The White House says Speaker Boehner’s invitation for PM Netanyahu to come to Washington is a breach of diplomatic protocol. (AP/New York Times/AFP/Ha’aretz)

Sec. Kerry says Netanyahu is welcome to speak in the US “at any time.” (Ha’aretz)

Israel’s Foreign Ministry says its unaware of any planned visit by Pres. Putin next month, rebuffing reports in Palestinian media. (Times of Israel) 

Egypt releases 45 Palestinians from Gaza imprisoned after trying to flee to Europe. (Ma’an) 

Egypt prepares to ship humanitarian aid from the UAE to Gaza. (Ma’an)

Hamas military chief Deif sends a letter of condolence to Hezbollah leader Nasrallah. (Ma’an/Times of Israel/Ynet)

The UN is holding its first-ever meeting on anti-Semitism. (Ha’aretz)

A senior British official says the US-led coalition could take up to two years to expel ISIS from Iraq. (Reuters)

ISIS is turning the captured Iraqi city of Mosul into a fortress. (Reuters)

Iraq’s Kurds say ISIS has been pushed out of a large area of northern Iraq. (Washington Post)

Japan says it is considering all options to release the two hostages held by ISIS. (AP/New York Times)

Pres. Sisi calls on world leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum to unite against the global threat of terrorism. (Reuters)

Heavily armed Houthis remain stationed outside Yemen’s presidential palace, despite an agreement. (AP/Reuters/New York Times)

The New York Times profiles the Houthis. (New York Times)

Amnesty International says Saudi Arabia plans to once again delay the public flogging of rights activist Raif Badawi on medical grounds. (Reuters/Washington Post)

Mossad Chief Tamir Pardo denies reports he opposes new sanctions on Iran. (Ha’aretz/JTA/Jerusalem Post)

Commentary:

Barak Ravid looks at how Netanyahu’s trip to Washington was “cooked up behind Pres. Obama’s back.” (Ha’aretz)

Ron Kampeas looks at the different reactions to Boehner’s “surprise invitation.” (JTA)

Aaron David Miller looks at why Boehner invited Netanyahu without consulting the White House. (Daily Beast)

The Jerusalem Post interviews former Israeli chief negotiator and opposition leaderLivni. (Jerusalem Post)

George Hishmeh says if the US will not restrain Israel it cannot complain about Palestinian initiatives at the UN and ICC. (Gulf News)

Linda Gradstein asks if the EU can help solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (The Media Line)

Mohammed Othman looks at Gaza’s “brain drain.” (Al-Monitor)

Ari Shavit says Israel can no longer isolate itself from the Arab world. (Ha’aretz)

Alan Philps says, like it or not, Pres. Assad will be part of Syria’s future. (The National)

Michael Young says America’s Syria policy is bound to fail. (Daily Star)

Jayne Huckerby asks why the West ignores the role women play in extremist groups like ISIS. (New York Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed looks at how the threat of extremism has become not just a Saudi, but a global problem. (Al Arabiya)

Joyce Karam says Obama’s State of the Union speech made his unwillingness to be drawn into Middle East conflicts very clear. (Al Arabiya)

Laurent Fabius, Philip Hammond, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Federica Mogheriniexplain why negotiations with Iran were extended and why diplomacy should be given a chance. (Washington Post) 

Aaron David Miller says Obama’s push to build a “legacy relationship” with Iran is only going to end in “heartache.” (Foreign Policy)

Hussein Ibish says Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has provided a timely demonstration of real Islamophobia with his “no-go zones” fabrications. (NOW)

News:

Pres. Abbas tells the Israeli public to choose between peace and settlements. (Jerusalem Post)

Palestinian citizens of Israel stage a general strike to protest police violence. (Reuters/AFP/The National)

A Palestinian official says the government has paid only partial salaries to its civil servants. (AP)

Sen. Graham says Palestinians will lose annual US aid if they file a complaint against Israel at the ICC. (Reuters)

A German official urges Israel to work with the ICC. (AP)

Canadian FM Baird says Palestinians made a “huge mistake” by trying to join the ICC. (AP)

Arsonists torch a car belonging to Palestinian Prof. Dajani, who led the first organized group trip of Palestinian university students to Auschwitz. (Ha’aretz)

Israeli occupation forces demolish a house in the al-Isawiya neighborhood in East Jerusalem. (Ma’an/PNN)

The EU calls for an anti-terror alliance with Arab countries to boost cooperation and information-sharing in the wake of the Paris attacks. (AP/The National)

ISIS threatens to kill two Japanese hostages. (AP/New York Times/JTA)

Yazidis freed by ISIS enjoy a bittersweet homecoming. (Reuters)

An Iranian general killed in an Israeli airstrike in Syria was reportedly not its intended target. (Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post)

Iranian officials threaten “harsh retaliation” against Israel over airstrikes, as Ayatollah Khamenei highlights his personal connection with one of the dead. (Times of Israel/Ha’aretz/Ynet)

American interest in Syrian peace talks suggests to some a change in policy towards Pres. Assad. (New York Times)

Pres. Sisi says Egyptians have the right to demonstrate, but warns of economic harm. (Reuters/The National)

Russia and Iran sign an agreement to expand military ties. (AP)

Commentary:

Rami Khouri says the Quartet must achieve an Israeli-Palestinian agreement that meets the needs of both sides. (Daily Star)

Aaron Magid looks at the current crisis in US-Palestinian relations. (Ha’aretz)

Raphael Ahren says Israel’s anger at an ICC’s preliminary investigation is political posturing. (Times of Israel)

Akiva Eldar says PM Netanyahu is making the ICC a campaign issue. (Al-Monitor)

Aeyal Gross says an ICC inquiry is a “game changer” for Israel. (Ha’aretz)

Ha’aretz says the Palestinian ICC initiative was not preordained. (Ha’aretz)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says the fact that many Arabs now dislike Iran and Hezbollah doesn’t mean they love Israel. (Al Arabiya)

Joyce Karam asks if Hezbollah and Israel are on the verge of an “open war.” (Al Arabiya)

Avi Issacharoff looks at Israel’s recent attack in the Syrian Golan Heights. (Times of Israel)

JTA interviews former Pres. Peres. (JTA)

Abdallah Schleifer says Muslims are the inevitable victims of terror and we must fight that terrorism in every way imaginable. (FPRI)

Hussein Ibish says the American strategy in the campaign against ISIS, particularly in Syria, is reaching a crisis point. (The National)

The National says Egypt’s economic restoration project is too big to fail. (The National)