News:
Israeli occupation forces [1] demolish two Palestinian homes [2] in East Jerusalem [3]. (Reuters/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)
Palestinian Chief Negotiator Erekat [4] says Israel’s plans for 500 new settler homes [5] in occupied East Jerusalem are a “slap in the face” to the US and the international community. (AFP/Times of Israel)
The US condemns [6] Israel’s plan for new settlement housing units in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)
The New York Times looks at the history of the Ramat Shlomo [7] settlement in occupied East Jerusalem. (New York Times)
The Knesset [8] passes a law [9] aimed at limiting the release [10] of Palestinians convicted [11] of killing Israelis. (Reuters/AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz)
Erekat [12] reportedly asked Sec. Kerry [13] to support a new Palestinian UN initiative. (Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)
EU Foreign Policy Chief Mogherini [14] calls for a Palestinian state [15] within five years. (Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)
Hamas calls on Palestinians to protest in support of access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque [16]. (Ma’an)
Israel will reopen [17] its two border crossings [18] with Gaza [19]. (AFP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)
Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces and moderate Syrian rebels bomb ISIS positions [20] in Kobani. (Reuters)
ISIS releases 93 Syrian Kurds. [21] (Reuters)
Human Rights Watch says ISIS abused captive [22] Kurdish children from Kobani. (AP)
France says the anti-ISIS coalition [23] must not abandon moderate rebels in Aleppo. (Reuters)
Shi'ite Muslims gather at shrines and mosques [24] across Iraq for Ashoura with Iraqi security forces on alert [25]. (Reuters/AP)
Saudi Arabia and Iran have offered competing aid packages [26] to the Lebanese military. (Washington Post)
VP Biden says he never apologized [27] to Turkey regarding ISIS’ growth. (AP)
An Egyptian cleric defends the government's forced evacuation [28] of families from Sinai. (New York Times)
Iran has reportedly agreed to ship much of its stockpile of uranium [29] to Russia if it reaches a broader nuclear deal with the West. (New York Times)
Commentary:
Hussein Ibish [30] says if the Supreme Court forces the State Department to issue passports implying that Jerusalem is part of Israel this will completely alter the American foreign policy-making process. (Now)
Raphael Ahren [31] says Israeli officials fear they can no longer rely on Washington’s veto in the Security Council. (Times of Israel)
Nahum Barnea [32] says a unilateral withdrawal from the occupied West Bank will prevent Israel's international isolation. (Ynet)
Nabila Ramdani [33] says bus segregation in the occupied West Bank is only one aspect of Israeli “apartheid.” (The National)
Hassan Barari [34] says Israel’s plan to change the status quo in occupied East Jerusalem is a “perfect recipe” for another bloody confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians. (Jordan Times)
Akiva Eldar [35] says Netanyahu’s government is using the Al Aqsa mosque for political purposes at the risk of damaging the fragile status quo. (Al-Monitor)
Peter Beinart [36] asks why the Obama administration is angry with PM Netanyahu. (Ha’aretz)
Ron Kampeas [37] says political and diplomatic uncertainty fuel the US-Israel divide. (JTA)
Uzi Baram [38] says Israel’s right-wing fanatics do not speak for the people. (Ha’aretz)
FM Fabius [39] says, after Kobani, the anti-ISIS coalition must save the people of Aleppo. (Washington Post)
Tirana Hassan [40] says Shi’ite militias in Iraq are using the fight against ISIS to destroy Sunni Arab communities. (Foreign Policy)
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