NEWS:
Sec. Kerry says he had a "frank" discussion [1] with PM Netanyahu about Israel's settlement activity, and reportedly said they violate israel's commitments [2]. (AP/Ha'aretz)
Kerry says he [3] and the Palestinians were warned [4] about new settlement activity. (Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)
Israel's housing minister [5] promises more settlements [6] to come. (Jerusalem Post/AFP)
The EU says the US is quietly supporting [7] its new occupation guidelines. (Ha'aretz)
New Israeli-Palestinian direct negotiations are due to resume [8] today in Jerusalem. (AP)
Hours before new talks are due to begin, Israel launches air strikes [9] against Gaza. (New York Times)
Kerry says talks should continue despite the tensions [10], and mixed moves by Israel [11]. (Washington Post/Xinhua)
Hamas denounces the negotiations [12] and levels various charges at Fatah. (Times of Israel)
UNSG Ban [13] will travel to the Middle East to support the negotiations later this week. (Xinhua)
26 Palestinian prisoners [14] are released by Israel [15], with different responses [16] in both communities. (New York Times/AP/Christian Science Monitor)
Pres. Abbas vows [17] to secure the release of all Palestinian prisoners. (Ha'aretz)
Abbas asks PM Hamdallah [18] to form a new government [19]. (AP/Ma'an)
Israel places new restrictions [20] on Palestinians retrieving their property in Jerusalem. (Ha'aretz)
The PA says it expects to receive a report on the late Pres. Arafat's remains [21] in September. (Xinhua)
The UN calls on Hamas [22] to cease executing prisoners, but Hamas says executions will continue [23]. (AP/Al Monitor)
Hamas is keeping close surveillance on Facebook [24] activity in Gaza. (Al Monitor)
Palestinians say Israeli forces attacked and detained [25] three Palestinian fishermen. (PNN)
A Palestinian man is accused of slaying his own daughter in an "honor killing." [26] (Ha'aretz)
Lebanese security forces say Israeli forces seized [27] a Syrian shepherd in Lebanon.(Xinhua)
Palestinian social indicators [28] are said by some to be remarkably high under the circumstances. (Albawaba)
An Israeli cosmetics company based in the occupied territories tries to avoid EU sanctions by simply changing addresses [29]. (Bloomberg)
COMMENTARY:
ATFP intern Rachel Bessette [30] looks at the problem of sexual harassment, especially in Egypt. (Now Media)
Brent Sasley [31] says, if talks fail after all of Israel's new settlement announcements, Kerry could and should blame Netanyahu. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)
Jim Hecht [32] lays out some steps the US could take to facilitate real progress in Israeli-Palestinian talks. (Baltimore Sun)
The National [33] says Israel's new settlement announcements reveal its true intentions. (The National)
Yossi Mekelberg [34] says Netanyahu must find the courage to stop settlement activity. (Al Arabiya)
Ha'aretz [35] says using trolls and other social media "dirty tricks" won't fix Israel's public image. (Ha'aretz)
Zvi Bar'el [36] says, despite rhetoric to the contrary, Israel and the settler movement are responding to the EU with a boycott of its own. (Ha'aretz)
David Horovitz [37] says by releasing violent prisoners while resuming settlements, Netanyahu is having the worst of both worlds. (Times of Israel)
Gil Troy [38] is upset that international law prohibits Israeli settlement in the occupied territory. (Jerusalem Post)
The Jerusalem Post [39] denounces the prisoner release as immoral and the EU as anti-Semitic. (Jerusalem Post)
John Whitbeck [40] says Israel needs negative incentives for the peace process to succeed. (Asharq Al Awsat)
The Guardian [41] says Netanyahu must decide whether he wants peace or endless occupation. (The Guardian)
Jonathan Cook [42] says there are many obstacles, not just settlements, in the way of a successful peace negotiation. (The National)
Peter Beinart [43] says even after a two-state agreement, Israel will still have to deal with its own Palestinian citizens. (Daily Beast)
Michael Singh [44] says US "re-engagement" in the Middle East is essential to secure Israeli-Palestinian peace. (Foreign Policy)
Sari Bashi [45] says Israel giving Palestinians more freedom of movement is a win-win scenario. (The Forward)
Omer Taspinar [46] asks if Hamas' new vulnerability could be the key to renewed Turkish regional relevance. (Al Monitor)
Jeffrey Goldberg [47] says Kerry has gotten Netanyahu's attention by warning about the consequences of failed peace talks. (Bloomberg)
Huang Yinjiazi [48] says the new Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are good for everyone. (Xinhua)
Greg Myre [49] asks if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is more difficult to solve now, 20 years after Oslo. (NPR)