News:

Pres. Abbas says he will not recognize Israel as a “Jewish State.” (AP)

Sec. Kerry meets with King Abdullah of Jordan to discuss peace talks. (AP/Reuters/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Obama may be playing “bad cop” against Kerry’s “good cop” with PM Netanyahu. (New York Times)

The EU reassures Israel over relations despite its opposition to West Bank settlements. (The Jerusalem Post)

The Vatican denies reports that the Pope will cancel his visit to the “Holy Land” in May. (The Jerusalem Post)

The US House of Representatives passes a bill declaring Israel to be a “major strategic partner." (The Jerusalem Post/JTA)

Israeli forces detain four Palestinians in raids across occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

A PA official says Israel refuses to let Palestinian refugees from Syria relocate to the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

An Israeli-Palestinian business coalition urges for peace. (Times of Israel)

The PA will invite international companies to bid for petroleum exploration in the occupied West Bank. (Xinhua)

50,000 Palestinian residents of Jerusalem have been without water for the past three days. (Ha’aretz)

Syrian activists say at least 17 rebels have been killed in Yabroud. (AP)

Saudi Arabia designates the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. (Reuters)

Following several Gulf States, Egypt withdraws its Ambassador from Qatar. (New York Times)

PM Erdogan threatens to ban Facebook and YouTube in Turkey. (Reuters/AFP)

A senior Iranian official says the nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 are “substantive and useful.” (Reuters)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says the tragedy at Yarmouk underscores the urgent need for Palestinian statehood. (Foreign Affairs)

Ha’aretz says recognizing Israel is enough to ask of Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

Ori Nir asks when Jewish Americans will become a force for peace. (Ha’aretz)

Oren Kessler says the current Palestinian leadership has no incentive to make a deal with Israel.  (Foreign Policy)

Aaron Miller says Israel’s seizure of an Iranian cargo ship carrying weapons should be a “wake-up call.” (Foreign Policy)

Ahmad Majdoubeh says the Obama administration’s assertive diplomacy in the Middle East is right and should be given the chance to succeed. (Jordan Times)

Abdullah Hamidaddin says the current diplomatic confrontation between Qatar and three Gulf States is not the real crisis the GCC is facing. (Al Arabiya)

The Daily Star says Qatar now risks isolation in the Arab world. (Daily Star)

Bakir Oweida says Muslims are facing the threat of a growing “ISIS tumor.”  (Asharq al-Awsat)

Gareth Smyth says the long-standing argument between Iran and Israel results from ideology rather than national interests. (Daily Star)

Bassem Youssef says the Egyptian “discovery” of an AIDS cure is a manifestation of extreme ignorance. (Al Arabiya)