News:

PM Netanyahu stakes out tough positions for negotiations with Palestinians. (AP)

An Israeli newspaper reports negotiations are on the brink of collapse. (Xinhua)

British press reports say about €1 billion in aid to the Palestinians has been either "wasted" or lost to corruption. (PNN)

Israel says it has found tunnels running from Gaza into southern Israel, and destroyed them. (New York Times/AP/Times of Israel)

Israel says it's going to test new methods of arresting children after a damning UN report. (AFP)

30 settlers attack a Palestinian car near Nablus. (Ma'an)

Israel cancels the evacuation of 75 Palestinians from their homes in the Jordan Valley. (Ma'an)

A report is issued reiterating traces of polonium on articles of clothing belonging to the late Pres. Arafat, but Palestinian officials say there's nothing new revealed. (AFP/Xinhua)

Russian officials say they don't believe Arafat died from polonium poisoning. (Ha'aretz)

Nazareth is bracing for a hotly contested mayoral election. (Jerusalem Post)

Prices are soaring and the economy is collapsing in Gaza as the area's blockade intensifies. (The Guardian)

Tony Blair says he is optimistic about the economic plan for developing the occupied West Bank. (Financial Times)

The first Palestinian baby is born with sperm smuggled from a Palestinian prisoner held by Israel. (The Guardian)

10 Jewish men are arrested at a holy area in occupied East Jerusalem. (New York Times)

A US citizen is found dead in his Egyptian prison cell, causing alarm among other Americans in Egypt. (AP/BBC/The Media Line)

New negotiations begin between Iran, which presents a proposal, and the West on nuclear issues. (Ha'aretz)

Israel says it is opposed to a "partial deal" with Iran. (New York Times)

Israel asks Europe for support regarding Iran and urges no easing of sanctions. (AP/Xinhua/Los Angeles Times)

Israel conducts a massive Air Force drill. (Times of Israel)

Archaeology in Jerusalem and beyond continues to attract historic and religious controversy. (Christian Science Monitor)

A bomb is found in a Hezbollah stronghold in Lebanon. (Jerusalem Post)

A new Pew study finds broader criticism of Israel has entered the Jewish mainstream. (The Forward)

The new Palestinian nonprofit hybrid "Visualizing Palestine" unites activism and entrepreneurship. (Wamda)


Commentary:

Roger Cohen says there is a brighter future for the Middle East, as long as it can break from past attitudes. (New York Times)

Shimon Shiffer says PM Netanyahu's hard-line positions are leading to a bloody dead-end. (YNet)

J.J. Goldberg asks if Netanyahu's positions on Jerusalem are actually softening. (The Forward)

Hassan Barari says Netanyahu is becoming increasingly isolated. (Jordan Times)

Qadura Fares says Netanyahu's "extreme positions" are intensifying hopelessness and frustration among Palestinians. (Al Monitor)

Yuval Steinitz claims "Palestinian hate" is preventing Israeli-Palestinian peace. (New York Times)

Bruce Stokes asks if Jewish Americans think Israeli-Palestinian peace is possible. (Foreign Policy)

Mona Chalabi looks at how Palestine's economy functions under occupation. (The Guardian)

Emily Harris looks at how Palestinians are dealing with Israel's separation barrier. (NPR)

Richard Forer says compassion is essential to peace. (Ma'an)

Mazal Mualem says Israelis have lost interest in peace talks since the murder of the late PM Rabin. (Al Monitor)

Yair Tzaban says anti-democratic legislation pending in the Knesset must be blocked. (YNet)

Jane Arraf asks if Syrian refugees will transform or threaten Jordan's economy. (Christian Science Monitor)

Bradley Burston says that the Jewish students at UC Berkeley need to be open to different points of view. (Ha'aretz)

Salman Masalha says Pres. Assad will never willingly relinquish power. (Ha'aretz)

Hussein Ibish looks at the unfolding process of state fragmentation in Syria. (The National)

Jenny Cuffe looks at British "Jihadists" fighting in Syria. (BBC)

Asharq Al-Awsat interviews the head of the Syrian National Coalition, Ahmad Tomeh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Barak Barfi says the United States needs to identify and promote a plausible alternative Syrian leader. (Jordan Times)

Diana Moukalled asks why Hezbollah is remaining silent about a video apparently showing it killing wounded Syrian prisoners. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Khalaf Al Habtoor says Gulf states need to unite against the possibility of a US-Iranian rapprochement. (Gulf News)

Mohammad Salah says the new Egyptian government should appoint people based on qualifications, not an anti-MB quota. (Al Hayat)

Matt Surrusco talks with Palestinian film director Hany Abu-Assad about his new movie "Omar." (The Indypendent)