News:
Pres. Obama [1] will meet with Pres. Abbas [2] in Washington on March 17th [3]. (AP/Xinhua/JTA)
The White House pushes back against [4] a report that Obama will pressure Israeli and Palestinian leaders to make progress on peace talks. (The Times of Israel)
A new survey in Israel indicates [5] a rising support for Sec. Kerry’s initiative. (Ynet)
Former PM Olmert says Abbas agreed to a Jewish Israeli mayor [6] of an umbrella municipality for Jerusalem. (The Jerusalem Post)
Egypt warns Hamas [7] that it will not tolerate any use of tunnels between Sinai and Gaza. (The Times of Israel)
Israeli occupation forces will limit access to the Al Aqsa mosque [8] for Friday’s prayers. (AFP)
Israeli occupation forces injure three Palestinian men [9] following the Birzeit killing. (Ma’an)
Jewish “price tag” extremists [10] torch a house near Ramallah. (Ma’an)
Israel warns [11] Lebanon to curb Hezbollah’s [12] threats. (Reuters/Ha’aretz)
The US says Syria leads in human rights violations [13] in 2013. (AP)
The Syrian opposition demands [14] an investigation into killings of 175 rebels by government forces. (AP)
ISIS claims Christians agreed to pay a discriminatory tax [15] in parts of Syria it controlled. (AP)
ISIS withdraws [16] from a Syrian town near the Turkish border. (Reuters)
31 more [17] people are killed in Iraq [18]. (AP/The New York Times)
Pres. Mansour restructures [19] the military council in Egypt. (Xinhua)
Gunmen kill [20]an Egyptian policeman in Mansoura. (AFP)
Israel urges the IAEA [21] to issue their full report on Iran’s nuclear research. (Reuters)
Commentary:
Patrick Tyler [22] says “deferral” is the key ingredient to Israeli-Palestinian peace. (The Los Angeles Times)
George Hishmeh [23] says it is alarming that Kerry’s initiative fails to include any ideas on the future of Gaza. (The Jordan Times)
Uri Savir [24] says peace must aim at the pragmatic interests of young people in Israel and Palestine. (The Jerusalem Post)
The Jordan Times [25] says Jordan’s role as custodian of holy places in East Jerusalem will be compromised if ties are severed with Israel. (The Jordan Times)
Raed Omari [26] says Jordan will remain Jordan and Palestine will remain Palestine. (Al Arabiya)
Aaron Miller [27] says Netanyahu is “trapped” because he cannot call the shots on Iran or the peace process. (Foreign Policy)
Amos Schocken [28] says Netanyahu’s demand to recognize Israel as a “Jewish State” is outlandish. (Ha’aretz)
Clemens Wergins [29] says Israel no longer trusts Europe. (The New York Times)
Ha’aretz [30] says the “unnecessary and humiliating” treatment that Arab Israelis suffer routinely in Israeli airports must change. (Ha’aretz)
John Judis [31] says AIPAC seems to have lost “a bit of heft.” (Foreign Policy)
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed [32] says providing the Syrian opposition with arms is the only way to defeat ISIS and al-Nusra. (Al Arabiya)
The Daily Star [33] says the Syrian war is mired in stalemate. (The Daily Star)
Abdallah Schleifer [34] says the most encouraging sign for Egypt’s future is the appointment of Mahlab as PM. (Al Arabiya)
Eyad Abu Shakra [35] says Lebanon is deeply divided and national allegiance low. (Asharq al-Awsat)
Fareed Zakaria [36] says Obama is “navigating” the changing world correctly. (The Washington Post)
Front Page Features