News:
A missile [1] fired [2] by Hezbollah [3] strikes [4] an Israeli military [5] convoy [6], killing [7] two soldiers [8]andinjuring seven. [9] (AP/Reuters/New York Times/Ma’an/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post/The Daily Star)
A UN peacekeeper [10] is killed [11] in southern [12] Lebanon [13], as Israel shells [14] areas near the border [15]after Hezbollah targeted [16] its vehicles. (AFP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Ynet/Jerusalem Post/The Daily Star)
The Israeli army [17] has begun searching for tunnels [18] that Hezbollah may have dug [19] near the Lebanese border. (Reuters/Ha’aretz/Ynet)
The US has reportedly asked [20] Pres. Abbas to delay his plans [21] to submit another resolution to the UNSC. (PNN/Jerusalem Post)
Palestinians attack a UN [22] compound in Gaza, following the suspension of an aid program. (AP)
Hamas calls UNRWA’s decision [23] to suspend funding for displaced Gazans "shocking." (Ma’an)
B’tselem says [24] the Israeli military violated international law [25] in dozens of Gaza war strikes [26]. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/The National)
A 14-year old Palestinian girl, sentenced to two months in prison [27] for throwing rocks, has become a cause célèbre. (AP)
A Palestinian human rights [28] group urges authorities to abolish the death penalty. (AFP)
A Fatah leader’s car is torched [29] in Gaza. (Ma’an)
PM Netanyahu’s upcoming speech [30] before Congress is causing a backlash in Israeli elections. (New York Times)
Jordan [31] says it is willing to swap [32] an Iraqi woman [33] prisoner for the Jordanian pilot [34]captured by ISIS [35]. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National/Jordan Times)
An American official says its too soon to announce “mission accomplished [36]” in Kobani. (Reuters)
Iran says Washington Post [37] reporter Jason Rezaian [38] will soon face trial. (AP/Washington Post)
Democrats in the Senate [39] say they will not push for a vote on Iran sanctions [40] until after a midway deadline in Iran talks. (JTA/Times of Israel)
Commentary:
Avi Issacharoff [41] asks if Hezbollah is trying to draw Israel into a ground offensive. (Times of Israel)
Ron Ben-Yishai [42] says Israel must think hard about its response to latest Hezbollah attack. (Ynet)
Yossi Mekelberg [43] says Israel, Iran and Hezbollah might not exercise extra caution and may find themselves entangled in a much bigger and bloodier conflict. (Al Arabiya)
Sultan Barakat [44] says it is imperative for the international community, led by Europe, to rebuild Gaza immediately. (The National)
Zvi Bar’el [45] says unity among Arab parties in Israel is in everybody’s interest. (Ha’aretz)
Ben Caspit [46]says the commander of Hamas’ paramilitary Qassam Brigades, Muhammed al-Deif is still alive. (Al-Monitor)
Adnan Abu Amer [47] says Hamas has begun a “swift rapprochement” with Hezbollah and Iran. (Al-Monitor)
Jeffrey Goldberg [48] looks at “Netanyahu’s disaster.” (The Atlantic)
Ron Kampeas [49] says Netanyahu’s Congress speech is roiling the pro-Israel lobby, Jewish members of Congress and the White House. (JTA)
Yonit Levi and Udi Segal [50] look at what really divides Pres. Obama and Netanyahu. (Ha’aretz)
Peter Beinart [51] says “by blatantly dissing” Obama, Netanyahu is endangering his support among Democrats. (Ha’aretz)
The Forward [52] says Netanyahu’s speech risks alienating many more American Jews whose support he may no longer take for granted. (The Forward)
Michael Young [53] says Hafez Al Assad's efforts to mould Syria into an independent regional power have been discredited by the actions of his son. (The National)
Angelina Jolie [54] recounts her recent experience visiting Syrian and Iraqi refugee camps. (New York Times)
The Jordan Times [55] says the attempt by ISIS to link the fate of a convicted terrorist to the lives of a Jordanian and a Japanese hostage is a “ludicrous ploy.” (Jordan Times)
Aaron David Miller [56] says Middle Eastern terrorism exists primarily because the Arab world is a “broken, angry, and dysfunctional place.” (Foreign Policy)
Haykal Bafana [57] says the old Yemeni model has been replaced by the new Houthi model, with its simple adage: “violence pays.” (New York Times)
David Ignatius [58] says security assistance does not work in weak states like Yemen. (Washington Post)
Salman Aldossary [59] says the number of points on which Riyadh and Washington see eye to eye far exceed those they differ on. (Asharq al-Awsat)
David Weinberg [60] says King Salman has “troubling ties to radical Islamists.” (Foreign Policy)
The Daily Star [61] says the US must restore Saudi Arabia’s trust in American foreign policy. (Daily Star)
John Duke Anthony [62] remembers the late King Abdullah. (Al Arabiya)
Hussein Ibish [63] looks at how we should define Islamophobia in order to combat bigotry and protect free speech. (NOW)
Front Page Features