News:

Palestinians are seen to be gaining momentum in their quest for statehood. (New York Times)

The ICC says Palestinian officials have acknowledged the court's jurisdiction regarding last summer's Gaza war. (AFP)

The US is considering cutting aid to the PA over recent PLO moves. (AP)

Pres. Rivlin says he is opposed to Israel withholding Palestinian tax revenues in response to multilateral PLO initiatives. (AFP/Xinhua)

The US also strongly criticizes Israel's withholding of Palestinian tax revenues. (Ha'aretz)

Hamas denies reports that its leader, Khaled Meshaal, has been expelled from Qatar, but Israel welcomes the report. (Reuters/Times of Israel/Ha'aretz)

Hamas says it is opposed to Arabs and Muslims visiting Jerusalem. (Xinhua)

Hamas says it is "totally opposed" to any new Palestinian UN bid. (AFP)

Israel sentences a Hamas member to life imprisonment for the killing of three Israeli teenagers last summer. (BBC)

Israeli occupation forces shoot and injure a Palestinian teenager in a West Bank raid. (Ma'an)

Israel's military is divided over probes into last summer's Gaza war. (AP)

Palestinians eagerly await the performance of their Cinderella national soccer team at Asian Cup 2015. (The Guardian)

Japan and Israel are establishing closer ties. (JTA)

Hezbollah appears to acknowledge that a top official has been found to be spying for Israel. (New York Times/Times of Israel)

Clashes with ISIS extremists kill 23 government troops and allied forces in Iraq. (AP)

Kurdish fighters seize a key district in the embattled Syrian town of Kobane. (BBC)

A senior ISIS extremist is found beheaded by unknown assailants in Syria. (Ha'aretz)

Thousands of Syrians in Aleppo are trapped between ISIS and regime forces. (CNN)

There are growing signs of ISIS misrule and incompetence in the areas under its control. (Financial Times/Daily Beast)

Doctors say the West's focus on ISIS means it is ignoring the human tragedy in Syria. (Reuters)

Gunmen kill two Egyptian policeman guarding a Christian church. (AP)

France says it is ready to strike extremists on Libya's borders. (AP)

A Jordanian prince is trying to unseat FIFA chief Sepp Blatter. (AP)

Shiite rebels in Yemen are reportedly helping Sunni Al Qaeda militants. (Christian Science Monitor)


Commentary:

Peter Beinart responds to Dennis Ross's critique of Palestinian moves at the UN and the ICC. (Ha'aretz)

David Makovsky looks at the policy implications of the Palestinian ICC initiative. (WINEP)

Nehemia Shtrasler says Israel will pay the price for PM Netanyahu's 'management' of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. (Ha'aretz)

Adnan Abu Amer says Hamas is divided over a potential rapprochement with former Fatah leader Dahlan. (Al Monitor)

Ali Ibrahim welcomes a well-timed appeal for Jerusalem from the head of the OIC. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Amiram Barkat says Christians in Jerusalem want Jews to stop spitting on them. (Ha'aretz)

Abdulrahman Al-Rashed asks if relations can improve between Iran and Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Salman Aldossary says Saudi Arabia will not save Iran's economy. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Madawi Al-Rasheed asks if the next Saudi King will seize the opportunity for change. (Al Monitor)

The CSM says Arab and Turkish hospitality to Syrian refugees is an example to the West. (Christian Science Monitor)

The New York Times denounces Egypt's crackdown on gay men. (New York Times)

Mohamed Fadel Fahmy says Al Jazeera journalists are not Egypt's enemies. (New York Times)

The BBC looks at why ISIS' "Islamic State" is not a country at all. (BBC)

Gopal Ratnam asks what comes after ISIS is defeated. (Foreign Policy)

Rasha Al Aqeedi says Mosul was on its way to being much more conservative long before ISIS took over. (The National)

Michael Karam remembers legendary Lebanese wine-maker Serge Hochar. (The Daily Star)