News:
Pres. Abbas [1] says he will not recognize Israel as a “Jewish State.” (AP)
Sec. Kerry [2]meets with King Abdullah of Jordan [3] to discuss peace talks [4]. (AP/Reuters/Ha’aretz)
Pres. Obama may be playing “bad cop” [5] against Kerry’s “good cop” with PM Netanyahu. (New York Times)
The EU reassures Israel [6] over relations despite its opposition to West Bank settlements. (The Jerusalem Post)
The Vatican denies reports that the Pope will cancel his visit [7] to the “Holy Land” in May. (The Jerusalem Post)
The US House of Representatives [8] passes a bill declaring Israel to be a “major strategic partner [9]." (The Jerusalem Post/JTA)
Israeli forces detain [10] four Palestinians in raids across occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)
A PA official says Israel refuses to let Palestinian refugees [11] from Syria relocate to the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)
An Israeli-Palestinian business coalition [12] urges for peace. (Times of Israel)
The PA will invite international companies [13] to bid for petroleum exploration in the occupied West Bank. (Xinhua)
50,000 Palestinian residents [14] of Jerusalem have been without water for the past three days. (Ha’aretz)
Syrian activists say at least 17 rebels [15] have been killed in Yabroud. (AP)
Saudi Arabia designates [16] the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. (Reuters)
Following several Gulf States, Egypt withdraws [17] its Ambassador from Qatar. (New York Times)
PM Erdogan [18] threatens to ban Facebook and YouTube [19] in Turkey. (Reuters/AFP)
A senior Iranian official says the nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 are “substantive and useful.” [20](Reuters)
Commentary:
Hussein Ibish [21] says the tragedy at Yarmouk underscores the urgent need for Palestinian statehood. (Foreign Affairs)
Ha’aretz [22] says recognizing Israel is enough to ask of Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)
Ori Nir [23] asks when Jewish Americans will become a force for peace. (Ha’aretz)
Oren Kessler [24]says the current Palestinian leadership has no incentive to make a deal with Israel. (Foreign Policy)
Aaron Miller [25] says Israel’s seizure of an Iranian cargo ship carrying weapons should be a “wake-up call.” (Foreign Policy)
Ahmad Majdoubeh [26] says the Obama administration’s assertive diplomacy in the Middle East is right and should be given the chance to succeed. (Jordan Times)
Abdullah Hamidaddin [27] says the current diplomatic confrontation between Qatar and three Gulf States is not the real crisis the GCC is facing. (Al Arabiya)
The Daily Star [28] says Qatar now risks isolation in the Arab world. (Daily Star)
Bakir Oweida [29] says Muslims are facing the threat of a growing “ISIS tumor.” (Asharq al-Awsat)
Gareth Smyth [30] says the long-standing argument between Iran and Israel results from ideology rather than national interests. (Daily Star)
Bassem Youssef [31] says the Egyptian “discovery” of an AIDS cure is a manifestation of extreme ignorance. (Al Arabiya)
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