News:
Four Israeli Ambassadors in Europe are summoned [1] over new settlement construction. (Ha’aretz)
Israel responds [2]by summoning four [3] European Ambassadors. (Xinhua/Ha’aretz)
PM Netanyahu [4]dismisses international critics of Jewish settlements. (AP)
Netanyahu accuses [5] the EU of a “hypocritical attitude” [6] towards settlements. (AFP/Xinhua)
Netanyahu says if Pres. Rouhani [7]agrees to recognize Israel, he would consider meeting him. (The Jerusalem Post)
Israeli sources claim [8]Netanyahu privately backs a proposal to transfer Palestinian citizens of Israel to a future Palestinian state. (Times of Israel)
Israeli Finance Minister Lapid says Israel cannot absorb four million Palestinians [9]. (Ynet)
UNSG Ban launches a new initiative and deems 2014 a “Palestinian Solidarity Year.” [10] (PNN)
A PLO official condemns [11] visits by rightist Israeli Jewish groups to the Al-Aqsa compound. (Ma’an)
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says the Oscar nominee film “Omar” [12] is from “Palestine” not the “Palestinian Territories.” (AP)
Israel’s Energy Minister Silvan Shalom will attend [13] a conference in the UAE. (BBC)
An Israeli draft law that would criminalize using the word “Nazi” as an insult [14] sparks debate on freedom of speech. (AP)
Israeli settlers farm [15] lands confiscated from Palestinians in a village south of Hebron. (Ma’an)
Brandeis University is considering [16] re-establishing a partnership with Al-Quds University. (JTA)
Seven Palestinian refugees are killed in a bombing at the Yarmouk camp [17]. (Ma’an)
Syrian rebels in Damascus accuse pro-Assad forces of deception by using cease-fires [18]to extract victories. (The New York Times)
Sec. Kerry urges [19] the Syrian opposition to attend next week’s peace conference. (AP)
The Syrian opposition will meet [20] to decide whether to join peace talks. (AFP)
Syrian FM al-Moallem [21] says his country is prepared to implement a ceasefire in Aleppo. (AP/ Los Angeles Times)
The UN calls on all nations to keep their borders open [22]to Syrian refugees. (AP)
Seven people are killed in Lebanon [23] by a Syrian rocket. (Xinhua)
Gen. Sisi turns his attention [24] to Egypt’s other problems and may run for president. (AP)
A student is killed at Cairo University [25] in clashes between supporters and opponents of former Pres. Morsi. (Xinhua)
Iraqi officials say clashes with militants and a suicide attack killed five people [26]. (AP)
Unemployed Tunisians clash with police [27] in the city of Gabes. (AFP)
The Obama administration sends US lawmakers the latest Iran nuclear deal text [28]. (Los Angeles Times)
Commentary:
Uri Savir [29]says our duty beyond mutual recognition and conflict resolution, is to agree on a narrative for the future. (The Jerusalem Post)
Asmaa al-Ghoul [30] says Hamas has failed to tackle youth issues. (Al-Monitor)
Yoel Marcus [31]accuses DM Ya’alon for being partly responsible for the fact that Israel is the fourth hated country on earth. (Ha’aretz)
Jonathan Power [32] says Sharon was “a man of very extreme views.” (The Jordan Times)
Zeev Sternhell [33] says Sharon was an “immoral” man. (Ha’aretz)
Alan Philps [34] says the Geneva II talks provide hope in ending the conflict. (The National)
Michael Glackin [35] says the West will pay for its inaction in Syria, and the Geneva II is destined for failure. (The Daily Star)
Daniel Levy and Julien Barnes-Dacy [36]say all external actors should be committed to avoiding a breakdown of the Geneva Talks. (Foreign Policy)
Amir Taheri [37] says what is happening in the Arab world is neither an “Arab Spring” nor an “Islamic Awakening.” (Asharq Alawsat)
Meghan O’Sullivan [38] says Washington must pressure Iraqi PM Maliki to change his sectarian politics and “growing authoritarianism.” (The Gulf News)
Fareed Zakaria [39] advises against an active US involvement in Iraq. (The Washington Post)
The LA Times [40]says the violence in Iraq should be a US concern. (Los Angeles Times)
David Kirkpatrick [41]says the landslide approval of the Egyptian charter now sets the stage for a presidential bid by Sisi. (The New York Times)
The New York Times [42] praises the Tunisian new constitution but not Egypt's. (The New York Times)
The Gulf News [43] says stability in Lebanon depends on whether the Special Tribunal can hand out justice to the killers of the late PM Hariri. (The Gulf News)
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