NEWS:

At least 31 Palestinians are among the dead in an alleged chemical attack by Syrian government forces. (Ma'an/Ynet)

Pres. Assad warns the US against any intervention in Syria. (New York Times)

Israel urges American leaders to respond to Syrian "crimes." (AP)

Israelis do not believe they will be attacked if there is a US-led campaign against Syrian targets. (Times of Israel)

Under threat of further attacks, Hezbollah has turned its main neighborhood in Beirut into a fortress. (Christian Science Monitor)

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah are also increasing. (The Media Line)

Three Palestinians are killed by Israeli occupation forces in a raid on a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. (New York Times/AP/Reuters)

Palestinian negotiators say they have suspended Monday's meetings in protest of the killings. (Xinhua/Ma'an)

The PA condemns and calls for an inquiry into the Qalandia killings. (Xinhua/Ma'an)

Thousands attend funerals for the victims of the Qalandia killings. (Ma'an)

Pres. Abbas insists Palestinians want to achieve peace through negotiations. (Ma'an)

Israel's Housing Minister Ariel declares there will never be a two-state solution. (Jerusalem Post)

Hamas says it will invite other factions to participate in ruling Gaza. (Xinhua)

Israel insists it's pressing forward with 1,500 settlement housing units in occupied East Jerusalem. (AP)

Egypt's FM Fahmi meets with Abbas in Ramallah, and expresses strong ties with Palestine. (Ma'an/Wafa)

Egypt reopens the Gaza border crossing after five days of closure. (New York Times/AP)

B’Tselem collects reports on torture and abuse against Palestinians by Israeli forces. (PNN)

Tel Aviv has introduced racially segregated kindergartens for African migrants. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Jewish-Muslim dialogue is growing around the world. (Times of Israel)

Hamas and Fatah crack down on each other in the West Bank and Gaza, respectively. (Al Monitor)

Palestinians pioneer sign language banking. (Al Monitor)


COMMENTARY:

Hussein Ibish says the US remains the most important player in the Middle East, despite self-doubts, and should lead. (The National)

Shaul Arieli says both Israelis and Palestinians have to prepare for the potential for negotiations to fail. (Ha'aretz)

Amos Harel says Israel must prepare for the consequences of US strikes against Syria. (Ha'aretz)

Mitch Ginsburg says it is in Israel's interest that Assad not prevail. (Times of Israel)

Oudeh Basharat says talk of Israel being a "Jewish state" boils down to anti-Arab racism. (Ha'aretz)

Leonard Fein says justice demands a boycott of the Israeli settlement of Ariel in the occupied West Bank. (The Forward)

Dmitry Shumsky says Israel is undermining its national project by castigating various minorities as inferior. (Ha'aretz)

Mostafa Zein says Pres. Obama is trapped between pragmatism and idealism in the Middle East. (Al Hayat)

Ibrahim Al-Othaimain says Israeli-Iranian relations are driven by interests, not ideology. (Arab News)

Dominique Moisi says Israel is the "unlikely winner" from the Arab uprisings. (The Daily Star)

Ben Caspit thinks UNSG Ban's Middle East visit shows the West's waning influence in the region. (Al Monitor)

India Stoughton looks at a new book on the Palestinian side of Israel's West Bank separation barrier. (The Daily Star)