NEWS:
New Israeli settlement [1] expansions raise tensions [2] in the run-up to the second round of direct negotiations [3] with the Palestinians. (New York Times/AP/Los Angeles times)
Palestinians may be considering skipping the next round [4] of talks because of the new settlements [5]. (Xinhua/AFP)
Arab Idol winner Mohammed Assaf [6] strongly endorses the goal of Palestinian independence in the occupied territories. (The Guardian)
Israel lists 26 Palestinian prisoners [7] scheduled to be released this week [8]. (AP/Reuters)
Palestinian families await [9] the return of prisoners not seen for decades. (Ha'aretz)
A Palestinian man is killed [10], and another wounded [11], by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza. (Xinhua)
Hamas forces launch a crackdown on Fatah [12] in Gaza. (Ma'an)
Amnesty International urges Hamas to stop executing prisoners [13]. (PNN)
Hamas officials say Egypt has reopened [14] the Gaza crossing after four days of closure. (Xinhua)
Palestinian officials say the West Bank economy is starting to improve [15]. (PNN)
Palestinians continue to struggle to build their first planned city in the occupied territories, Rawabi [16]. (New York Times)
The new EU occupation guidelines may cost Israel hundreds of millions of dollars [17] in lost research funding. (AP)
Syrian singer Asala Nasri [18], a strong supporter of the Syrian opposition, gives a rare performance by a Syrian citizen in the occupied West Bank. (AP)
PM Netanyahu undergoes successful hernia surgery [19]. (AP)
An Israeli drone strike [20] kills five militants in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. (AP)
Israel's airport near Sinai [21] is reopened after a temporary security closure. (Xinhua)
Upper Nazareth's mayor seems determined to try to keep his town exclusively Jewish [22]. (Ha'aretz)
Right-wing Israeli politician Tzachi Hanegbi [23] will attend this year's annual J Street conference. (JTA)
Lebanese officials deny [24] there has been any decision to prevent Palestinian refugees fleeing Syria to enter Lebanon. (Naharnet)
COMMENTARY:
Avi Issacharoff [25]says even if Israel's new settlement units are built in "consensus" blocs, this is no way to build trust. (Times of Israel)
Ilan Baruch [26] says pressure from the US and Europeans, along with the Arab Peace Initiative, could produce successful talks. (YNet)
Gershon Baskin [27] says economic growth and prosperity are essential, but not enough to produce peace. (Jerusalem Post)
Barak Ravid [28] says, if Netanyahu wants Americans, Palestinians and, above all, Israelis, to take him seriously on peace, he has to change his familiar tactics. (Ha'aretz)
Adel Safty [29] says Israel is making a mockery of the peace process. (Gulf News)
David Harris [30] says everyone needs to give the peace process a chance. (Huffington Post)
Natan Odenheimer [31] says Palestinian identity is constantly evolving. (Times of Israel)
Francesca Borri [32] thinks that for many Palestinians national unity is more important than peace talks with Israel. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Efraim Halevy [33] says Israel may be missing a big opportunity with the change of leadership in Iran. (YNet)
Oudeh Basharat [34] says vicious racism against Arabs in Israel is nothing new, but it's getting much worse. (Ha'aretz)
Amir Fuchs [35] says Israel is not just for Jews, despite what Upper Nazareth's mayor seems to think. (Ha'aretz)
Noah Beck [36] says Palestinians shouldn't be allowed to monopolize the refugee issue. (YNet)
The Jerusalem Post [37] says Israel and Egypt should renegotiate parts of their peace treaty to deal with the security crisis in Sinai. (Jerusalem Post)
Hugh Naylor [38] says Israel and Egypt have little choice but to cooperate on Sinai. (The National)
Ben Caspit [39] says the Israeli military is preparing for another conflict with Hezbollah. (Al Monitor)
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