NEWS:
Palestinian and Israeli negotiators will hold their third round [1] of direct talks next week in Jericho. (Xinhua)
Talks thus far have been shrouded in secrecy [2]. (The National)
Pres. Abbas explains [3] why he prefers negotiations to new UN initiatives. (Reuters)
Abbas says all issues [4] are being discussed with Israel. (Ma'an)
UNSG Ban says he is "deeply troubled" [5] by Israel's new settlement announcements and urges the parties to continue [6] to seek peace. (AP/Xinhua)
A new poll suggests 80% of Israelis [7] believe peace is impossible. (AFP)
PLO officials say they are waiting to see the outcome of events in Egypt [8] before moving on reconciliation with Hamas and warn of "painful decisions." [9] (Ma'an/Times of Israel)
Israel destroys a Bedouin village for the 54th time [10]. (Ma'an)
14 are killed [11] in attacks by militants in Sinai. (Xinhua)
FIFA asks Israel [12] to allow Arab players to participate in a Palestinian soccer tournament. (AP)
A survey finds 20,000 Palestinians [13] are currently employed in Israeli settlements. (Jerusalem Post)
The Israeli military admits a lavish mall it depicted online as being in Gaza is actually in Malaysia [14]. (Ha'aretz)
COMMENTARY:
Anshel Pfeffer [15] says Israel will eventually have to dismantle West Bank settlements just as it did those in Gaza. (Ha'aretz)
Ha'aretz interviews Zvi Hauser [16], a longtime aide to PM Netanyahu, who dismisses settlement evacuation as a fantasy. (Ha'aretz)
Convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard [17] condemns Israel's prisoner release. (Jerusalem Post)
Yoel Marcus [18] says Israel paid a heavy price with prisoner release but got nothing in return from the Palestinians. (Ha'aretz)
The Economist [19] outlines the importance of prisoner release for Palestinians. (The Economist)
Kenneth Stein looks at the history of [20], and prospects for [21], a two-state solution. (WINEP)
The Jerusalem Post [22] thinks Israel has no chance of a fair hearing in international forums. (Jerusalem Post)
Uri Savir [23] says Israel knows how to prepare for the worst, but it should now prepare for the better. (Jerusalem Post)
Avi Issacharoff [24] says Hezbollah has miscalculated by getting into a fight with deadly jihadist enemies. (Times of Israel)
Yehuda Avner [25] says Menachem Begin is still the icon of Israeli hardliners. (The Forward)
The Economist [26] eulogizes its longtime Palestine correspondent Graham Usher who recently passed away. (The Economist)
Adnan Abu Amer [27] says Hamas and other armed factions in Gaza are trying to avoid getting drawn into the Sinai conflict. (Al Monitor)
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