News:
Israel invites [1] bids to construct 77 new homes [2] in two settlements [3] in occupied East Jerusalem [4], drawing a swift Palestinian condemnation. [5] (Reuters/AFP/PNN/Jerusalem Post/The National)
The US says it will be hard to back Israel at the UN [6] if it steps back from the two-state solution. (Ha’aretz)
Israeli police officers [7] kill two Palestinian men [8] in the occupied territories. (New York Times/Ma’an)
Palestinian Chief Negotiator Erekat expresses skepticism about peace prospects [9] with the next Israeli government. (Ynet)
Hamas leader Ahmad Yousef [10] says there are "chats" taking place between the group and Israel [11]under European mediation. (Ma’an/Jerusalem Post)
A report indicates the amount of construction material that enters Gaza [12] for its reconstruction amounts to only 10 percent. (Ma’an)
The National looks at the water crisis in Gaza [13]. (The National)
Israel agrees to armed PA patrols [14] in towns close to Jerusalem. (Times of Israel)
150 Jewish high school students [15] will board the light rail in Jerusalem and converse in Arabic in a show of solidarity. (Times of Israel)
Israel says [16] it launched an airstrike [17] on its border [18] with Syria [19] after spotting militants [20] carrying a bomb in the Golan Heights [21]. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/JTA/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)
DM Ya’alon [22] says Iran continues [23] to arm Hezbollah [24]. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)
The Saudi-led coalition [25] targets Houthis [26] and rebel army units in central Yemen [27] and the capital Sanaa. (Reuters/New York Times/The National)
Yemen is struggling to import food [28] as the Saudi-led coalition navies hold up more ships. (Reuters)
A coalition of Islamist rebels [29] capture [30] an army base [31] in Syria’s Idlib province [32]. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National)
Pres. Assad’s hold on power [33] looks shakier than ever as rebels advance in Syria. (Washington Post)
Hundreds of Syrian rebels are approaching the start of US training [34] to fight against ISIS. (Reuters)
Sec. Kerry and FM Zarif [35] will meet at the opening of a UN conference [36] on the global anti-nuclear weapons treaty. (Reuters/AP)
Former Pres. George W. Bush [37] argues against the lifting of Iran sanctions [38]. (New York Times/Jerusalem Post)
Commentary:
Hussein Ibish [39] says attempts by the US congress to stop the BDS movement will further damage the peace process. (The National)
Elliott Abrams and Uri Sadot [40] look at the major implications for settlement expansion with a new Netanyahu government. (Foreign Affairs)
Uri Savir [41] looks at how Netanyahu uses settlements to block a Palestinian state. (Al-Monitor)
Asmaa al-Ghoul [42] says tensions are continuing to worsen within the Palestinian unity government over the issue of the Gaza employees. (Al-Monitor)
Rami Khouri [43] says the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is stalemated, and the existing policy responses by both sides have been exhausted. (Daily Star)
Talia Sasson [44] says Israel’s High Court is denying justice to Palestinian property owners. (Ha’aretz)
Alex Fishman [45] looks at Israel’s “secret cooperation” with Hamas. (Ynet)
Felice Friedson [46] looks at how Palestinian restrictions are eased with new Israeli permissions. (The Media Line)
Amos Harel [47] says Israel's north is “heating up” and Hezbollah leader Nasrallah will have the “final word.” (Ha’aretz)
Avi Issacharoff [48] says Hezbollah doesn’t want a large-scale conflict with Israel, but does want to deter the IDF from “crossing red lines.” (Times of Israel)
Theodore Karasik [49] looks at the challenges facing “Operation Restoring Hope” in Yemen. (The National)
Mohammed Fahad al-Harthi [50]asks if the US-GCC summit will strengthen ties. (Al Arabiya)
David Rothkopf [51] says the Middle East is “pivoting” to Asia. (Foreign Policy)
Jackson Diehl [52] says the US needs to support Middle East democracy. (Washington Post)
Elliott Abrams [53] says comparing Pres. Sisi to Chilean dictator Pinochet is wrong. (Washington Post)
John Kerry and Ernest Moniz [54] explain how to make sure Iran is a nuclear non-proliferator. (Foreign Policy)
Mohammad Ali Shabani [55] says the West must expand upon progress on nuclear issues with Iran to push for a wider dialogue on regional peace. (New York Times)
Soner Cagaptay, James Jeffrey and Medhi Khalaj [56] say Iran has had expansionist and imperial ambitions for centuries and a nuclear deal will not change that. (New York Times)
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