News:
A Jewish settler shoots [1] and injures a Palestinian teenager in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)
The UN says Israel has demolished [2] the homes of 1,177 Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in 2014. (Ha’aretz)
PM Hamdallah says a portion of public employee salaries [3] will be paid "soon." (Ma’an)
Hamas leader Abu Marzouq [4] strongly denounces the Egyptian government. (Ma’an)
Palestinian security forces raid [5] the building of the former general intelligence chief Jamal Tirawi. (Ma’an)
Israel has dropped all charges against Palestinian-American teenager [6] Tariq Abu Khdeir who was filmed while being beaten by Israel police last summer. (JTA)
Israeli occupation forces demolish two farms [7] near Nablus. (Ma’an)
Israeli navy opens fire [8] at fisherman off the coast of Gaza. (Ma’an)
Serbia grants citizenship [9] to Palestinian leader Dahlan. (AP)
Jordan [10] will return [11] its ambassador [12] to Israel [13]. (JTA/Times of Israel/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)
PM Netanyahu [14] says UNIFIL is failing to report weapons [15] smuggling into Lebanon. (Times of Israel/Reuters)
Hezbollah leader Nasrallah [16] warns that the group is “ready for war” with Israel, although it does not want one. (Washington Post)
Analysts say ISIS’ tactics have backfired [17], particularly in Jordan. (New York Times)
The fate of the Jordanian pilot [18] held by ISIS has raised public pressure [19] on King Abdullah. (Reuters/AP)
In a new video ISIS [20] claims to have beheaded Japanese hostage [21] Kenji Goto. (New York Times/Jordan Times)
Syrian warplanes [22] carry out several raids on a rebel-held village in the south, killing 12. (AP)
Hackers are using old tactics [23] on the internet to support Pres. Assad’s regime. (New York Times)
Egypt [24] releases Al Jazeera [25] journalist Peter Greste [26] after 400 days in prison [27]. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/Washington Post)
An Egyptian court [28] sentences 183 Muslim Brotherhood supporters [29] to death. (Reuters/AP)
Three women are killed [30] in clashes between militants and security forces in Sinai. (Reuters)
Pres. Sisi laments the recent shooting death [31] of a female protester, calling her a "martyr." [32] (AP/The National)
Houthi rebels are reportedly attempting to control Yemen’s Bab El-Mandeb [33] strait. (Asharq al-Awsat)
Commentary:
Amira Hass [34] says some Palestinians are yearning for the days before the establishment of the PA. (Ha’aretz)
Kobi Niv [35] says without its Palestinian citizens, there would be no democracy in Israel. (Ha’aretz)
Aaron David Miller [36] says the “US-Israel relationship is too big to fail.” (Politico)
Hussein Ibish [37] says another full-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is still possible, even if neither side wants one right now. (The National)
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed [38] says the disputes over the size of the Free Syrian Army highlights just how vague the situation in Syria is. (Al Arabiya)
Amer Al Sabaileh [39] looks at the conflict between ISIS and Jordan. (Jordan Times)
Peter Bergen and Emily Schneider [40] ask if the US-led coalition is winning against ISIS. (CNN)
AP interviews former PM Maliki [41]. (AP)
Faisal Al Yafai [42]says Yemen’s Houthis are holding the former president and the entire country hostage. (The National)
Khaled Almaeena [43] says new Saudi ministers should innovate and be role models. (Al Arabiya)
Michael Singh [44] says the first step toward a nuclear deal with Iran is for the P5+1 to make no more concessions. (Washington Post)
Michael Doran [45] argues Pres. Obama’s “secret strategy” is a fixation on rapprochement with Iran. (Mosaic)