordan says its airstrikes are targeting ISIS leadership in Syria. (Washington Post/Jordan Times)

A squadron of UAE airforce F-16 fighter jets arrive in Jordan. (Jordan Times)

Gen. Allen says Iraqi troops will launch an extensive ground offensive against ISIS  “in the weeks ahead.” (The National/ABC News)

Sec. Kerry says the US-led coalition is “on the road” to defeat ISIS. (Politico)

An Iraqi commander, Hadi al-Amiri, defends Shi'ite paramilitary groups from accusations of mass executions and burning homes. (Reuters)

The end of Baghdad’s curfew brings hope and fear to its residents. (New York Times)

25 people are killed outside an Egyptian soccer stadium when security forces triedto block fans. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National)

Egypt sets a retrial date for two jailed Al Jazeera journalists. (Reuters/New York Times)

An Egyptian tycoon and former Mubarak ally Ahmed Ezz is seeking to run again for parliament. (New York Times)

Ayatollah Khamenei says he could accept a compromise in nuclear talks. (Reuters)

FM Zarif says he hopes charges against Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaianwill be cleared. (Washington Post)

Commentary:

Felice Friedson interviews Palestinian professor Mohammed Dajani. (The Media Line)

Ha’aretz says Netanyahu must call off his speech to Congress. (Ha’aretz)

Ben-Dror Yemeni says Netanyahu must not go to Washington. (Ynet) 

David Horovitz asks who to believe on Iran: Pres. Obama or Netanyahu. (Times of Israel)

Amos Harel says the ISIS threat is bringing Jordan and Egypt closer to Israel. (Ha’aretz)

Elise Labott and Jeremy Diamond say the crucial security relationship between Jordan and Israel is gaining new meaning after the brutal execution of a Jordanian pilot. (CNN)

Eyad Abu Shakra says Israeli occupation and the Iranian expansion in the region have played a major role in increasing religious and sectarian extremism. (Al Arabiya)

Hisham Melhem says moderate Muslims in the Arab world are “intellectually homeless.” (Al Arabiya)

Rami Khouri says Jordan’s public opinion, political leadership and regional and international dynamics today offer insights into the current condition of the Arab world. (Daily Star)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says ISIS sees Jordan as the best candidate for its next target. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Amer Al Sabaileh says Jordan must address the ideas, tools and the environment that allows ideologies such as that of ISIS to grow. (Jordan Times)

Faisal Al Yafai says, while the West is consumed by ISIS, Pres. Assad continues to slaughter Syrians. (The National)

Jamie Dettmer says ISIS extremists are facing their own internal “reign of terror.” (Daily Beast)

Tariq Alhomayed says extremists are targeting Egypt to create the impression of complete chaos. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Hussein Ibish says Yemen faces a perfect trifecta of fatal maladies – civil war, terrorism and secession - and faces national disintegration. (The National)

David Rothkopf says Obama’s new national security strategy is many things but a strategy isn’t one of them. (Foreign Policy)

The Daily Star says Iran is making tiny concessions on its nuclear program while reaping huge benefits elsewhere. (Daily Star)

Peter Manseau says Islam is an indelible part of America’s culture. (New York Times)


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