News:
PM Netanyahu [1] says Israel will not cede [2] any territory [3] to the Palestinians [4] due to the current climate in the Middle East [5]. (AP/New York Times/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Ynet)
Palestinian Chief Negotiator Erekat [6] says Netanyahu never believed in the two-state solution, always choosing settlements over peace. (Jerusalem Post)
Egypt opens the Rafah crossing [7] with Gaza for two days. (Ma’an)
Hamas accuses [8] the PA security services [9] of arresting dozens of its supporters [10] across the West Bank. (Ma’an/Times of Israel/Ynet)
EU diplomats tell the PA [11] that it is not doing enough to rebuild Gaza. (Ha’aretz)
Hamas reportedly sent a series of messages to Israel [12] indicating an interest in a long-term ceasefire in exchange for an end to the blockade of Gaza. (Times of Israel)
Israeli occupation forces uproot 300 olive trees [13] on private Palestinian land near Nablus. (Ma’an)
PNN publishes statistics regarding the conditions of Palestinian women. [14] (PNN)
The White House names Robert Malley [15], former US peace negotiator, to lead the Middle East desk at the NSC. (JTA)
Israelis will vote in a parliamentary election [16] on March 17, choosing among party lists of candidates to serve in the 120-seat Knesset. (Reuters)
The United Arab party [17] is a surprise new force in the upcoming Israeli election. (Reuters)
Reuters profiles the leading candidates in Israel's parliamentary election [18], their main policies and where they stand on participation in a governing coalition. (Reuters)
Reports of tensions and aggressive recruitment tactics suggest that ISIS militants are struggling [19] to keep supporters amid battlefield losses. (Washington Post)
Gen. Dempsey says some Iraqi troops set for US-led training [20] to fight ISIS are showing up ill-prepared. (AP)
Iraqi DM al-Obeidi [21] says his government is comfortable asking for and receiving help from Iran. (AP)
A US-led coalition airstrike in Syria hits an oil refinery [22] run by ISIS militants near the border with Turkey, killing 30 people. (AP)
Archaeologists and preservationists lament [23], that in areas held by ISIS, there is little they can do but document the destruction. (New York Times)
Saudi Arabia blocked a plan [24] for Sweden's FM Wallstrom to address the Arab League. (Reuters)
Gen. Haftar is sworn in as army commander [25] for the internationally recognized government in Libya. (Reuters)
Iran and IAEA officials [26] hold talks in Tehran. (Reuters)
Pres. Obama [27] says the US would "walk away" [28] from nuclear talks with Iran if there's no acceptable deal. (AP/New York Times)
47 Republican senators warn [29] that any agreement with Iran [30] may be short-lived unless Congress [31]approves the deal. (AP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)
Commentary:
Hussein Ibish [32] says Israelis think they can completely ignore the reality of the Palestinian people and get away with it. (The National)
Barak Ravid [33] says Netanyahu has shown his rightist colors with the latest policy flip-flop towards the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)
Nahum Barnea [34] says it's legitimate to reveal the gap between Netanyahu's rhetoric and the major concessions he offered the Palestinians. (Ynet)
J.J. Goldberg looks at why Netanyahu nixed the two-state solution. (The Forward)
Rami Khouri [35] says the recommendation by the PCC to suspend security coordination with Israel illustrates the broken relationship between Palestinians and Israelis. (Daily Star)
Adnan Abu Amer [36] says Hamas is discussing steps it could take if Egypt decides to attack Gaza, as hinted by the Egyptian army. (Al-Monitor)
Amira Hass [37] looks at the Palestinian boycotts of Israeli products and the broader impact. (Ha’aretz)
Gideon Levy [38] says Israel’s Jews must vote for the Arab list. (Ha’aretz)
Zeev Sternhell [39] says if he wants to win, opposition leader Herzog must convince Israelis that peace and prosperity are intertwined. (Ha’aretz)
David Horovitz [40] interviews former finance minister Lapid. (Times of Israel)
Niv Gilboa [41] looks at how upscale Palestinian cuisine is flourishing in Israel. (Al-Monitor)
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed [42] says if Saudi Arabia accepts a solution by which Pres. Assad stays in power, it will have handed over Iraq, Syria and Lebanon to Iran. (Al Arabiya)
Peter Salisbury [43] asks if Yemen is becoming the next Syria. (Foreign Policy)
Faisal Al Yafai [44] says the language and ideas of political Islam have sidelined liberalism and secularism in the Middle East. (The National)
Amal Mousa [45] looks at how Islamism and political Islam have damaged Islam. (Asharq al-Awsat)