News:
The PA will become [1] the 123rd member of the ICC [2] on Wednesday. (Reuters/AFP)
Palestinians may have to wait for years [3] for their day in court with Israel. (Reuters)
To an increasing number of Palestinians, Pres. Abbas is inextricably enmeshed [4] with their broader problems. (New York Times)
The release of Palestinian tax revenues [5] has been held up over a dispute regarding the size of the PA’s unpaid electric bill. (Times of Israel)
Displaced Gazans have begun to return to their damaged homes [6] while they wait for promised aid to arrive. (AP)
Palestinian Deputy PM Mustafa [7] who is overseeing Gaza reconstruction submits his resignation. (AP)
An Israeli NGO [8] says it will file a complaint against Hamas [9] with the US Department of Justice forfiring rockets against Ben-Gurion Airport [10] during last summer's war. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Ynet)
Israeli forces demolish [11] a home near Jerusalem's Old City. (Ma’an)
Some Jewish House Democrats call on Pres. Obama [12] to tamp down the rhetoric against PM Netanyahu. (JTA)
Saudi led-airstrikes [13] hit Houthi militia targets [14] across Yemen [15] overnight. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)
Military experts say Saudi Arabia can easily afford its military intervention in Yemen [16] and the cost is unlikely to limit the duration or scale of its operations. (Reuters)
Iraqi security forces [17] seize government headquarters [18] in the battle for Tikrit. [19] (Reuters/AP/Washington Post)
The US and Kuwait [20] pledge $1 billion [21] towards easing Syria's humanitarian crisis [22]. (Reuters/AP/The National)
Officials say the P5+1 and Iran [23] will issue a general statement [24] agreeing to continue talks [25] in a new phase aimed at reaching [26] a final agreement by the end of June. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Times of Israel)
FM Lavrov heads back to Lausanne [27] for the P5+1 talks with Iran and says prospects for reaching a deal are “good.” [28] (AP/Ha’aretz)
A poll indicates that the majority of Americans back a nuclear deal with Iran [29]. (Washington Post)
An Israeli official says Iran is placing guided warheads on Hezbollah rockets [30]. (Jerusalem Post)
Commentary:
Dennis Ross, Ghaith al-Omari and David Makovsky [31] say Netanyahu must offer up hope to Palestinians or face a revived de-legitimization movement.(Politico)
Raphael Ahren [32] says the significance of Palestine’s ICC membership taking effect tomorrowdepends on the next steps by the political leaderships in Jerusalem and Ramallah. (Times of Israel)
Akiva Eldar [33] asks if the Swiss employment plan will help rehabilitate Gaza. (Al-Monitor)
Rasha Abou Jalal [34] says Rafah is in dire need of a central hospital. (Al-Monitor)
Ron Prosor [35] says the UN has become a forum for “hypocrites,” in which repressive regimes single out Israel for “special punishment.” (New York Times)
Hussein Ibish [36] looks at how the split of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood could herald a historic realignment of Islamist politics in the Middle East. (New York Times)
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed [37] says establishing an Arab military force, funding it and leading it are complicated issues which require thinking about all future possibilities. (Al Arabiya)
The Washington Post [38] says an Arab military force could compound the regions problems. (Washington Post)
Salman Aldossary [39] calls on the GCC to unite on Yemen. (Asharq al-Awsat)
Micah Zenko [40] says the US is at war in Yemen and does not want to admit it. (Foreign Policy)
Eugene Robinson [41] says US policies in the Middle East are “inconsistent but wise.” (Washington Post)
The National [42] says ignoring Syria is not an option. (The National)
Barak Ravid [43] gives a primer on the P5+1 talks with Iran. (Ha’aretz)
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