News:
Pres. Obama says a “big overarching deal” [1] between Israel and Palestinians is not possible in the next year. (Ha’aretz)
Pope Francis [2] praises Pres. Abbas [3] as an “angel of peace [4]” during a meeting at the Vatican. (AP/AFP/JTA)
Pope Francis [5] canonizes [6] two nuns [7] from 19th century Palestine [8]. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/The Media Line)
Palestinian FM al-Maliki says he asked the ICC to set a date for submitting the case files [9] pertaining to the settlements and war crimes lawsuits against Israel. (PNN)
A Likud source reportedly says the defense minister will decide on settlement construction. [10](Ha’aretz)
Extremist Jewish settlers uproot [11] hundreds of olive saplings [12] n the Palestinian town of al-Shuyoukh in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an/PNN)
Israeli nationalists [13] and police clash with Palestinians [14] in occupied East Jerusalem [15] as crowds of [16]Jewish hardliners march [17] across the city to mark the 48th anniversary of its capture [18]. (AFP/New York Times/PNN/JTA/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)
Jordanian Commerce Minister al-Alion meets with PM Hamdallah [19] to discuss Palestinian-Jordanian economic relations. (Ma’an)
Israeli navy forces open fire [20] at Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Gaza [21]. (Ma’an/PNN)
A historic bathhouse [22] offers Palestinians respite from Gaza’s hardships.(AP)
Shi’ite militias [23] are preparing to deploy en masse [24] to Iraq’s western province of Anbar after ISIS militants take over Ramadi [25]. (Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post)
Oil prices rise [26] after ISIS militants seize control of the key city of Ramadi. (Reuters)
The Saudi-led coalition [27] resumes airstrikes [28] against Yemen’s Houthis in Aden [29] overnight. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)
Sec. Kerry says Houthi movements make a Yemen ceasefire [30] “difficult.”(Reuters)
An Iranian cargo ship [31] carrying aid and activists crosses into the Gulf of Aden [32]. (Reuters/The National)
An Egyptian court sentences former Pres. Morsi [33] to death. (New York Times)
Commentary:
The National [34] says the Vatican’s recognition of a Palestinian state will boost the prospect of a two-state solution. (The National)
Rami Khouri [35] says the lack of resolution on the Palestine issue has contributed to the dire condition of the Arab world today, and wider regional tensions with Israel. (Daily Star)
Sharif Nashashibi [36] says remembering the Nakba is a collective duty. (Al Arabiya)
Ha’aretz [37] says Israeli opposition must raise its voice and pose alternative to the government's “iron wall” facing the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)
The Washington Post profiles Palestinian official Nabil Shaath [38]. (Washington Post)
Gideon Levy [39] says Israel’s suspension from FIFA could be a game changer. (Ha’aretz)
Uri Savir [40] interviews Palestinian university students on the occupation and corruption. (Al-Monitor)
Avi Issacharoff and Ziv Koren [41] say residents of Bethlehem care more about making a living than starting an intifada, but some fear rampant unemployment could change that. (Times of Israel)
Mohammed Othman [42] says difficult living conditions and lack of funding or royalties have discouraged Gaza's novelists. (Al-Monitor)
Hussein Ibish [43] says the US-GCC talks at Camp David have been promising but the real progress will occur in the conversation to follow. (The National)
The New York Times [44] says the recent Camp David summit reflects sharp and persistent differences over a deal intended to curb Iran’s nuclear program. (New York Times)
Muath al Wari [45] says the US must clarify its intentions in the region. (The National)
Dov Zakheim [46] says Obama has brought Arabs and Israelis together — out of distrust of the US. (Foreign Policy)
Front Page Features