News:
Fatah organizes rallies [1] in the West Bank in protest against Israel’s occupation. (Ma’an)
Jewish extremists uproot olive [2] trees near Hebron. (Ma’an)
Israel’s Housing Ministry [3] allocates $215,000 for the expansion of settlements. (Ha’aretz)
Israel is moving to end the months-long crisis [4] with New Zealand. (Ha’aretz)
PM Netanyahu [5] defends his decision [6] to accept a controversial [7] invitation to address the US Congress [8] on Iran. (AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)
Speaker Boehner [9] says he informed Pres. Obama [10] of his invitation to Netanyahu. (Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)
Meretz leader Gal-On [11] questions the legality of Netanyahu’s trip to Washington. (Times of Israel)
Pres. Rivlin declines [12] an invitation to meet [13] with Obama. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)
Rivlin addresses [14] African-American leaders in his first visit to the US [15] as president. (JTA/Ha’aretz)
The IDF dismisses unit 8200 reservists [16] who refused to serve in the occupied territories. (Jerusalem Post)
The White House says Obama [17] and King Salman will discuss the turmoil in Yemen and the fight against ISIS in their meeting tomorrow. (Reuters)
Saudi Arabia is expanding [18] its regional role as Middle East [19] chaos spreads. (New York Times/Washington Post)
The New York Times profiles Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Nayef [20]. (Washington Post)
Pres. Assad [21] is seeking an agreement [22] with the US over airstrikes in Syria. (Reuters/AP)
Kurdish fighters [23] say they have pushed ISIS almost entirely [24] out of the Syrian town of Kobani. (AP/Reuters)
Turkey opens its biggest refugee camp [25] to 35,000 people fleeing fighting in Kobani. (Reuters)
A video allegedly shows the decapitated body of one of the Japanese [26] hostages held by ISIS. (New York Times)
King Abdullah of Jordan [27] says the fight against radicalism and terrorism will be a long-term effort which should be spearheaded by Muslim and Arab countries. (Jordan Times)
Sec. Kerry tells world leaders in Davos [28] that violent extremism is “not Islamic.” (CBS)
At least 18 people are killed [29] in unrest in Egypt [30]. (New York Times/The National)
Egyptian security officials [31] say the two sons of former Pres. Mubarak [32] have been released from prison. (Reuters/AP)
An Egyptian doctor [33] is convicted over a girl's death in a landmark female genital mutilation [34] case. (Reuters/AP)
Commentary:
Smadar Perry [35] says Israel must finally respond to the Arab Peace Initiative. (Ynet)
Don Futterman [36] says Jewish Americans have chosen Obama over Netanyahu. (Ha’aretz)
Avirama Golan [37] says Economy Minister Bennett is a “hate-mongering extremist.” (Ha’aretz)
Hussein Ibish [38] looks at King Abdullah’s legacy of cautious and gradual reform in Saudi Arabia. (The Forward)
Hussein Ibish [39] says the old regional order was already ending before King Abdullah passed. (The National)
Salman Aldossary [40] look at what Saudi policies will look like in the era of King Salman. (Asharq al-Awsat)
Miguel Angel Moratinos [41] says the Arab Peace Initiative remains King Abullah’s main contribution to peace. (Al Arabiya)
Mohamed Bazzi [42] says the Iranian-Saudi proxy war in the region will only intensify with King Salman. (Politico)
Hisham Melhem [43] says Obama cannot escape “his betrayal” of Syria being part of his legacy. (Al Arabiya)
David Schenker [44] looks at Hezbollah’s “limited options” after the Israeli airstrike in Syria. (WINEP)
Elif Shafak [45] says Pres. Erdogan has chosen a divisive strategy, pursuing hostility over compromise. (New York Times)
Paul Bonicelli [46] says Yemen’s collapse will doom Obama’s foreign policy legacy. (Foreign Policy)
Faisal Al Yafai [47] says allowing the politics of Yemen to be decided in foreign capitals is disastrous. (The National)
Ellie Geranmayeh [48] says opponents of Iranian-Western diplomacy are already sabotaging the process. (New York Times)
Dennis Ross, Eric Edelman and Ray Takeyh [49] say the nuclear deadlock between Iran and the US cannot be broken unless the US fully re-engages in the region. (Politico)
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