News:
The US is “pushing hard” to get Israelis and Palestinians to extend the peace talks. (Ha’aretz) 
The Palestinians say Israel will not release the prisoners on Saturday as scheduled. (AFP/Jerusalem Post/JTA)
UN Special Coordinator Serry expresses concern over prisoner release impasse. (Times of Israel)
An EU report says Israeli policies are aimed at cementing its “unilateral and illegal annexation” of East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)
Extremist Jewish settlers prepare to move into a major property in occupied East Jerusalem. (AFP)
Palestinian students visit Auschwitz in the first organized visit of its kind. (Ha’aretz)
Pres. Obama seeks to reassure Saudi Arabia in his visit to the Kingdom. (New York Times/Times of Israel/The National)
The UN warns of increasing links between militants in Iraq and Syria. (Reuters)
The UN says the Syrian refugee crisis poses a major threat to Lebanon’s stability. (Reuters)
Saudi Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz is appointed second-in-line to succeed the King. (Reuters)
Ansar Beit al-Maqdis extremists threaten workers in Sinai. (AP/AFP)
The Turkish government defends its YouTube ban. (AP)
A series of bombings in Iraq kill 33. (New York Time/Xinhua)
Qatar will buy $23 billion worth of weaponry including Apache helicopters. (The National)
Commentary:
Ali Jarbawi says Palestinians are more interested in Pres. Abbas’ feud with former Fatah official Dahlan than the peace talks. (New York Times)
Yuval Rabin and Charles Bronfman say opening up a regional track with Arab states could improve prospects for peace. (Ynet)
Raed Omari says Israel’s “Jewish State” demand adds new complications to an already overburdened peace process. (Al Arabiya)
The National says Israel’s “Jewish state” boils down to a vision of apartheid. (The National)
Ha’aretz says the killing of a Palestinian teenager in the occupied West Bank is a “war crime.” (Ha’aretz)
Eyal Megged says only FM Lieberman can bring peace to Israel. (Ha’aretz)
David Ignatius says Obama is ready to expand aid to the Syrian opposition. (Washington Post) 
The CSM outlines what Obama should ask from Saudi Arabia. (The Christian Science Monitor)
The National says, if elected, Gen. Sisi must be a president for all Egyptians. (The National)
The Daily Star says if Egyptians cannot vote freely and respect the result, any result would be hollow. (Daily Star)
Amir Taheri says Iran is considering a “power grab” in Lebanon. (Asharq al-Awsat)
Majid Rafizadeh says the Iranian elite is united in supporting executions. (Al Arabiya)

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