News:

A new Palestinian government will reportedly not be announced this week. (Ma’an)

Israel marks 47 years since the capture of occupied East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu tells the Knesset Jerusalem will remain united forever. (Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

Israeli Housing Minister Ariel says Jerusalem will never again be divided. (Ha’aretz)

Israeli opposition leader Herzog says the government is turning Jerusalem into a settlement. (Jerusalem Post)

Israeli occupation forces disperse a Palestinian protest in East Jerusalem. (AP/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Jewish settlers enter the Rajaji building to mark Jerusalem Day. (Ma’an)

Israel’s presidential frontrunner Rivlin says he does not support the two-state solution. (Times of Israel)

Israeli occupation forces raid the al-Ayam newspaper building in Ramallah. (PNN/AFP)

DM Ya’alon says signing the UN Arms Trade Treaty would put Israel at risk. (Ha’aretz)

Lebanese Maronite Cardinal Rai makes two politically charged stops in Israel. (AP)

Thousands of Syrians abroad vote for the presidential election. (Reuters/New York Times)

The Lebanese army beats Syrian voters outside of the Syrian embassy in Beirut. (AP)

Pres. Obama is reportedly nearing a decision to train Syrian rebels. (AP)

Syrian rebels describe reported training in Qatar. (McClatchy)

Egypt’s presidential election is extended by a day. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National)

Ansar al-Sharia threatens the US if it interferes in Libya. (Reuters)

Obama will defend his foreign policy in today’s West Point speech. (New York Times)

Commentary:

David Ignatius says Israel and Saudi Arabia agree on major security issues in the Middle East but are divided over the occupation. (Washington Post)

Peter Beinart says Israel and the Palestinians need peace and justice. (Ha’aretz)

Yossi Mekelberg says Middle East peace is in need of Pope Francis’ blessing. (Al Arabiya)

Nahum Barnea says Netanyahu is the PA’s savior. (Ynet)

Emily Hauser says Jerusalem Day is a big lie. (Jewish Daily Forward)

The Daily Star says Hezbollah’s “resistance” has gone from being a weapon used to deter foreign occupiers to an excuse for issuing ultimatums to domestic political rivals. (Daily Star)

Jeffrey Goldberg says the GCC has never become the counterweight to Iran because of “poor management, leadership and jealousy.”  (Bloomberg)

Sharif Nashashibi says the prospect of justice or a negotiated diplomatic solution seem more remote than ever in Syria. (The National)

The Jordan Times says Jordan’s decision to declare Syrian Amb. Suleiman persona non grata is correct. (Jordan Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Pres. Assad will not surrender his last weapons of mass destruction. (Al Arabiya)

Rami Khouri says Iraq mirrors a wider Arab pattern of state mismanagement and mediocrity. (Daily Star)

Samir Atallah says Pres. Mansour’s statements and decisions have been exemplary, characterized by fairness and justice. (Asharq al-Awsat)

The National says women need to play a more critical role in the economy of the Arab world. (The National)

News:

Pope Francis ends his trip to the Middle East pushing for peace. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/The National)

The Pope delivers a powerful boost of support to the Palestinians. (AP)

Pres. Abbas calls on the Pope to support the Palestinian struggle. (Ma’an)

Hamas and Fatah reportedly agree on most of the make-up of a new Palestinian government. (Reuters)

A Fatah official says there are no disputes on the formation of a new Palestinian government with Hamas. (Ma’an)

Israel approves plans for 50 new settler homes in occupied East Jerusalem. (AFP/PNN)

Finance Minister Lapid says annexation and unilateral steps on Israel's parts would destroy Zionism. (Ynet)

Israeli Gen. Mordechai warns power blackouts in the occupied West Bank will lead to violence. (Ha’aretz)

Saudi Prince Faisal Al Saud declines an invitation to Jerusalem by former Israeli intelligence chief Yadlin. (Ha’aretz/JTA/Times of Israel)

Israel is reportedly adopting the recommendations of a pro-settler study. (JTA)

Jewish extremist settlers uproot 30 olive trees in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

FIFA Pres. Blatter calls himself an “ambassador of the Palestinian people.” (AP/Times of Israel)

Cardinal Rai is the first Lebanese religious leader to go to Israel. (AP/Ynet/Times of Israel)

Jordan expels Syrian Amb. Suleiman. (AP/New York Times/Jordan Times/The National)

Syrian refugees are being approached by Lebanese close to Pres. Assad to vote in the presidential election.

OPCW inspectors escape an attack in Syria. (New York Times/Xinhua)

Syria’s fractured railroad is a testament to the dire conditions in the country. (New York Times)

Egypt urges voters to cast ballots in the presidential election. (Reuters/New York Times/The National)

Pres. Suleiman leaves Lebanon’s presidential palace. (Xinhua)

Gunmen fire grenades at the house of PM Maiteeq in Libya. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says Palestinians should ensure that the world remembers the Pope’s visit to Palestine. (Now)

The National says the Pope’s visit to the “Holy Land” highlights Israeli injustice. (The National)

The Jerusalem Post says the Pope met the challenges of his visit to the “Holy Land” with grace and charm. (Jerusalem Post)

David Horovitz says a planned Peres-Abbas-Francis Vatican prayer could yield a rare picture of unity for a common cause. (Times of Israel)

Orlando Crowcroft says Israel’s military conscripts are a real obstacle to peace. (The National)

Prince Charles draws attention to the plight of Christians in the Middle East. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Grant Rumley asks if Abbas is going to the UN again. (Ha’aretz)

Rasha Abou Jalal says, if a new Palestinian government is formed, all legislation issued after Hamas’ takeover of Gaza will be reconsidered. (Al-Monitor)

Akiva Eldar says Chief Negotiator Livni must choose between negotiations with a new Palestinian government or “diplomatic stagnation” that will lead to a binational state. (Al-Monitor)

Abdullah Erakat says Palestinian women are making strides on campuses.(The Media Line)

J.J. Goldberg says the debate between Prince Faisal and Yadlin is the first public contact between a high-ranking Saudi and Israeli. (Jewish Daily Forward)

Hassan Barari says Egypts needs a strong leader to assure stability. (Jordan Times)

Hussein Ibish says the Kurds are inching towards independence as PM Maliki struggles to form a new governing coalition. (The National)

News:

New CNN footage fuels debate over the killing of two Palestinian teenagers by the Israeli military on Nakba Day. (Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu says he is considering unilateral moves in the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

Economy Minister Bennett urges Netanyahu to impose Israeli law in the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Palestinians and Israelis prepare for Pope Francis’ visit. (AFP/The Media Line)

Israel allows Palestinian Christians from Gaza to travel to the occupied West Bank for the Pope’s upcoming visit. (AFP)

Jordan hopes the Pope’s visit will boost its religious tourism. (The National)

Israeli military prosecutors seek to imprison “dangerous” Palestinian teenagers but oppose psychological evaluations of them. (Ha’aretz)

South African Ambassador to Israel Ngombane says the situation in the West Bank reminds him ofapartheid. (Times of Israel)

Russia and China veto a UNSC resolution to refer Syria to the ICC. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

A video shows chlorine gas floating in Syrian streets near Hama. (Reuters)

Syrian rebels kill 20 supporters of Pres. Assad in a mortar attack in Daraa. (New York Times/Xinhua)

UNSG Ban demands urgent action from the UNSC on inadequate Syria aid access. (Reuters)

The US will step up its scrutiny of Americans fighting in Syria. (Reuters)

A poll suggests that only a “narrow majority” supports Field Marshall Sisi as next president of Egypt. (New York Times)

Gen. Haftar calls for a “war against terrorism” in Libya. (AP)

Iraqi Kurds are starting to export oil unilaterally through Turkey. (AP)

Commentary:

Jeffrey Goldberg interviews Netanyahu. (Bloomberg)

Yossi Sarid says Israelis have no choice but to wait for the findings of the investigation of the two killed Palestinian teenagers. (Ha’aretz)

The Jordan Times says the Pope’s comes to the “Holy Land” with a message of peace, harmony and brotherly relations among peoples. (Jordan Times)

Kamel Abu Jaber says the Pope must encourage Israelis to make peace with their neighbors. (Jordan Times)

Marc Schneier and Shamsi Ali say moderate majorities of all three Abrahamic religions need to confront the extremists in their respective faiths. (Jerusalem Post)

Bakir Oweida asks how Sisi will deal with Gaza and Libya if he becomes Egypt’s next President. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Eyad Abu Shakra says the “scourge of sectarian extremism” has become the greatest threat to the “Syrian revolution.” (Asharq al-Awsat)

The Daily Star says Pres. Sleiman’s successor should have his same qualities of resilience and calmness. (Daily Star)

H.A. Hellyer says if Libya is to have a stable and democratic transition, it needs to be helped to emerge from its current crisis. (The National)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Saudi Arabia and the UAE are among the “most mindful” states in the Middle East regarding “development and civil peace.” (Al Arabiya)

News:

B’tselem says Israeli occupation forces killed two Palestinian teenagers in the West Bank without justification.

A White House official says the US will work with a new Palestinian government.

A Fatah official says Abbas will not lead the new Palestinian government.

The Hamas-Fatah relationship is complicated by the legacy of killings.

Israeli Chief Negotiator Livni defends her meeting with Pres. Abbas.

Israeli Deputy DM Danon says a “silent freeze” has been placed on West Bank settlement expansion.

Hamas may be seeking to emulate Hezbollah in a new Palestinian arrangement.

Jailed Fatah leader Barghouthi will go on a hunger strike on Wednesday.

Israeli occupation forces arrest eight Palestinians in overnight raids.

Human Rights Watch strongly criticizes alleged abuses by Palestinian police.

Israeli occupation forces uproot olive trees near Bethlehem.

“YaLa Young Leaders” hold Middle East peace talks online.

Nobel laureate Karplus calls for “one state for two peoples, if two states is difficult” while visiting Al-Quds university.

Democrat Sen. Menendez withdraws a pro-Israel bill over an Iran amendment.

Field Marshall Sisi says Israel is in danger without Egypt’s army in Sinai.

Syrian government forces kill 13, including eight children.

Activists say a chlorine attack by Syrian government forces killed a teenager in Syria.

58 countries urge the UNSC to refer Syria to the ICC.

The US appears unlikely to quickly restore its close ties with Egypt, as it “stalls” more military aid.

The EU will monitor Egypt’s presidential election.

Egypt’s garbage collectors back Sisi in hopes of greater stability.

PM Maliki has won at least 94 parliament seats in the Iraqi national election.

The US is moving more forces closer to Libya as unrest grows.

The top commander of the Libyan army’s special forces says he will join forces with Gen. Haftar, who is challenging a controversial new government.

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says attacks on dissenting journalists show how scared Hezbollah really is.

Hisham Melhem says the coordinated media campaign against Hanin Ghaddar is “crude and malicious.”

Hussein Ibish says the ADL global anti-Semitism survey is instructive but can also potentially be misleading.

Anat Saragusti says Jewish Americans should oppose the occupation.

Shaul Arieli says Abbas is stuck between his commitments to Israel and the US, and the demands by Hamas and the Palestinian public.

Geoffrey Aronson says the return of Hamas leader Abu Marzouk to Gaza signals the return of Egypt as a broker in Palestinian politics.

Shimon Shiffer says its hard being a Jewish American official.

Sarah Eltantawi analyses the “political theology” of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Faisal Al Yafai says Gulf security depends on the prosperity of its neighbors.

The LA Times asks if Pres. Assad should face a trial as a war criminal.

The Jordan Times says Jordan must take severe measures against terrorist groups like ISIS.

The Daily Star says the “chaotic situation” in Libya shows no signs of improving in the near future.

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says without achieving security, development and reconciliation, Iraq will remain a battlefield.

News:

The US and the UN call for Israel to investigate the killing of two Palestinian teenagers on May 15. (Ma’an/PNN/Ha’aretz/JTA/Ynet)

The PLO accuses Israel of “deliberate execution” of two Palestinian teenagers. (AFP)

FM Lieberman rejects criticism over the killing of the Palestinian teenagers. (AFP)

Pres. Abbas says he will not seek membership in additional UN and other international organizations in the near future. (Times of Israel)

Hamas says Abbas is in the final stages of selecting unity government technocrats. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces reportedly establish live-fire zones by expelling Palestinians from areas of the West Bank. (Ha’aretz)

Hamas leader Meshaal says Hamas has made concessions to Fatah but will not compromise on Israel. (Reuters)

Economy Minister Bennett says Israel must dismantle the West Bank security barrier to achieve peace with the Palestinians. (Jerusalem Post)

Former Fatah official Dahlan is reportedly sentenced in absentia to two years for “slander and defamation.” (Ma’an)

Pope Francis’ visit to the Holy Land comes in the context of a Christian exodus from the region. (AP)

Israeli police arrest four suspected Jewish extremists for carrying out “price tag” attacks. (Ha’aretz)

The Pentagon says Syria is starting to relinquish its remaining chemical weapons. (Reuters)

Fighting in Syria provides Hezbollah a new but diffused purpose. (New York Times)

Amnesty International says Syrian refugees lack medical care in Lebanon. (AP)

An Egyptian court sentences former Pres. Mubarak to three years for embezzlement. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

Egyptian presidential candidate Sabahi is trying to rally youth behind him. (AP)

Iran and the IAEA end the nuclear talks with no signs of a breakthrough. (Reuters)

Two people are killed in Libya by gunfire explosions. (Reuters)

Libya sets new parliamentary elections for June 25th. (AP)

Iraqi Kurds re-elect Barzani as regional prime minister. (Xinhua)

Commentary:

Peter Beinart says the failure of Sec. Kerry’s initiative proves that “cuddling” with PM Netanyahu does not bring peace any closer. (Ha’aretz)

Michael Doran predicts the Obama administration will continue the peace process. (Mosaic)

Bennett explains his annexationist policies. (Wall Street Journal)

Rami Khouri says the US is being pragmatic with Hamas. (Daily Star)

Brent Sasley says Israel must not neglect Palestinian citizens of Israel. (Jerusalem Post)

The Media Line interviews Pres. of Al-Quds University Nusseibeh. (The Media Line)

Smadar Perry says the controversy between Lebanese journalist Hanin Ghaddar and Hezbollah is a symptom of broader Lebanese disagreements about Syria. (Ynet)

Hassan Hassan says the Syrian Islamic Front’s new covenant makes no reference to an Islamic state and rejects extremism. (The National)

Jonathan Stevenson says the US should go beyond diplomacy on Syria. (New York Times)

Khairallah Khairallah says it was the international community that failed Syria, not UN Special Envoy Brahimi. (Al Arabiya)

Dov Zakheim says Egypt’s presidential elections are a chance for the US to reset relations. (Foreign Policy)

Eric Trager says, despite all evidence, Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood thinks its winning. (New Republic)

Ali Ibrahim says the West is finally beginning to understand the phenomenon of Sisi’s growing popularity. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Osama Al Sharif says Libya needs a strong leader and Gen. Haftar has all the necessary qualities. (Jordan Times)

News:

Sec. Kerry will meet with Pres. Abbas on Thursday to discuss peace talks. (New York Times)

Field Marshall Sisi says there is “real opportunity” for peace with Israel if it accepts the Arab Peace Initiative. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

FM al-Maliki urges world leaders to declare “price tag” perpetrators terrorists. (Ma’an/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Reuters)

PM Netanyahu says, if the Fatah-Hamas unity deal is implemented, he will hold Abbas responsible for every rocket fired from Gaza to Israel. (Jerusalem Post)

A new PA government will be reportedly announced before the end of May. (Jerusalem Post)

Former PM Olmert sentenced to six years for corruption. (Reuters/New York Times/AFP/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/The National)

Turkish FM Davotuglu calls Jerusalem “Palestinian land.” (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

DM Ya’alon will not increase the number of family visits to Palestinians in Israeli prisons. (Ha’aretz)

The PA urges FIFA to fine Israel. (Ynet)

Israeli authorities approve 26 projects in Gaza. (Ma’an)

Two Palestinian citizens of Israel will take part in “Arab Idol” for the first time. (Ynet)

France is preparing a UN resolution that seeks to refer parties to the Syrian conflict to the ICC. . (Reuters)

Aid workers are questioning the effectiveness of the UN Syria aid. (Reuters)

Human Rights Watch says the Syrian army yet again used chemical weapons in April. (AP)

IMF urges more aid to Jordan to cope with the Syrian refugee crisis. (Xinhua)

Jordan’s ambassador to Libya, who was abducted last month, is freed. (AP/The National/Jordan Times)

Sisi makes a plea to Egyptian youth. (AP/The National)

KRG Pres. Barzani says Kurds could “opt out” of next Iraqi government. (Reuters)

NSA Rice says there will be no nuclear deal with Iran unless it agrees to “verifiable action.” (Reuters)

Saudi FM al-Faisal invites his Iranian counterpart to Riyadh for negotiations. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Jimmy Carter says a united Palestinian government may provide new opportunities for peace. (Washington Post)

The Daily Star says, although Palestinians should commemorate their history, they should focus on the new “Nakbas” that are on the horizon. (Daily Star)

Geoffrey Aronson says Abbas reportedly agreed to allow 80% of settlers to remain in settlements annexed to Israel. (Al-Monitor)

Akiva Eldar interviews former ICC prosecutor Moreno-Ocampo. (Al-Monitor)

Yehezkel Dror says “obsolete paradigms” doomed Kerry’s initiative. (Ha’aretz)

J.J. Goldberg says there is a new generation of IDF chiefs that can be considered “hardline doves.” (Jewish Daily Forward)

Ha’aretz says Palestinian citizens of Israel need an exemption from discrimination. (Ha’aretz)

Rachel Lerner says a dynamic conversation on Israel is useful for the Jewish American community. (JTA)

Faisal Al Yafai says Syria’s “dirty secret” is that Pres. Assad would still win the presidential election even if it were free and fair. (The National)

Hassan Hassan and Michael Weiss say there is a potential rift between Saudi Arabia and the US despite the Kingdom’s “adjusted Middle East strategy.” (The American Interest)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says the Muslim Brotherhood is angered by Sisi’s piousness. (Al Arabiya)

H.A. Hellyer, says despite a “bleak” Arab Spring, youth should not give up. (Al Arabiya)