Daily News Issue Date: 
March 31, 2015
News: 

News:

The PA will become the 123rd member of the ICC on Wednesday. (Reuters/AFP)

Palestinians may have to wait for years for their day in court with Israel. (Reuters)

To an increasing number of Palestinians, Pres. Abbas is inextricably enmeshed with their broader problems. (New York Times)

The release of Palestinian tax revenues has been held up over a dispute regarding the size of the PA’s unpaid electric bill. (Times of Israel)

Displaced Gazans have begun to return to their damaged homes while they wait for promised aid to arrive. (AP)

Palestinian Deputy PM Mustafa who is overseeing Gaza reconstruction submits his resignation. (AP)

An Israeli NGO says it will file a complaint against Hamas with the US Department of Justice forfiring rockets against Ben-Gurion Airport during last summer's war. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Ynet)

Israeli forces demolish a home near Jerusalem's Old City. (Ma’an)

Some Jewish House Democrats call on Pres. Obama to tamp down the rhetoric against PM Netanyahu. (JTA)

Saudi led-airstrikes hit Houthi militia targets across Yemen overnight. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

Military experts say Saudi Arabia can easily afford its military intervention in Yemen and the cost is unlikely to limit the duration or scale of its operations. (Reuters)

Iraqi security forces seize government headquarters in the battle for Tikrit. (Reuters/AP/Washington Post)

The US and Kuwait pledge $1 billion towards easing Syria's humanitarian crisis. (Reuters/AP/The National)

Officials say the P5+1 and Iran will issue a general statement agreeing to continue talks in a new phase aimed at reaching a final agreement by the end of June. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Times of Israel)

FM Lavrov heads back to Lausanne for the P5+1 talks with Iran and says prospects for reaching a deal are “good.” (AP/Ha’aretz)

A poll indicates that the majority of Americans back a nuclear deal with Iran. (Washington Post)

An Israeli official says Iran is placing guided warheads on Hezbollah rockets. (Jerusalem Post)

Commentary:

Dennis Ross, Ghaith al-Omari and  David Makovsky say Netanyahu must offer up hope to Palestinians or face a revived de-legitimization movement.(Politico)

Raphael Ahren says the significance of Palestine’s ICC membership taking effect tomorrowdepends on the next steps by the political leaderships in Jerusalem and Ramallah. (Times of Israel)

Akiva Eldar asks if the Swiss employment plan will help rehabilitate Gaza. (Al-Monitor)

Rasha Abou Jalal says Rafah is in dire need of a central hospital. (Al-Monitor)

Ron Prosor says the UN has become a forum for “hypocrites,” in which repressive regimes single out Israel for “special punishment.” (New York Times)

Hussein Ibish looks at how the split of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood could herald a historic realignment of Islamist politics in the Middle East. (New York Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says establishing an Arab military force, funding it and leading it are complicated issues which require thinking about all future possibilities. (Al Arabiya)

The Washington Post says an Arab military force could compound the regions problems. (Washington Post)

Salman Aldossary calls on the GCC to unite on Yemen. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Micah Zenko says the US is at war in Yemen and does not want to admit it. (Foreign Policy)

Eugene Robinson says US policies in the Middle East are “inconsistent but wise.” (Washington Post)

The National says ignoring Syria is not an option. (The National)

Barak Ravid gives a primer on the P5+1 talks with Iran.  (Ha’aretz)


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