NEWS:

On the 20th anniversary of the Oslo agreements, many now see them as largely hollow. (AP/Los Angeles Times/France 24)

Some see both negative and positive effects from the agreements. (Xinhua/Deutsche Welle)

Israelis are divided over the legacy of the agreements. (Jerusalem Post)

A new Palestinian report says denial of water rights has become "a permanent fixture" following the Oslo agreements. (PNN)

A former senior Israeli government official says 100,000 settlers must be evacuated for a two-state solution. (PNN)

Israel and the EU are unlikely to reach an agreement on the occupation guidelines before November. (Jerusalem Post)

Egypt is accusing Hamas of training terrorists to conduct bomb attacks, and Hamas denies the accusations. (Reuters/BBC)

Egypt is continuing to expand its offensive against extremists in Sinai. (AP)

Hamas denies that Egyptian tanks entered Gaza. (Times of Israel)

Saudi Arabia is reportedly increasing weapons shipments to Syrian rebels. (New York Times)

Israelis are divided over the best course to take in Syria. (Washington Post)

Sec. Kerry will meet with PM Netanyahu to discuss Syria and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. (AP)

The Syrian government may be moving quickly to hide its WMD stockpiles. (Wall Street Journal)

Human Rights Watch accuses the Syrian government of mass murder of more than 248 Sunnis in coastal towns in May. (AP/Times of Israel)

Israel expresses skepticism about Iran's new president, as he seeks to begin outreach to the worldthrough the UN. (AP)

Israel prepares for Yom Kippur. (AP)

Israel and the United States are continuing to develop the Arrow antimissile system. (YNet)

Israel denies spying on Americans after the latest NSA leak. (Jerusalem Post)

Al Jazeera is taking legal action against the Egyptian government. (AP)

Newly revealed Israeli documents suggest a hitherto unknown degree of cooperation between Jordan and Israel in 1973. (Ha'aretz/Times of Israel)

A Jordan-based MIT startup aims to help people in the developing world build savings. (Christian Science Monitor)

The BBC profiles the Druze community in Israel. (BBC)

Kosovo is asking Jewish Americans to help pressure Israel to recognize the country. (JTA)

Israeli and Palestinian soccer federation leaders agree to a FIFA-brokered understanding. (Jewish Chronicle)

COMMENTARY:

Alan Elsner lists seven reasons to be optimistic about the new Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. (Christian Science Monitor)

The PLO issues a twenty-year retrospective document on the Oslo accords. (PLO)

Uri Dromi recalls the optimism of the initial Oslo agreement moments. (New York Times)

Uri Savir says the "Oslo mindset" is essential to achieving peace. (Jerusalem Post)

Avi Shlaim says there's no doubt that the Oslo agreements were sabotaged by "Netanyahu's bad faith." (The Guardian)

Ha'aretz says the anniversary of the 1973 war shows peace, not conflict, brings real security. (Ha'aretz)

Israel Harel says Israelis should stop thinking the 1973 war went badly for them. (Ha'aretz)

Brent Sasley looks at the implications of AIPAC's lobbying on Syria. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Richard Cohen asks why liberals aren't outraged about the carnage in Syria. (Washington Post)

Michael O'Hanlon says, rumors to the contrary, the US military is not unified in opposition to action in Syria. (Washington Post)

Nathan Guttman looks at divergent views on Syria between two Jewish-American members of Congress. (The Forward)

Randa Takieddine says Pres. Assad is lucky in both his allies and his opponents. (Al Hayat)

Eliot Cohen says any expression of "war weariness," including by Pres. Obama, is an "expression of weakness." (Washington Post)

John Diamond says, difficult as it may be, practicable models exist for destroying Syrian WMD. (Los Angeles Times)

Yousef Al-Dayni says the Syrian conflict presents both challenges and opportunities to the Arab states. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Hassan Haidar says the only real losers in Syria right now are the opposition. (Al Hayat)

Pascale El-Khoury asks if there is an "end of times" eschatology behind Hezbollah's intervention in Syria. (Al Monitor)

Husain Marhoon looks at possible connections between the future of Bahrain and the outcome of the Syrian conflict. (Al Monitor)

Alon Pinkas says Netanyahu is foolishly baiting Obama on Iran. (Ha'aretz)

The BBC looks at why Egypt has launched a major offensive against extremists in Sinai now. (BBC)

Osama Al Sharif says Egypt has made a lot of progress against the Sinai extremists, but much more is to be done. (Gulf News)

NEWS:

A new, leaked NSA document suggests the US shares raw intelligence data on American private citizens with Israel. (The Guardian)

In a new report, the IMF says the Palestinian economy is highly precarious. (AP)

A Palestinian man is wounded in a clash with Israeli occupation forces near Nablus. (Xinhua/Ma'an)

An Israeli court rejects claims of "incitement" against Palestinian officials. (Ma'an)

American delays in action in Syria seem to disappoint many Middle East allies. (Christian Science Monitor)

Israelis are beginning to plan on greater self-reliance following the postponement of US strikes on Syrian targets. (New York Times)

Israel says it will not ratify the Chemical Weapons Convention before its Arab neighbors. (Xinhua)

PM Netanyahu welcomes Russian proposals eliminating Syrian chemical weapons. (Xinhua)

Syrian rebels express outrage at the Russian proposal on Syrian chemical weapons. (AP/Reuters)

A perceived lack of alternatives to Pres. Assad may be driving US hesitancy on Syria. (AP)

Egypt steps up its campaign in Sinai after soldiers are killed by extremists. (New York Times/Ma'an)

New Egyptian restrictions are causing increased hardships on Palestinians in Gaza. (Reuters/Ahram Weekly)

Hamas is seeking to reduce tensions with Egypt. (Voice of America)

An Israeli Jerusalem court convicts three Palestinians of working for Hamas-related charities. (YNet)

There is no Arab representation in Israel's highest academic society. (Ha'aretz)

Palestinians demonstrate outside Al Jazeera's offices in Ramallah after a perceived insult to the late Pres. Arafat. (The Media Line)


COMMENTARY:

ATFP Pres. Ziad Asali looks at Israel and Palestine in their new regional context. (Huffington Post)

Ben Barber says Israeli-Palestinian peace talks hold promise. (Gulf Today)

Jacqueline Shoen says hopes for Palestinian national reconciliation are at an all-time low. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Hilik Bar says Israel and the Palestinians have an obligation to try again to achieve a peace agreement. (Jerusalem Post)

Aaron Magid says Sec. Kerry is wrong to pressure the EU to ease its new occupation guidelines. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Yaakov Dov Bleich says Israel can never be "too Jewish." (The Forward)

Pres. Putin warns Americans about the dangers of action in Syria. (New York Times)

Fareed Zakaria says Pres. Obama is giving diplomacy a chance. (Washington Post)

The LA Times says Obama is right to give diplomacy a chance, but should not wait long. (Los Angeles Times)

The New York Times says the US and Russia at last seem to be working on a common aim in Syria. (New York Times)

Nick Kristof says Obama's threat of force has produced a Russian and Syrian climbdown on chemical weapons. (New York Times)

George Hishmeh says Obama has now put the ball squarely in Putin's court. (Gulf News)

Michael Young says Russia has saved Assad, at least for the meanwhile. (The Daily Star)

Ben Caspit says senior Israelis are wondering how to interpret the American hesitancy on Syria. (Al Monitor)

Shmuel Rosner says Israel stands to lose from American hesitation on Syria. (Al Monitor)

Salman Shaikh says Obama will be haunted by his Syrian hesitancy for the rest of his presidency. (Foreign Policy)

Nathan Guttman looks at what he calls "deep divisions" in J Street on the question of Syria. (The Forward)

Linda Gradstein says Gulf states are starting to question American resolve on Iran. (The Media Line)

Gershon Baskin says intensified diplomacy or Syria ought to help the international community deal with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Jerusalem Post)

Abraham Rabinovich says, three years later, PM Meir realized how the 1973 war could've been avoided. (Times of Israel)

Hussein Shobokshi praises Arab satirists, especially Bassem Youssef and Nadim Koteich. (Asharq Al Awsat)

NEWS:

Pres. Obama says he's delaying any possible US military strike on Syrian targets. (New York Times)

Russia, Syria's biggest arms supplier, may be supplying even more new weapons to the Syrian government. (Daily Beast/Times of Israel)

Al Qaeda extremist rebels kill 12 Alawites in a captured village in Syria. (Reuters)

Egypt's military continues its broad offensive in Sinai, as suicide attacks kill nine soldiers. (AP)

Egypt destroys six more smuggling tunnels along the Gaza border, and again closes the crossing. (Ma'an/All Africa)

Egypt accuses Islamic Jihad of arms smuggling in Sinai. (Al Monitor)

Gaza shortages on almost all supplies are increasing as Egypt intensifies its crackdown on smuggling. (Los Angeles Times)

Israel closes the investigation into the 2009 killing of Palestinian activist Bassem Abu Rahmeh. (Xinhua/The Guardian)

The PA accuses settler extremists of torching olive fields near Nablus. (Ma'an)

Israel's right-wing housing minister Ariel visits the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Wednesday under Israeli police protection. (Ma'an)

Israeli forces demolish four Palestinian homes in a village near occupied East Jerusalem and prepare to demolish more. (PNN)

Israel will compensate the family of an Australian-Israel who died in jail after allegedly working as spy. (AP/Ha'aretz)

Israel's High Court indicates it wants to suspend the application in occupied East Jerusalem of a law allowing the confiscation of Palestinian property. (Ha'aretz)

Israel and the EU agree to keep discussing the new European occupation guidelines. (Jerusalem Post)

CNN proposes 10 things to bear in mind while visiting Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. (CNN)


COMMENTARY:

Thomas Friedman says US public reluctance on Syria shows US relationship with the Middle East has changed. (New York Times)

David Ignatius says Obama gave a war speech without actually announcing the use of force. (Washington Post)

Doyle McManus says Obama made the case for war, but would clearly rather avoid it. (Los Angeles Times)

Former Pres. Carter warns against a military strike in Syria. (Washington Post)

Rami Khouri says the US now has a possible alternative approach toward Syria. (The Daily Star)

Shmuel Rosner recalls the 1973 war as the "victory to end all victories" for Israel. (New York Times)

Zvi Bar'el looks at Israel's "cold peace" with Egypt. (Ha'aretz)

AFP says 20 years later, the Oslo agreements look like a "false dawn" for Middle East peace. (AFP)

Matthew Levitt looks at "Hezbollah's global footprint." (Jerusalem Post)

Linah Alsaafin says some other Palestinian activists have denounced the anti-Hamas "Tamarod" youth movement in Gaza. (Al Monitor)

Yuval Eylon says Israel should disarm its own nuclear arsenal. (YNet)

Ana Palacio says Europe has a historic opportunity to help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (The Daily Star)

Dan Goldenblatt says freedom of movement is the key to any Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. (Ha'aretz)

Shlomi Eldar says a recent Israeli High Court ruling breathes new life into the revival of the Israeli left. (Al Monitor)

Nadav Eyal says Israel has created its own form of "linkage": between peace and Iran's nuclear program. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

On Yom Kippur, Samer Badawi remembers his Palestinian mother. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Noted Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef eulogizes his own late mother. (Tahrir Squared)

NEWS:

Three more Palestinians are killed in the Syrian conflict. (Ma'an)

NPR profiles a Palestinian family that lost 11 members in an August 21 Syrian government chemical weapons attack. (National Public Radio)

A Russian news agency says Syria has accepted Russian proposals on chemical weapons designed to forestall American strikes. (Reuters)

France says it is drafting a UN Security Council resolution requiring Syria to give up its chemical weapons or face "serious consequences." (AP/Washington Post/BBC)

Israeli officials express skepticism over Syria's willingness to surrender chemical weapons. (AP)

Reports suggest the CIA believes Israel also acquired chemical weapons decades ago. (Foreign Policy/Jerusalem Post)

AIPAC is reportedly preparing to dispatch hundreds of members to Capitol Hill to lobby on behalf of Pres. Obama's request for authorization for the use of force in Syria. (New York Times)

The CSM looks at whether Israel is also lobbying Congress on Syria. (Christian Science Monitor)

Disputes over the 1967 border as a basis for talks are complicating Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. (New York Times)

The disputes might delay the next scheduled phase of Palestinian prisoner release. (Jerusalem Post)

DM Ya’alon denounces efforts to develop a Palestinian state and dismisses the idea of Arab democracy. (Times of Israel)

Egypt is continuing with a major offensive against armed groups in Sinai, reportedly killing nine militants. (AP)

The fuel crisis in Gaza is intensifying. (Gulf News)

Israeli extremists visit religious flashpoints in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma'an)

An Israeli court is set to rule today on whether a law allowing the confiscation of Palestinian propertyapplies in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma'an)

80 Jordanian MPs urge Arabs and Muslims to visit Jerusalem in solidarity with Palestinians. (Jordan Times)

Israeli health officials say the polio virus has been found in Jerusalem's sewers. (New York Times/YNet)

COMMENTARY:

Chemi Shalev says Pres. Assad could try to emulate Saddam Hussein by creating "linkage" with Israel. (Ha'aretz)

The New York Times says a proposal on Syrian chemical weapons could be a way out of an American strike. (New York Times)

Hussein Ibish says the proposal is unlikely to work but gives all parties more welcome strategic and political time. (NOW)

Yassin al-Haj Saleh says a "half-hearted" international intervention in Syria isn't enough. (New York Times)

Nahum Barnea says the Obama administration should entirely rethink its approach to Syria. (YNet)

Ha'aretz warns Israel against any perception of intervening in an American domestic debate about Syria. (Ha'aretz)

Ben Caspit says AIPAC shouldn't get involved in Syria lobbying either. (Al Monitor)

Amos Harel says Egyptian-Israeli relations are greatly strengthening despite regional tensions. (Ha'aretz)

Joshua Bloom says Israel should end its discriminatory policies against non-Jewish migrants and asylum-seekers. (Jerusalem Post)

Giles Fraser says the most dangerous wall between Israel and the Palestinians is in the Israeli mindset. (The Guardian)

Dalia Hatuqa says most Palestinians believe the new round of talks with Israel are "a doomed experiment." (Al Jazeera America)

Ian Pindar looks at a new book on the Palestinian citizens of Israel by historian Ilan Pappé. (The Guardian)

Akiva Eldar says Israelis have mixed feelings about Oslo, 20 years on. (Al Monitor)

Gershom Gorenberg looks at a recent Israeli court ruling that a right-wing group can't sue people for calling it "fascist." (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

NEWS:

Sec. Kerry says Israel and the Palestinians are determined to push forward with peace talks. (AFP)

Israel complains to the United States regarding alleged media 'leaks' on peace talks by Palestinian officials. (Ma'an/LA Times)

NEWS:

Hamas plays down increasing tensions with Egypt. (AFP)

Hamas arrests members of the youth group calling for its ouster from power in Gaza. (Xinhua)

Domestic violence against women is reportedly on the rise in Gaza. (Al Monitor)

Sec. Kerry is visiting Europe to discuss several Middle Eastern matters. (AP/Xinhua)

Pres. Abbas will meet with Kerry on Monday. (AFP/Jerusalem Post)

The G20 continues to be divided on Syria. (AFP)

Israel endorses limited American strikes against Syria. (New York Times)

Israelis mull the potential consequences of a potential US strike on Syria. (Christian Science Monitor)

The Pentagon is ordered to expand its list of potential targets in Syria. (New York Times)

AIPAC is reportedly lobbying heavily for Pres. Obama's request for authorization for force from Congress. (Politico)

Reports suggest Iranian proxies in Iraq may strike US targets if the US attacks Syria. (Ha'aretz)

More Israeli-Turkish reconciliation talks are reportedly underway. (YNet)

The ongoing fuel crisis in Gaza may cause a shutdown in its electrical plant. (Times of Israel)

Israel launches a new 24 hour TV news channel in Arabic, English and French. (The Forward)

Israel's mayor in Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, faces a tough reelection fight. (The Forward)

The St. Catherine's monastery in Sinai shuts down. (Al Monitor)

After a lengthy verification process, the UN has reduced its estimate of Palestinian refugees from Syria and Lebanon by half. (The Daily Star)

Several movies at the Venice Film Festival look at the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Reuters)

COMMENTARY:

Anne-Marie Slaughter says Israel and Palestine can be a stable island in a sea of regional disorder. (The Daily Star)

Inna Lazareva profiles a group of Israeli women who mediate between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians at checkpoints. (Al Monitor)

Ilene Prusher says Israel may be building the most political park in the world in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ha'aretz)

Hussein Ibish says the United States potentially faces a "Suez moment" of its own if it doesn't act in Syria. (The National)

Robert Scales explains why he thinks the Pentagon might not want an action in Syria. (Washington Post)

Nathan Guttman describes how the White House enlisted the support of Jewish American organizations for a strike on Syria. (The Forward)

A.B. Yehoshua looks at the perennial Israeli problem of defining "who is a Jew." (Ha'aretz)

David Horovitz defines nine challenges facing the Israeli military in the coming year. (Times of Israel)

Dov Maimon says Israel is drifting into a dangerous new level of Jewish tribalism. (The Forward)

Marwan Kabalan says Obama was smart to ask for approval for any strike on Syria. (Gulf News)

Noam Chomsky thinks Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are "a complete farce." (Salon)

NEWS:

Palestinian officials say Israel has proposed an interim agreement leaving dozens of settlements and military bases scattered throughout the West Bank. (AP/YNet)

Palestinian officials say Israel's proposal would leave it in control of at least 40% of the occupied West Bank. (Times of Israel)

Palestinian officials say the Israeli proposals are "unacceptable," and say they will not accept any"temporary solutions." (Ha'aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Palestinians complain Israel cannot be shifted from the sole topic of security in talks. (Xinhua)

Israel begins construction on 620 new settler housing units in occupied East Jerusalem. (PNN)

Israeli police arrest at least seven people following unrest at East Jerusalem holy sites. (Ha'aretz)

The World Bank transfers $72.2 million to the PA. (Ma’an)

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and its UN partners say about 1.6 million Palestinians suffer food insecurity. (PNN)

Hamas is reeling from Egypt's establishment of a Sinai-Gaza buffer zone. (Al Monitor)

Shortages in Gaza are intensifying as Egypt continues to clamp down on smuggling tunnels. (Xinhua)

One Egyptian soldier is killed and nine are wounded by extremists in Sinai. (Xinhua)

Egypt's Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim survives an attempted assassination bomb attack. (BBC)

Senior advisers to Pres. Obama recommend a suspension of aid to Egypt. (AP)

A Pentagon official warns cutting aid to Egypt could cost the US billions of dollars. (Jerusalem Post)

A Senate panel narrowly approves the use of American military force in Syria. (Los Angeles Times)

Syrian regime forces reportedly used large payloads of chemical weapons and cluster bombs. (New York Times)

Sec. Kerry says Arab states have offered to help pay for any Western intervention in Syria. (AFP)

The Pentagon may help arm Syrian rebels, instead of the CIA. (Times of Israel)

Many Jewish-American organizations are backing Obama on Syria, but are downplaying the "Israel angle." (JTA)

A former Syrian Defense Minister defects from the regime. (Reuters)

COMMENTARY:

David Ignatius says the Syrian war is reaching a turning point. (Washington Post)

Abdulkhaleq Abdulla says the GCC will back any American effective action in Syria. (Gulf News)

Michael Young says a very hard American hit that may signal the end of Pres. Assad is coming unless Russia can find a last-minute solution. (The Daily Star)

Jon Alterman says that if Obama doesn't get approval for action in Syria, Iran will no longer be interested in nuclear talks. (Al Monitor)

Nick Kristof says there's no point in calling for peace in the middle of a war. (New York Times)

The CSM says any American action in Syria should be proportionate and just. (Christian Science Monitor)

The Forward says the US needs to do "the right thing" and take action in Syria. (The Forward)

Aijaz Syed says international intervention is required in Syria. (Arab News)

Albert Hunt says Obama is haunted by his own redline in Syria. (New York Times)

Benny Morris says Obama's hesitation on Syria leaves many Israelis feeling he is unreliable. (Los Angeles Times)

Rajan Menon says preserving US credibility is no reason for military action in Syria. (Los Angeles Times)

Hagai Segal says history will mock Obama for his hesitation on Syria. (YNet)

Nathan Guttman says the White House pressed Jewish-American organizations to support it on Syria. (The Forward)

Eyad Abu Shakra explains the sectarian breakdown and dynamics in Syria. (Asharq Al Awsat)

James Denselow says bureaucracy and red tape are impeding aid to Syria's most vulnerable communities. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed thinks the prospects for a US-Russian understanding on Syria have improved. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Shmuel Rosner acknowledges that demographics and the occupation mean Israel must choose between being Jewish or democratic. (Al Monitor)

Diana Moukalled says Syria's plight is overshadowing Iraq's desperate cries for help. (Asharq Al Awsat)

David D'Arcy looks at a new movie about Palestinian identity, "Palestinian Stereo." (The National)

Yair Rosenberg says Peter Beinart's recent essay on Jewish lack of empathy with Palestinians doesn't acknowledge Palestinian reticence to reach out to Jews. (Tablet)

The Media Line profiles Maysoon Zayed and other edgy, young Palestinian comedians. (The Media Line)

NEWS:

A senior PLO official says negotiations with Israel seem "futile" and are "going nowhere." (Reuters)

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met again on Tuesday with no sign of progress. (Times of Israel)

Israel says settlement evacuations are not part of the ongoing negotiations. (Jerusalem Post)

A new UN report suggests Palestinians are losing about $300 million a year of their tax revenue to Israeli withholding. (The Guardian)

A new poll shows most Israelis are not concerned about their overall security situation. (Jerusalem Post)

Israeli occupation forces detain five people after disturbances at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound. (Ma'an)
 
Palestinians in the West Bank rally in support of the new Egyptian government. (Xinhua)

Jihadist unrest in Sinai is intensifying, amid a major Egyptian military offensive. (AP/Times of Israel)

Hamas dismisses any notion of an Egyptian strike in Gaza. (Jerusalem Post)

With the Egyptian crackdown on Gaza intensifying, Palestinian residents are increasingly turning to Israel for an outlet. (Times of Israel)

The Palestinian Tamarod group plans a mass protest against Hamas rule on November 11. (Al Monitor)

Palestinian women in Gaza are struggling to achieve greater divorce rights. (Al Monitor)

His attorneys say that Israel has released the country's leading Islamist, Raed Salah. (Ma'an)

Pres. Abbas cancels a Rosh Hashanah celebration with Israelis after Palestinian criticism and several MKs refused to attend. (Jerusalem Post)

Two more Palestinian refugees are reportedly killed in Syria. (Ma'an)

Pres. Obama secures bipartisan congressional leadership support for authorization for action in Syria. (AP/Los Angeles Times)
 
Many American pro-Israel groups are quietly backing US intervention in Syria. (Reuters)

In Senate testimony, Sec. Kerry allows for the possibility of some American "boots on the ground" in Syria, but quickly backtracks. (Reuters/AP)
 
France says international intervention in Syria would be intended to "rebalance" the situation there. (AP)

A U.S. Air Force commander warns that budget cutbacks may undermine the effectiveness of any action. (Ha'aretz)

The World Bank announces a major new solid waste management program for the occupied West Bank. (PNN)

Saudi Arabia has reportedly donated $200 million to Palestinian cities to preserve their Palestinian character. (Jerusalem Post)

FIFA chief Blatter plans to host the heads of the Israeli and Palestinian soccer federations to iron out differences. (AP)

Jewish and Israeli souvenirs are being increasingly sold by West Bank merchants to tourists. (The Media Line)


COMMENTARY:

AP interviews Israel's mayor in Jerusalem, Barkat, who says the city can never be divided. (AP)

AP interviews Russian Pres. Putin, who explains his position on Syria. (AP)

Thomas Friedman says the best response to Assad's use of chemical weapons is more arming and training of the FSA. (New York Times)

Michael Young says Obama has a "Greta Garbo" attitude towards the rest of the world, but Syria has forced his hand. (Wall Street Journal)

Roger Cohen says when redlines are delineated they must be enforced. (New York Times)

Jonathan Zimmerman says the US must be ready to act alone against Syria if necessary. (Christian Science Monitor)

Doyle McManus says the tussle over Syria is dangerous for Obama and Congress alike, but the debate must be had. (Los Angeles Times)

Tom Geoghegan looks at six techniques Obama is using to convince Congress. (BBC)

James Stavridis says NATO should help the US deal with Assad. (New York Times)

George Semaan has real doubts Obama can get it right in Syria. (Al Hayat)

Zvi Bar'el says it's because of the occupation that Israel is being asked to stay on the sidelines in Syria. (Ha'aretz)

Shlomi Eldar says Hezbollah's threats against Israel are empty. (Al Monitor)

Shemuel Meir says Israel has systematically undermined the Oslo agreements by creative interpretations of "security zones." (+972)

NEWS:

Hamas says the Egyptian military is building a buffer zone with Gaza and strengthening its isolationon all fronts. (Reuters/AP)

Egypt condemns a raid by Hamas on an Egyptian cultural center in Gaza. (Xinhua)

Hamas again asks Egypt to reopen the border crossing with Gaza permanently. (Xinhua)

The Egyptian military says it has killed 15 militants in the Sinai Peninsula. (Reuters)

A planned meeting between Palestinian and Israeli officials has been postponed, although other reports say negotiators met secretly on Saturday. (AP/Xinhua)

Negotiators are said to be ready to meet again on Tuesday, although amid disputes. (Xinhua/Jerusalem Post)

Palestinians say they would like Pres. Abbas to discuss the talks with Sec. Kerry in Europe. (Jerusalem Post/Times of Israel)

Israel says it has conducted a joint missile test with the United States, and Russia expresses alarm. (AP/Reuters)

The Arab League endorses international action in Syria. (New York Times)

Pres. Peres supports Pres. Obama's policy toward Syria, although most Israelis are staying quiet. (New York Times)

Many Israelis believe the stakes are high for them in any US attack on Syria. (Christian Science Monitor)

Yet another Palestinian refugee is killed in the Syrian conflict. (Ma'an)

Hamas insists it will not be dragged into any conflict on the question of Syria. (Xinhua)

Lebanon braces for the fallout of any US attack on Syria. (Washington Post)

The number of refugees from Syria in neighboring countries has passed 2 million. (New York Times/AP)

Palestinian truck thieves briefly disrupt work at Israel's international Airport. (AP)

Egyptian authorities accuse a bird of "spying" for Israel. (AP)

Israeli authorities detain Raed Salah, the head of the main Islamist group in Israel. (Ma'an/Jerusalem Post)

Israel pledges to destroy settler structures built with forged deeds on Palestinian land. (Ha'aretz)

COMMENTARY:

Hussein Ibish urges Congress to authorize military action in Syria. (Now Media)

Elizabeth O'Bagy says her experiences on the ground prove Jihadists are not dominating the Syrian rebels. (Wall Street Journal)

Murhaf Jouejati says the US should strengthen the secular opposition in Syria to promote democracy. (Al Monitor)

Bruce Riedel says the US should also conduct a major information campaign against Al Qaeda in Syria. (Al Monitor)

Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed says Western airstrikes would be the beginning of the end for Pres. Assad. (Asharq Al Awsat)

The New York Times says Obama needs to make his case for action better. (New York Times)

Vali Nasr says US credibility is now on the line in Syria. (New York Times)

The LA Times says limited strikes make sense but a US-led campaign for regime change does not. (Los Angeles Times)

Blake Hounshell says Obama's decision might be good domestic politics but could turn out to be strategically catastrophic. (The National)

Steven Cook says he's changed his mind and now thinks US intervention would destroy Syria. (Washington Post)

J.J. Goldberg says all scenarios in Syria produce bad outcomes for the United States. (The Forward)

Rami Khouri warns US air strikes against Syria could violate international norms and backfire. (The Daily Star)

David Horovitz says Obama's decision to seek approval from Congress horrified many Israelis. (Times of Israel)

Yaron London says American "indecisiveness" on Syria shows Israel cannot rely on the United States. (YNet)

Peter Beinart says Jewish Americans are willfully ignoring the existential conundrums facing Israel. (New York Review of Books)

Jill Jacobs says Jewish Americans should see the fate of Israel's Bedouin communities as a test of Jewish values. (Ha'aretz)

Amira Hass looks at new arguments being used by the Israeli government to justify the destruction of eight villages near Hebron. (Ha'aretz)

Oudeh Basharat says there are plenty of overlooked reasons for optimism about the Arab world. (Ha'aretz)

Yan Barakat says peace between Israel and Jordan on paper needs to become culturally internalized. (Jerusalem Post)

Aaron Magid says the Israeli left should give PM Netanyahu more credit. (Jerusalem Post)

Bassem Sabry asks if Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood is all but destroyed. (Al Monitor)

Hussein Ibish says Arab Americans should learn from the March on Washington and embrace American politics. (The National)

NEWS:

US intelligence has spent considerable resources spying on foes, but also on Israel. (Washington Post)

Israel's Bedouin citizens feel betrayed by a mass relocation plan. (Reuters)

Palestinian officials reject Norwegian comments about cutting aid if there is no progress on peace. (Xinhua)

Egyptian naval vessels shoot at and arrest Palestinian fishermen near the Egypt-Gaza border. (Ma'an)

The US is still set for a limited strike against Syria despite a "no" vote in the British Parliament. (New York Times)

France says airstrikes against Syria could begin as early as Wednesday. (AFP)

Russia beefs up its naval presence off the Syrian coast in advance of potential airstrikes. (Los Angeles Times)

Potential US airstrikes in Syria pose new challenges to the Egyptian government and opposition. (New York Times)

PM Netanyahu says there is "a low probability" Israel will be drawn into conflict with Syria. (Times of Israel)

Sec. Hagel says the US is seeking an international coalition for action on Syria. (Xinhua)

Officials from various Palestinian factions oppose a US strike on Syria. (Jerusalem Post)

Egypt denies an Israeli ship docking permission for repairs. (AP)

Uganda denies cutting a deal with Israel over deported African migrants. (Reuters)

A Muslim Brotherhood member is shot and injured by Egyptian forces in Sinai unrest. (Ma'an) 

Eyewitnesses say a bloody August 24 attack in Sinai was conducted by an ambulance car bomb. (Asharq Al-Awsat)


COMMENTARY:

Hussein Ibish asks if Syria is being "Lebanized" or Lebanon being "Syrianized," as Hezbollah draws its country into the Syrian war (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Michael Gordon says the purpose of US strikes on Syria will be to restore deterrence, not oust Pres. Assad. (New York Times)

Edward Joseph and Elizabeth O’Bagy ask what to do next after the US strike. (Foreign Policy)

Yoel Marcus says the use of chemical weapons and the question of Iran are the turning point for the US in Syria. (Ha'aretz)

Roger Cohen says Assad must be made to pay a price for using chemical weapons. (New York Times)

Ari Shavit says the US has no choice but to act in Syria. (Ha'aretz)

Jeffrey Goldberg thinks a US strike against Syria might actually make things worse. (Bloomberg)

Robin Wright asks what's the next step after US air strikes against Syria. (Los Angeles Times)

Caspian Makan says the world should have acted before Syria turned to chemical weapons. (YNet)

The Jerusalem Post asks if Syrian and Iranian threats of retaliation are just bluster. (Jerusalem Post)

Bradley Burston compares the evil taking place in Syria to Auschwitz. (Ha'aretz)

Hassan Haidar says Pres. Assad is "no longer an acceptable interlocutor." (Al Hayat)

Walid Choucair says the US is hoping airstrikes would lead to Geneva 2, or at least no more use of chemical weapons. (Al Hayat)

The Arab News says Saudi Arabia believes it's time for serious and decisive action against the Syrian regime. (The Arab News)

Arron Merat says the crisis over Syria offers a new opportunity for US-Iranian negotiations. (Al Monitor)

David Brooks says the biggest security threat in the world is growing sectarian tension in the Middle East. (New York Times)

Mara Revkin describes growing radicalization in the Sinai Peninsula. (Washington Post)

Seth Freedman says the Israeli military should praise, not punish, dancing Israeli soldiers. (The Guardian)

Daniel Byman asks if, in spite of its current difficulties, Hamas is actually winning in the long run. (The Washington Quarterly)