NEWS:
Sec. Kerry is pushing to revive US peace efforts [1], and reportedly tells the parties to expect a new American proposal in the coming weeks [2]. (Wall Street Journal/Ha'aretz)
Kerry is reportedly interested in reviving the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative [3]. (AP)
Kerry reportedly offers Pres. Abbas inducements [4] to return to negotiations, and meets with PM Fayyad. (Ma'an)
Abbas reportedly reiterates the Palestinian commitment to peace [5] and pushes Kerry to get Israel to explain its vision [6] of what a future Palestinian state would look like. (Xinhua)
Israeli officials say they have no intention of presenting any map [7] of a future Palestinian state. (YNet)
Kerry is also trying to encourage [8] faster and broader Israeli-Turkish rapprochement [9]. (AP/Reuters)
Turkey is reportedly demanding an end to the Gaza blockade [10] as a condition for complete restoration of ties with Israel. (The National)
Israel claims to have repelled a series of major attacks by pro-Palestinian hackers [11] on its cyber presence. (New York Times)
An Israeli court orders settlers to return a parcel of land [12] to its Palestinian owners. ((Xinhua)
Palestinians say settlers vandalize West Bank mosques [13] with anti-Arab graffiti. (Xinhua)
Israel closes the major crossing with Gaza [14] after rockets are fired at southern Israel, without causing any damage or injuries. (AP)
Two more Palestinians are killed in shelling in Syria [15], bringing the total to 1,206 Palestinians killed in that country's war. (Ma'an)
Hamas authorities [16] are shaving the heads [17] of young men with long or spiky hair in Gaza, and has banned "Western garments." [18] (AP/Xinhua/PCHR)
Palestinian families are left homeless after Hamas destroys homes in Gaza [19] it claims were "illegally constructed." (Al Monitor)
Hamas police dispel a demonstration [20] by Salafist mothers in Gaza. (Ma'an)
Palestinian officials say 160,000 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are living below the poverty line [21]. (Ma'an)
Fatah officials are reportedly pressuring Abbas to replace Fayyad [22]. (Ma'an)
The Teachers' Union of Ireland [23] adopts a resolution backing an academic and cultural boycott of Israel. (JTA)
COMMENTARY:
Hussein Ibish [24] says regional influences are having and increasing effect on internal Palestinian politics, especially within Hamas. (The National)
Zvi Bar'el [25] says Egypt's political and military leaderships are divided over how to deal with Hamas. (Ha'aretz)
Hagai Segal [26] says Kerry was wasting his time trying to broker Israeli-Palestinian peace. (YNet)
Ben Caspit [27] says the best Kerry can hope for is a partial, interim agreement. (Al Monitor)
Amira Hass [28] says the film "Five Broken Cameras" is changing Palestinian attitudes towards nonviolence. (Ha'aretz)
Tomer Persico says Israeli scholar Gideon Aran [29] long anticipated the aims and trajectory of the extreme settler movement. (Ha'aretz)
The Jerusalem Post interviews Palestinian-Israeli MK Jamal Zahalka [30], who questions the future of Zionism. (Jerusalem Post)
Adel Safty [31] says the essence of Zionism is the expropriation of Palestinian land. (Gulf News)
The Jerusalem Post [32] criticizes Abbas for stifling freedom of speech. (The Jerusalem Post)
Ana Palacio [33] says Pres. Obama played it safe in Israel because he doesn't think conditions are ripe for a two-state solution. (Gulf News)
Mike Coogan [34] argues that AIPAC's latest legislative agenda is dividing members of Congress. (The Hill)
Hicham Mourad [35] says Egypt should pursue a balanced policy between the PA and Hamas. (Al Ahram)
Gershon Baskin [36] says the best way for Israel to reduce Hamas' stature and effectiveness is to make peace with the PLO. (Jerusalem Post)