News:
Israel [1] suspends [2] peace [3] talks [4] with [5] the Palestinians [6]. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)
Pres. Obama [7] says neither Israelis nor Palestinians [8] have shown the political will [9] to make tough decisions [10]. (AP/AFP/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)
Sec. Kerry [11] is unwilling to give up [12] on the Middle East peace [13] process. (AP/Ha’aretz/Ynet)
Pres. Abbas reportedly assures the UN that any Palestinian government [14] will be non-violent, recognize Israel and respect Palestinian commitments, as the PLO condemns Israel’s decision [15] to withdraw from peace negotiations. (Ynet/Ma’an)
Palestinians are considering “all options” [16] in response to Israel’s decision to halt talks. (The National)
Israel criticizes [17] the US response to the Fatah-Hamas unity deal. (Ha’aretz)
“The Elders” welcome [18] the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas. (Ma’an)
Rep. Lowey says she is ready to launch steps to defund the PA [19] due to the agreement with Hamas. (JTA)
Christian leaders in Israel [20] urge youth not to enlist in the military. (Ma’an)
Extremist Jewish settlers attack [21] a seven year-old girl in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)
Pres. Assad’s future [22] may depend on keeping support within his own sect. (New York Times)
The International Tribunal [23] dealing with the killing of former PM Hariri charges two leading Lebanese journalists. (New York Times)
Egypt is trying to save money on wheat subsidies [24] by issuing a new smart card system. (AP)
Turkey’s most senior judge criticizes [25] PM Erdogan. (AP)
Commentary:
Gwen Ifill [26] interviews Hussein Ibish and Jeffrey Goldberg about the status of peace talks. (PBS)
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed [27] asks if Hamas will finally “bow” to Fatah. (Al Arabiya)
Bakir Oweida [28] says the unity agreement between Fatah and Hamas is an important first step to end the Palestinian infighting. (Asharq al-Awsat)
The Daily Star [29] says the US reaction to the Palestinian unity deal is “disappointing.” (Daily Star)
Khaled Elgindy [30] says the US should welcome the reconciliation deal between Fatah and Hamas. (Foreign Policy)
Jeffrey Goldberg [31] says Israel’s decision to suspend peace talks with the PLO contains elements of “reasonableness, realism, hypocrisy and myopia.” (Bloomberg)
Avi Issacharoff [32] says PM Netanyahu fears Palestinian reconciliation because it would force him to acknowledge that Abbas is a “true partner for peace.” (Times of Israel)
David Landau [33] says Palestinian unity deal exposes Netanyahu’s “true face.” (Ha’aretz)
J.J. Goldberg [34] says Israel’s decision to halt peace talks with the PLO is simultaneously “sensible, questionable and inexcusable.” (Jewish Daily Forward)
Ha’aretz [35]asks how Netanyahu will address the “demographic threat” that he warned of, now that he does not talk to the PLO. (Ha’aretz)
Alan Philps [36] asks if the world will listen to former PM Blair’s call for more commitment to the Middle East. (The National)
The New York Times [37] says the decision by the Obama administration to resume military aid to Egypt is a “vote of confidence” to a military-dominated government. (New York Times)
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