NEWS:
Israel is moving decisively to strengthen its hold on occupied East Jerusalem [1], including confiscated private Palestinian property. (Christian Science Monitor)
PM Netanyahu insists Israeli settlement construction [2] in the occupied West Bank will continue in spite of peace efforts, but Israel must be intelligent about it [3]. (Xinhua/Ha'aretz)
Netanyahu says Palestinians are posing "insurmountable preconditions" [4] for peace negotiations. (AFP)
A new poll suggests 85% of Israelis oppose releasing Palestinian prisoners [5] as part of peace efforts. (Jerusalem Post)
FM Judeh is visiting Jordanian prisoners [6] held by Israel. (Jordan Times)
The PA says its fiscal crisis is only worsening [7]. (Ma'an)
Jordan's King Abdallah reiterates [8] his support for Palestinians and role as custodian of Jerusalem holy places. (Jordan Times)
A British report says Israel is selling weapons to many countries, including Arab and Muslim ones [9]. (Ha'aretz)
A Palestinian worker is shot by an Israeli settler [10] amid a wave of arrests. (Xinhua)
A new study shows Palestinian children are deeply traumatized when their homes are demolished [11] by Israel. (Al Monitor)
With Israel increasingly surrounding itself with walls [12] and fences, some worry about increased isolation. (Washington Post)
Israel signs a free trade agreement with Columbia [13]. (Xinhua)
The President of Columbia also visits Pres. Abbas [14] in Ramallah. (PNN)
An Israeli court indicts a man [15] accused of killing a woman in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma'an)
In a rare legal victory [16], Palestinian citizens of Israel regain confiscated land. (The National)
Hamas insists it has never "interfered with Egypt's security." [17] (Ma'an)
Israel distributes 10,000 gas masks [18] to Arab citizens. (YNet)
Israeli are no longer visiting a once popular resort in southern Sinai [19]. (Times of Israel)
Israeli Amb. Oren praises US UN Amb. nominee Power as "caring deeply about Israel's security needs." [20] (JTA)
South Africa's Jews and Muslims [21], once united against apartheid, are now split on Israel and the Palestinians. (The Forward)
Members of Congress and other politicians are again talking about stripping the presidential waiver [22] from the Jerusalem Embassy Law. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)
COMMENTARY:
Leon Wieseltier [23] says without a peace agreement with the Palestinians Israel won't long remain a Jewish state and that the universal abandonment of Salam Fayyad was "a historical scandal of the first magnitude.” (AP)
Swedish minister Gunilla Carlsson [24] says Israeli and Palestinian leaders must take bold moves for peace immediately. (Ma'an)
Sefi Rachlevsky [25] says Israel can expect a painful wake-up call on its unsustainable settlement policy. (Ha'aretz)
David Horovitz [26] asks why Netanyahu has promoted Danny Danon and others he knows are outspoken opponents of Palestinian statehood. (Times of Israel)
J.J. Goldberg [27]says Netanyahu is being outmaneuvered by colleagues to his right. (The Forward)
Carlo Strenger [28] appeals to Abbas to help save the two-state solution. (Ha'aretz)
Benjamin Pogrund [29] says if Israel were really interested in peace it would test Arab commitment to the API. (Ha'aretz)
Akiva Eldar [30] says a peacekeeping force in the occupied Golan Heights is no substitute for actual piece. (Al Monitor)
Nathan Guttman [31] says Israel is benefiting from the Syrian war as Hamas and Hezbollah suffers setbacks. (The Forward)
Gal Beckerman [32] says Israel's continued obsession with the Mohammed al-Dura affair shows its unwillingness to confront its own dark side. (The Forward)
Shlomi Eldar [33] says, by supporting Syrian rebels, Hamas is jeopardizing its weapons supply from Iran. (Al Monitor)
Peter Berkowitz [34] says Israel's image isn't actually fraying in the United States. (The National Interest)
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