News:
Israeli occupation forces [1] arrest 29 Palestinians [2] suspected of links to Hamas [3] in an overnight raid [4] in the West Bank. (AP/Ma’an/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)
Hamas says the unity government [5] should commit to previously agreed-to understandings regarding salaries of civil servants. (Ma’an)
A Palestinian activist says local fighters in Yarmouk [6] have advanced in clashes with ISIS. (AP)
Vandals attack a Christian graveyard [7] in a village near Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. (AFP)
The UN says Gaza's Deir al-Balah refugee camp [8] is to receive $40 million in funding. (Ma’an)
The first Palestinian business conference [9] will take place in May. (Ma’an)
PM Netanyahu and opposition leader Herzog [10] reportedly hold a secret meeting over unity government. (JTA)
A White House entry log [11] show Amb. Dermer is cut off from Pres. Obama’s staff. (Ha’aretz)
ISIS seizes [12] villages in Iraq’s Anbar province [13]. (Reuters/AP)
A bomb in north Egypt kills [14] two military academy students. (Reuters)
Egypt and Saudi Arabia [15] are considering whether to hold joint military exercises in the kingdom. (AP)
The UNSC bans [16] the sales of arms to Houthis [17] in Yemen. (New York Times/Washington Post)
Sec. Kerry says [18] he is confident Obama [19] will be able to get Congress to approve a nuclear deal with Iran. (Reuters/AP)
Iran says [20] it would only accept a deal if world powers simultaneously lifted all sanctions [21] imposed on it. (Reuters/Washington Post)
Israeli Intelligence Minister Steinitz [22] says he is pleased at a compromise deal [23]on Iran achieved [24]between Congress and the Obama administration [25]. (Reuters/New York Times/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)
Commentary:
Charles Fromm [26] says as long as accountability continues to elude decision-makers, Gaza’s agony will persist. (The National)
Adnan Abu Amer [27] says Hamas is warily eyeing proposals for a long-term truce with Israel. (Al-Monitor)
The New York Times [28] says the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has created potentially dangerous uncertainties by approving a bill that would require Congress to vote on any final nuclear deal with Iran. (New York Times)
Gordon Adams [29] says strikingly, Obama’s foreign-policy priorities have been both similar and consistent to those of former Pres. Bush. (Foreign Policy)
Vali Nasr [30] says Saudi Arabia should welcome the Iran deal. (New York Times)
Aaron David Miller [31] says the Arab world is a mess and its leaders don’t appear ready to assume much responsibility for fixing it. (Foreign Policy)
Rami Khouri [32] looks at PM al-Abadi’s recent visit to Washington. (Daily Star)
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