News:
Pres. Abbas says [1] the Israeli military can stay for no more than three years [2] in any part of Palestine if a peace agreement is signed. (The Jerusalem Post/The New York Times)
Palestinian negotiators are in Washington [3] to seek further clarifications on the potential framework agreement. (Ha’aretz)
DM Ya'alon [4] questions the PA’s ability [5] to maintain security in the West Bank. [6] (Ha'aretz/The Jerusalem Post/Reuters)
Hamas will allow 120 Fatah members [7] to return to Gaza as a “goodwill gesture.” (Ma’an)
An additional seven Palestinian refugees die [8] of hunger and lack of medical care at the Yarmouk camp in Syria. (Ma’an)
Israeli forces detain 22 Palestinians [9] in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)
A Palestinian man leaves an Israeli prison with two university degrees. [10] (AP)
A proposed extension of Israel’s separation barrier could split two Palestinian villages [11] near Bethlehem. (AFP)
An Israeli contractor plans a “Jewish-only” residential project [12] in Jaffa. (Ha'aretz)
Israel keeps Arab teachers out of Jewish religious schools. [13] (Ha'aretz)
The PA is looking to offshore gas [14] to increase its revenues. (Bloomberg)
Oxfam faces pressure to drop Scarlett Johansson [15] as an ambassador over her SodaStream commercial. (Ha’aretz)
The Syria [16] peace talks focus on transfer of power [17] and humanitarian aid. (AP/Reuters)
The US accuses the Syrian regime of harming talks by denying aid. [18] (Reuters)
A US ship [19] will help destroy chemical weapons [20] removed from Syria. (AP/The New York Times)
Lebanese FM Mansour expresses his support [21] for a political solution to the Syrian conflict. (Xinhua)
Former Pres. Morsi [22] appears in court and says he remains Egypt’s president. [23] (AP/The Wall Street Journal)
Tunisia asks the international community for financial support. [24] (Reuters)
Iraq will receive six leased American Apache helicopters in the summer, awaiting the sale of another 24. (Xinhua/Foreign Policy)
Iran says it will preserve and maintain its “peaceful” nuclear program. [25] (Xinhua)
Commentary:
Miriam Awadallah [26] says Israel can and should stop “price tag” attacks. (Huffingtonpost)
Barak Ravid [27] says the Palestinians should accept Sec. Kerry’s framework to test PM Netanyahu’s seriousness. (Ha’aretz)
Sara Hirschhorn [28] says settlers should be allowed to remain in the future Palestinian state. (Ha’aretz)
The Jerusalem Post [29] says if the Palestinians are truly interested in peace then they should tolerate a Jewish minority in their state. (The Jerusalem Post)
Akiva Eldar [30] says Netanyahu’s insistence on controlling the Jordan Valley is politically driven and linked to the settlers’ agenda. (Al Monitor)
Ron Ben-Yishai [31] predicts more violence in the West Bank due to the PA’s “failing governance.” (Ynet)
Sharif Nashashibi [32] asks whether Netanyahu is preparing for another war against Gaza. (Al Arabiya)
David Zonshine [33] says thousands of hi-tech professionals could lose their jobs as result of international outrage over Israel’s settlement activities. (Ha’aretz)
Faisal Al Yafai [34]says the international community must not allow Geneva II to drag on endlessly. (The National)
The National [35] says the Assad regime is positioning itself to claim the moral high ground when the talks fail. (The National)
Michael Glackin [36] say the latest evidence of systematic torture should increase the likelihood of Pres. Assad facing a war crimes tribunal. (The Daily Star)
Camelia Entekhabi-Fard [37] says Iran was more interested in Davos than Geneva II. (Al Arabiya)
The Gulf News [38] says Ennahda may win popularity from their “constructive role” in the approval of the Tunisian constitution. (The Gulf News)
Mohammed Al Ardhi [39] calls on the Gulf governments to invest in human development. (The National)