News:

The US and the EU call on Israel to reverse its appropriation of West Bank land. (JTA)

Sec. Kerry calls PM Netanyahu to protest land appropriation. (Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Peace Now says Israel’s land appropriation is intended to consolidate control over the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz)

Kerry willl meet with Palestinian negotiators. (AFP)

A delegation from the Arab League will visit Gaza. (Ma’an)

An Egyptian official says no date has been set for renewed Gaza ceasefire talks. (Ma’an)

Palestinians are considering new international initiatives. (New York Times)

Pres. Abbas reportedly accused Hamas leader Meshaal of scheming to overthrow him in a meeting in Qatar. (Ha’aretz)

The New York Times looks at the significance of the Erez crossing. (New York Times)

Palestinians in Gaza demand the right of passage to the West Bank. (Ha’aretz)

The Israeli navy detains two Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Gaza. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces demolish a house and a water well in Hebron. (Ma’an)

The Washington Post looks at what happened this summer to the Abu Khdeir’s  Palestinian-American family. (Washington Post)

John Edwin Mroz, an American official negotiating with the PLO, dies at 66. (New York Times)

Israel signs a 15-year natural gas deal with Jordan. (Ha’aretz)

Pres. Obama has ordered an increase of 350 troops in Baghdad to protect the US embassy. (Reuters/AP)

Australian PM Abbott does not rule out sending combat troops in Iraq. (Reuters)

Human Right Watch says IS militants killed 770 Iraqi troops in June. (AP)

A Yazidi girl tells the story of her escape from IS kidnappers. (Reuters)

Pope Francis tells Iraqi Christians that they are the "heart" of the church. (AP)

IS extremists release a video purportedly showing the beheading of a second American journalist,Steven Sotloff. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National)

Syrian government forces escalate their assault on a rebel-held district in Damascus. (Reuters/The National)

Commentary:

Rami Khouri looks at Abbas’ new international initiative. (Daily Star)

Osama Al Sharif says Hamas and Abbas are already fighting. (Jordan Times)

Shlomi Eldar says Abbas needs Hamas. (Al-Monitor)

Ron Kampeas says the Obama administration is retreating from Middle East peace endeavors. (JTA)

David Horovitz says there are no “quick fixes” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Times of Israel)

Eric Yoffie says Israel’s land appropriation is “foolish, ill-timed and self-destructive.” (Ha’aretz)

Hussein Ibish says IS is trying to raise a loyal generation of citizens of its “caliphate” through endoctrination and brainwashing. (Now)

Thomas Friedman says to defeat ISIS you have to address the context out of which it emerged. (New York Times)

Shane Harris and Kate Brannen say Sotloff’s murder proves that IS isn’t interested in negotiating. (Foreign Policy)

Amos Yadlin says IS is not an existential threat to Israel. (Ynet)

Mshari Al-Zaydi says Egypt is now free to play its natural role as the leading Arab country once more. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Mohammed Fahad al-Harthi says the government priorities of the Arab world should shift toward a development-based agenda. (Al Arabiya)