News:

Sec. Kerry is returning to the region for more work on peace talks. (The Guardian)

Israel is preparing to release 26 long-serving Palestinian prisoners. (AP)

The EU again warns Israel about a planned wave of new settlement construction. (Ha'aretz/Times of Israel)

Israel's chief negotiator Livni says settlement construction hurts peace prospects. (Xinhua)

Livni also again warns lack of peace threatens Israel's economy and other interests. (YNet)

Israeli left-wingers also slam settlement construction. (Xinhua)

Rumors continue to spread of a trade-off between Palestinian recognition of Israel's Jewish character for Israel's recognition of the 1967 borders as the basis for peace. (Times of Israel)

An Israeli ministerial committee approves pending legislation to annex the Jordan Valley. (Xinhua)

PM Netanyahu urges Likud MKs to vote against the proposed bill. (Ha'aretz)

Palestinians say any such annexation would "kill peace." (Xinhua/Ma'an)

Israeli occupation forces arrest nine Palestinians in the West Bank on Sunday. (Ma'an)

The PLO urges Hamas to sever its ties with the Muslim Brotherhood. (Ma'an)

Russian experts confirm their earlier reports that the late Pres. Arafat died of natural causes. (PNN)

A Fatah official urges Palestinians to choose "smart resistance" in 2014. (Ma'an)

The UN is seeking access to Palestinians in Syria after 15 die of hunger. (Reuters/AFP)

There is an exchange of rocket fire over the Israeli-Lebanese border. (New York Times)

American Jewish student groups are testing the limits of "permissible" discourse on Israel. (New York Times)

Low turnout at the funeral for a moderate Lebanese leader recently assassinated showsebbing national morale. (New York Times)

Saudi Arabia pledges $3 billion to beef up the Lebanese military. (AP)

Lebanese forces fire on Syrian aircraft violating Lebanese airspace. (AP)

Syria appears behind schedule in the effort to decommission its chemical weapons. (New York Times)

14 are killed in bombings and shootings in Iraq on Sunday. (AP)

Bahrain says it has foiled smuggling and terrorist plots. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia is strengthening its ties with France and other non-American allies. (AP)

Sources say Egypt is likely to hold presidential elections before parliamentary ones. (Reuters)

Egyptian Christians live lives of increasing fear. (BBC)

The CSM profiles the Gulen movement, whose break with PM Erdogan has sparked a political crisis in Turkey. (Christian Science Monitor)

Maverick journalists in Gaza are aiming to shake up Palestinian media. (The Media Line)

Commentary:

Ha'aretz says it is the Palestinians, not Israel, that lack a real peace partner. (Ha'aretz)

Hassan Barari says Netanyahu's settlement policies are a key hurdle in peace talks. (Arab News)

Amer Al Sabaileh looks at Jordan's role in any potential peace agreement. (Jordan Times)

J.J. Goldberg asks if Netanyahu is abandoning his posture as a peace-seeker altogether. (The Forward)

John Whitbeck critiques Israel's demands Palestinians recognize it as a "Jewish state." (Jordan Times)

Amira Hass describes the systematic harassment of Palestinian villagers by Israeli settlers and troops alike. (Ha'aretz)

Janne Louise Andersen surveys the past year in Palestinian hip-hop. (Al Monitor)

Theodore Bikel says Israel must develop the Negev desert for all its citizens, Jewish and Arab. (JTA)

David Horovitz interviews former Israeli ambassador Michael Oren. (Times of Israel)

Felice Friedson interviews new Labor Party leader Herzog. (The Media Line)

Amos Harel says Israel faces dangerous new strategic realities. (Ha'aretz)

Yoel Guzansky says there's a real basis for increased Israeli-Saudi cooperation. (Jerusalem Post)

Kristian Coates Ulrichsen says US-Iranian nuclear talks might be a game changer in US-Israeli relations, but Munira Fakhro thinks otherwise. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Jeremy Bowen says the deepening Sunni-Shiite split bodes ill for the Arab world. (BBC)

Kim Ghattas says the recent assassination of a moderate Lebanese politician shows the country is being dragged into the Syrian conflict. (BBC)

Rami Khouri says the Chatah assassination shows no parts of Lebanon are off-limits in the brewing conflict. (The Daily Star)

Mohamed Abdel Salam says universities are Egypt's new battleground. (The Daily Star)

Oussama Romdhani looks at Tunisia's political transition plan. (Al Monitor)

Hanin Ghaddar says Qatari foreign policy is now at a crossroads. (NOW)

Asharq Al-Awsat interviews Houthi Movement spokesman Ali Al-Bakhiti on the rebellion in Yemen. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Hussein Ibish looks at the resurgence of Al Qaeda in the Syrian war and elsewhere. (NOW)

Samir Salha says the Gülen-Erdoğan split is now a no holds barred confrontation. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

News:

The number of Palestinians killed by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank in 2013, 27, is the highest in five years. (Xinhua/Ma'an/AFP)

The State Department says Sec. Kerry will offer the parties the outlines of a final statuspeace agreement. (AP)

The American proposal will reportedly cover all final status issues. (Times of Israel)

PM Netanyahu tries to calm right-wing Israeli fears about Kerry's planned proposal. (Ha'aretz)

An Israeli cabinet minister vows to establish a new settlement in the context of Kerry's visit. (Times of Israel)

Suspected Jewish extremists burn three Palestinian cars and spray graffiti against Kerryand threatening violence. (Xinhua/Ma'an/AP)

A human rights group warns Israel will pay a price for settler violence. (Christian Science Monitor)

Israel releases 26 long-serving Palestinian prisoners, while vowing more settlement activity. (AP)

32 "pre-Oslo" Palestinian prisoners remain jailed by Israel. (Ha'aretz)

Pres. Abbas says a final status agreement will require the release of all Palestinian prisoners. (YNet)

Many are angry with either the prisoner release or the new settlement announcements, or both. (New York Times)

Abbas says the Jordan Valley will remain under Palestinian sovereignty, and vows to complete peace negotiations. (Xinhua/Ma'an)

Settler leaders demand Israel annex the Jordan Valley. (Jerusalem Post)

A new poll suggests some settlers want to leave the Jordan Valley. (Jerusalem Post)

Netanyahu says Israel wants to greatly increase trade with China, especially selling them weapons. (Xinhua)

Syrian activists say a missile has hit a bus near Aleppo, killing 10. (AP)

With winter setting in, aid groups struggle to reach Syrian refugees. (New York Times)

Syria misses its first deadline for relinquishing its chemical weapons stockpiles. (Reuters/BBC)

The Syrian conflict is exacting a huge toll for Jordan. (Xinhua)

At least 17 people are killed in fighting in Iraq. (New York Times)

A suicide bombing in southern Yemen kills two guards. (AP)

Bahrain is investigating claims by bombing case defendants that they were tortured. (Reuters)

Egyptian security forces arrest the son of the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood. (Reuters)

Egypt seizes the assets of 500 Muslim Brotherhood leaders. (AP)

Egypt arrests four Al Jazeera journalists accused of having illegal ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. (Washington Post)

The PKK urges Kurds not to get involved in the feud between PM Erdoğan and influential cleric Gülen. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Commentary:

Aaron David Miller sees signs Kerry is making significant progress in narrowing the Israeli-Palestinian gaps. (Foreign Policy)

Nahum Barnea says Kerry's progress means Netanyahu now faces crucial decisions on peace. (YNet)

The Jerusalem Post says that a proposed Israeli lawl annexing the Jordan Valley "does more harm than good." (Jerusalem Post)

Linda Gradstein says Israelis are deeply divided over the Jordan Valley issue. (The Media Line)

Sefi Rachlevsky says, in some ways, Abbas is "the last Jew." (Ha'aretz)

Nathan Jeffay explains how and why Israel's "social justice" movement has faded away. (The Forward)

Elhanan Miller says Hamas is struggling to deal with Egypt's designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. (Times of Israel)

Carolyn Karcher explains why she voted in favor of an academic boycott of Israel by ASA. (Los Angeles Times)

Eric Yoffie says campus Hillel groups shouldn't offer a platform to "enemies of Israel." (Ha'aretz)

Diana Moukalled says more attention needs to be paid to the Syrian tragedy in 2014. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Roula Khalaf says the West’s botched Syria policy has only helped Pres. Assad. (Gulf News)

Hussein Ibish says a dangerous new precedent in international relations is being set in Syria. (NOW)

Josh Rogin says an attempted US outreach to the Islamic Front in Syria was bungled. (Daily Beast)

Sarah Birke looks at how Al Qaeda has transformed the war in Syria. (New York Review of Books)

Catherine Traywick explains why Syria is now the most dangerous place in the world to be a journalist. (Foreign Policy)

Pres. Rouhani promises Iran will be guided by "moderation and common sense." (The Daily Star)

Jeffrey Goldberg says 2013 was a very good year for Iran. (Bloomberg)

The National says critics of Saudi aid to Lebanon are misguided. (The National)

The Daily Star welcomes the Saudi aid package for the Lebanese military. (The Daily Star)

Hugh Miles looks at why Al Jazeera is being targeted by the Egyptian authorities. (BBC)

Asharq Al-Awsat interviews Egyptian presidential advisor Mostafa Hegazy. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Rania El Gamal says the political impasse in Bahrain threatens more instability in the country in 2014. (Reuters)

Rami Khouri thinks a series of bad decisions by many players portends more Middle East violence for 2014. (The Daily Star)

John Yemma says faith inspires Palestinian and other Middle Eastern Christians. (Christian Science Monitor)

News:
Sec. Kerry is pushing for a "framework" agreement between Israel and the Palestinians to keep talks going. (New York Times)

The "framework" proposal is thought to be the outlines of a final status agreement. (Jerusalem Post)

Israeli leaders say Kerry should be taken very seriously and may want a Nobel Prize. (YNet)

An Israeli official again reiterates it wants to retain the crucial Jordan Valley. (AP)

Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister resurrects the idea 1967 borders are "Auschwitz borders."(Ha'aretz)

Right-wing Israeli politicians make a symbolic visit to the Jordan Valley. (Xinhua)

Israel has reportedly proposed a land swap offer to the United States. (Ma'an/Times of Israel)

PM Netanyahu's insistence on Palestinian recognition of Israel as a "Jewish state" is proving a key sticking point. (New York Times)

Israeli finance minister Lapid again dismisses the demand for Palestinian recognition of Israel as "Jewish" as "rubbish." (Jerusalem Post)

Israel says it's going to wait for Kerry to leave before another announcement of settlement expansions. (New York Times)

Pres. Abbas warns of possible legal and diplomatic action if Israel persists in settlement activity. (AFP)

A "secret Palestinian security report" purportedly warns of the dangers of a third intifada. (YNet)

Palestinians say there has been an increase in the number of Palestinians employed in Israeli settlements. (PNN)

The PLO says the US is planning to provide $440 million in aid to the PA this year. (Ma’an)

A poll suggests both Israelis and Palestinians support the two-state solution, but remain suspicious of the other side. (AP)

Israeli and Palestinian leaders continue to exchange accusations. (Ma’an)

Palestinians say an 85-year-old man died after Israeli occupation forces fired tear gas. (Reuters/(Xinhua)

In a rare move, an Israeli military tribunal acquits Palestinians of throwing stones at settlers. (Ha'aretz)

The Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic dies in an explosion when he opened an old safe. (Reuters/AP)

Hamas approves a 2014 budget of $589 million for the Gaza Strip that includes a 75 percent deficit. (New York Times)

Egypt says the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas plotted to blow up churches in Sinai during Christmas. (Ma’an)

Hamas leader Haniyeh rules out the possibility that Egypt could declare it a terrorist organization. (Ma’an)

The Palestinian Statistics Bureau says there are 11.8 million Palestinians in the world. (PNN)

A relocation city for Bedouins founded by Israel decades ago inspires no confidence in such schemes. (The Forward)

Former PM Sharon is said to be near death and in critical condition. (New York Times/AP/Ha'aretz)

7,818 civilians were killed in Iraq in 2013, the highest annual death toll in years. (AP)

PM Al-Maliki asks Sunni members not to leave the Iraqi parliament. (Washington Post)

Syrian activists say 130,000 people have died since the beginning of the conflict in that country. (Reuters)

17 rebels are reportedly killed by Syrian troops in the southern city of Daraa. (Xinhua)

At least 20 people are killed when a missile strikes a residential building in Aleppo. (Los Angeles Times)

Lebanon arrests leaders of an Al Qaeda-linked group in connection with the bombing of the Iranian Embassy. (New York Times)

Two people are killed as police and protesters clash in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Roger Cohen says Israel's legitimacy as a Jewish state depends on ending the occupation. (New York Times)

Karin Laub says Israel and the Palestinians face hard choices in Kerry's framework proposal. (AP)

Gershon Baskin says Israel needs Kerry and the US even if they don't want to admit it. (Jerusalem Post)

Eitan Haber says Kerry's determination to achieve peace puts Israel in a very difficult quandary. (YNet)

Shlomi Eldar says, despite a prisoner release, more Israeli settlement activity could kill peace talks. (Al Monitor)

David Horovitz tries to imagine what Netanyahu is thinking right now. (Times of Israel)

Tamar Hermann says the Israeli left has to choose between supporting Netanyahu and increasing chances for peace or opposing him and increasing their electoral prospects. (YNet)

Ari Shavit says if Kerry's proposals include a Jewish state in the 1967 borders, it would be a Zionist victory. (Ha'aretz)

Ami Ayalon says Israel needs to take bold unilateral measures to salvage the peace process. (New York Times)

Ha'aretz says Israel should stop using municipal planning as an excuse to seize land and dispossess Palestinians. (Ha'aretz)

Joshua Mitnick interviews Jerusalem expert Daniel Siedemann. (Christian Science Monitor)

Zuher Andrawous says Palestinians are becoming more divided along sectarian lines. (Ha'aretz)

Gideon Levy says Israelis seem to tolerate torture. (Ha'aretz)

Bloomberg profiles Palestinian businessmen Munib R. Masri. (Bloomberg)

Hassan Hassan says Hezbollah's misleading anti-takfiri rhetoric could fool some people. (The National)

Mohammed Habash says radicalized Syrian youths are one of Pres. Assad's greatest assets. (The National)

The National says the Iraqi army offensive in Anbar against Sunni forces will only backfire. (The National)

Michel Kilo says it's time to take a stand against the most extreme rebel group in Syria, ISIS. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Hania Mourtada profiles the Syrian Islamic Front, a potential new Western Islamist ally. (Foreign Policy)

Osama Al Sharif gives his overview on what to expect in the Middle East in 2014. (Jordan Times)

Calder Walton describes how Jewish terrorists in Palestine helped give birth to the British surveillance state. (Foreign Policy)

Greg Carlstrom explains why the Egyptian government is blaming everything it can on the Muslim Brotherhood. (Foreign Policy)

Nathan Brown looks forward to the upcoming Egyptian constitutional referendum. (Carnegie)