April 16th

News:
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will meet on Thursday to try to extend peace talks. (Reuters/PNN/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)
The State Department reiterates its support for the peace talks. (JTA)
Israeli police and Palestinians clash at a holy site in Jerusalem. (AP/Reuters/Ma’an)
PM Netanyahu blames Palestinian leaders for a Hebron killing. (AFP/Ynet)
Hamas praises a shooting that killed an Israeli in the occupied West Bank. (AP)
An Israeli plane bearing the Vatican logo will bring Pope Francis back to Rome after his May visit. (Ha’aretz)
Members of the UN Security Council view graphic photos taken in Syria. (Reuters/New York Times)
Some online videos show Syrian rebels using their first US-made rockets. (Reuters)
As the war in Syria rages, Pres. Assad prepares for presidential elections. (New York Times)
Saudi intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan resigns. (Reuters/Xinhua/The National)
Iraq shuts down the Abu Ghraib prison. (New York Times/AFP)
The Lebanese parliament will elect a President on April 23. (AP/The Daily Star)
An Egyptian court bans Muslim Brotherhood members from running in Egypt’s upcoming elections. (The National)
Commentary:
Hussein Ibish says drawing comparisons between Palestinians and Israelis is considered heresy on both sides. (Now)
Thomas Friedman says, since the 1967 war, Israel has changed dramatically, in ways it does not wish to acknowledge. (New York Times)
Michael Singh says the US should not neglect the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Foreign Policy)
The Jordan Times says the recent statement by Israel’s mayor in Jerusalem shows Israel’s “true colors.” (Jordan Times)
Yossi Mekelberg says the international community wants a state called Palestine.  (Al Arabiya)
Ruth Marcus says the Camp David agreement demonstrates that history is “unknowable and malleable.” (Washington Post)
Ha’aretz says Israel’s new land grab in the West Bank “shatters hopes” for resolving the conflict with the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)
Ahmed al-Muslemany writes a letter to Hamas leader Meshaal. (Al Arabiya)
Michael Young says Hezbollah has “aided and abetted” the worst crimes of the Syrian regime.  (The National)
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says its too early to declare an Assad victory in the Syrian conflict. (Al Arabiya)
Ali Ibrahim says Syrian children are most psychologically affected by the war because of their formative stage. (Asharq al-Awsat)
The National says Libya needs a comprehensive agreement that disarm militias in return for political participation. (The National)
Osama Al Sharif says in the Arab world elections and democracy are too different things.  (Jordan Times)

April 15th

News:

An Israeli man is killed in a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

A Palestinian woman in Bethlehem is reportedly killed by Israeli tear gas. (Times of Israel)

Israeli forces injure Palestinian youth in Gaza. (Ma’an)

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accuses DM Ya’alon of destabilizing the peace process. (PNN)

The World Bank will provide $13 million in grant money for environmental projects in Gaza. (Ma’an)

Saudi Arabia denies FM Lieberman’s claim of “secret diplomacy.” (Ha’aretz/Ynet)

The Syrian opposition calls on the US to give an “appropriate response” to recent attacks in Aleppo. (Reuters)

The UN condemns the use of torture by Syrian authorities. (New York Times)

The OPCW says Syria has completed another shipment of chemical arms. (New York Times)

Jordan’s Ambassador to Libya is kidnapped after gunmen attack his car. (Reuters/AP/Jordan Times)

Gen Sisi formally submits signatures for his presidential bid. (AP/The National)

A bomb explosion in Cairo wounds two policemen. (AP) 

Commentary:

The New York Times says Pres. Obama and Sec. Kerry should abandon the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and focus on Ukraine. (New York Times)

Hassan Barari says the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are often held hostage to the imperatives of Israel’s domestic politics. (Jordan Times)

Peter Beinart says seder’s demonstrate how American Jews are divided over Israel.  (Ha’aretz)

Yitzhak Laor says Israel’s freedom means the “imprisonment of others.” (Ha’aretz)

Carolina Landsmann says by maintaining the status quo, PM Netanyahu is turning Israel into an “apartheid state.” (Ha’aretz)

Faisal Al Yafai says the late Patrick Seale misinterpreted the origins of the Syrian civil war. (The National)

Maria Golia say Egypt’s power cuts shed light on the country’s many problems. (The National)

Raed Omari says Jordan’s Islamists are being “unreasonable.” (Al Arabiya)

Manal Tibi and Karima El-Hefnawi debate whether the Arab Spring has improved the status of women in Egypt. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Benjamin Weinthal says Germany may start to crackdown on Hezbollah. (Foreign Policy)

Octavia Nasr says Lebanon failed to learn from its civil war. (Al Arabiya)

April 14th

News:

Israel will stop transferring Palestinian tax revenues to the PA. (AP/Reuters/New York Times/AFP)

An Israeli peace activist Ron Pundak dies. (AP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Economy Minister Bennett threatens to quit over peace talks. (Reuters/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Israeli officials say there is progress in talks on resuming peace negotiations. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Chief Palestinian negotiator Erekat says reports on progress in talks “are false.” (Times of Israel)

Switzerland says Palestine can join the Geneva Conventions. (AP/AFP)

Arab League Chief Nabil Elaraby backs the peace talks. (AP/Ha’aretz)

The wife of ex-Fatah official Dahlan says her husband intends to run for president in any future election. (Al-Monitor)

Hamas is using laser e-bullets for training, due to its economic crisis. (AP/Times of Israel)

Islamic Jihad ia gaining support in Gaza at the expense of Hamas. (Al Monitor)

Bethlehem hosts its second annual marathon. (Ma’an)

Jewish religious extremists prepare priests for what they hope will be Jerusalem’s “third temple.” (Al Monitor)

Jordan continues to assist rebels in the Syrian war. (New York Times)

Iranian leaders see their positions on Syria gaining traction. (Al Monitor)

Jordan and the World Bank sign a $250 million loan agreement. (Jordan Times)

Egyptian workers defy the government with strikes. (Washington Post)

Iraq’s deputy PM al-Mutlaq escapes an assassination attempt. (AP)

Iraqi insurgents use water as a weapon after seizing control of a dam. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Zbigniew Brzezinski, Frank Carlucci, Lee Hamilton, Carla Hills, Thomas Pickering and Henry Siegman insist on a more dynamic, proactive US role on Middle East peace. (Politico)

Jeffrey Goldberg says Kerry is not wrong for pushing the peace talks. (Bloomberg)

Alan Philps says Kerry risks “threefold failure” in the Middle East. (The National)

George Hishmeh says Kerry took an unprecedented step by blaming Israel for the failure of the peace talks. (Jordan Times)

The Jerusalem Post says both Israelis and Palestinians should not engage in the “blame game.” (Jerusalem Post)

Yossi Sarid says Israel is the only country that is treated with “kid gloves.” (Ha’aretz)

Chaims Gans says the demand that Palestinians recognize Israel as a “Jewish state” adds yet another humiliation. (Ha’aretz)

Bakir Oweida says Palestinian women face the oppression of Israeli occupation as well as injustice within Palestinian society. (Asharq al Awsat)

H.A. Hellyer says the Europeans keep missing opportunities in the Arab world. (The National)

The Daily Star says the Syrian opposition needs to listen to the many Syrians who are demanding a “change of course.”(Daily Star)

David Kenner asks if the world is still paying attention to Pres. Assad’s conduct. (Foreign Policy)

Aaron Magid says Egypt’s relationship with Israel is complex and paradoxical. (Daily Star)

Abdel Monem Said says Egypt needs electricity to move forward. (Al Arabiya)

Diana Moukalled says coexistence between different parts of Iraqi society has been weakened. (Al Arabiya)

David Petraeus and Vance Serchuk say if the US strikes a nuclear deal with Iran it needs to prepare for all the consequences. (Washington Post)

News:

A three-hour meeting between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators ends without clear sign ofprogress. (Ma’an/Jerusalem Post/JTA/Times of Israel)

FM Lieberman says the package deal being discussed is not the same as it was two weeks ago.  (Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

Israel appropriates Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank by recognizing another settlement outpost. (Reuters/PNN/Ha’aretz/The National)

A Fatah official says the Israeli government is committed to colonization. (PNN)

Israeli chief negotiator Livni says Economy Minister Bennett is stoking settler violence.(Ha’aretz/Ynet/Times of Israel)

Senior Israeli officials say they have transferred all the PA revenues they collected in March.  (Ha’aretz)

British Party Labor leader Miliband criticizes expansion of Israeli settlements. (BBC)

A PLO committee will travel to Gaza for reconciliation talks. (Ma’an/Xinhua)

Israelis accuse Pres. Abbas of “terrorism.” (Ma’an)

Palestinian citizens of Israel protest in Nazareth against national service. (Ha’aretz)

Israel’s drive to export its new-found natural gas could help rebuild some strained relations.(Reuters)

Hamas will launch a satellite channel in Gaza. (Ma’an)

A trip to Auschwitz by Palestinian university students causes an uproar. (Washington Post)

Israel says Sec. Kerry’s remarks on Iran’s nuclear threshold is “not acceptable.” (Reuters/Jerusalem Post)

Syrian government forces seize two villages near the Lebanese border. (AP/Reuters)

Hezbollah is developing new tactics in the Syrian civil war. (AP)

American officials say they are looking into reports of another Syrian government chemical weapons attack. (AP/Washington Post)

Libya’s Interim PM al-Thani will step down after he was attacked by militias. (AP)

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns will retire in October. (AP)

A series of bombings kills more than 20 across Iraq. (New York Times)

Iraqi secularists are reportedly under attack ahead of the elections. (Al Monitor)

Iran lodges a complaint against the US over the denial of visa for its UN Ambassador.(Reuters/Xinhua/The National)

Iranians see “little relief” as sanctions are eased. (New York Times)

Dubai seeks to become an “Islamic” economic hub. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says Professor Mohammed Dajani should be praised, not blamed, for teaching Palestinian students about the Holocaust.  (The National)

The Jordan Times says the PA was right to join international treaties. (Jordan Times)

Jackson Diehl says over the past 25 years Israelis and Palestinians have made slow but enormous progress toward coexistence. (Washington Post)

Khaled Elgindy says the latest round of peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians never had a chance to succeed. (Foreign Policy)

Nathan Jeffay asks why the recent Israeli land grab in the occupied West Bank is different than any other. (Jewish Daily Forward)

Ben Caspit says PM Netanyahu needs Pres. Obama more than ever if peace talks fail. (Al Monitor)

Ha’aretz says Israel should stop “shutting its eyes’ to what is going in the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz)

Moshe Arens says extremist settlers in the occupied West Bank are a fringe group that hates Arabs and has no respect for the State of Israel. (Ha’aretz)

Gideon Levy says Ron Pundak wanted peace for peace’s sake, without pathos or guilt. (Ha’aretz)

Oudeh Basharat says the struggle by Palestinian citizens of Israel against religious extremism is part of a wider Arab struggle. (Ha’aretz)

Amer Al Sabaileh says recent developments in Syria shows only a political solution is possible. (Jordan Times)

Yezid Sayigh says the Syrian conflict is drifting in favor of the government. (Carnegie)

Afraa Al-Hariri and Om El-Ezz El-Farissi debate whether women were at the forefront of the Arab Spring.(Asharq al-Awsat)

Rami Khouri says Lebanon finds itself a mirror of the Middle East. (Daily Star)

Hamza Mustafa says Iraqi militia are playing a key role in Syria. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Arabs must unite before seeking a permanent seat at the UN. (Al Arabiya)

H.A. Hellyer says Egypt’s “war on terror” is doing more harm than good. (Al Arabiya)

April 10th

News:
Pres. Abbas is reportedly ready to extend peace talks. (Ma’an/PNN/Jerusalem Post)
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will meet again today alongside US mediators. (Jerusalem Post)
Israel says its “deeply disappointed” by Sec. Kerry’s remarks on the peace talks. (New York Times/Ha’aretz/JTA)
FM Lieberman says Kerry didn’t blame Israel for the crisis in the peace talks. (Ha’aretz/Ynet)
The State Department says Netanyahu’s decision to reduce contacts with the PA is “unfortunate.” (JTA)
UN Sec. General Ban Ki-Moon says Palestinians will join the 15 international conventions by May 2nd. (Ha’aretz)
Economy Minister Bennett urges PM Netanyahu to annex settlements. (Reuters/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)
Israeli negotiators reportedly suggested deporting 10 Palestinian prisoners to Gaza but the Palestinians reject the idea. (Ma’an)
The Arab League blames Israel for the “dangerous stalemate” in the peace talks. (AFP/Xinhua/The National)
The IDF and Gaza gunmen exchange fire across the border. (Times of Israel)
Israeli occupation forces arrest five Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. (PNN)
A video shows Israeli police brutally beating two Palestinian men in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)
Kuwait says three of its citizens have been abducted in Syria. (Reuters)
The US designates Ansar Beit al-Maqdis a “foreign terrorist organization.” (AP)
The Egyptian government steps up its campaign to control mosques. (Reuters)
An Egyptian judge dismisses a video presented by the prosecution as evidence in the Al Jazeera reporters’ trial. (AP)
Kuwait expects GCC Ambassadors to return to Qatar this week. (The National)
Commentary:
Steven Spiegel says Kerry should not give up on his initiative. (Los Angeles Times)
Roger Cohen says Kerry should take a break from the Middle East peace process. (New York Times)
Ha’aretz says Israelis deserve a government that admits it has no desire for a peace agreement. (Ha’aretz)
Ari Shavit says Marwan Barghouti should create an alliance with former PM Fayyad. (Ha’aretz)
Gershon Baskin says Israel should allow Palestine to exist and negotiate agreements on a state-to-state basis. (Jerusalem Post)
David Bosco says the ICC’s record with Palestine suggests that it would be eager to avoid involvement. (Foreign Policy)
Gideon Levy says most Palestinians are people of good will who want to live in peace with the Israelis. (Ha’aretz)
The National says the Assad regime has not yet won the war. (The National)
Joyce Karam says the US has turned the page on the old Middle East order. (Al Arabiya)
The Daily Star says Pres. Obama’s foreign policy is undermining the US standing in the international community. (Daily Star)
Eyad Abu Shakra says the real solution for Lebanon lies in the election of a “wise and fair-minded president.” (Asharq al Awsat)
Khairallah Khairallah says Britain has exposed the Muslim Brotherhood. (Al Arabiya)
Abdul Hamid Al Ansari says the status of women in Arab societies must be “modified.” (The National)

April 9th

News:
Sec. Kerry appears to place blame on Israel for the impasse in the peace talks. (State Department/AP/New York Times/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)
PM Netanyahu orders his ministers to stop meeting with their Palestinian counterparts. (AP/Reuters/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)
The PA accuses Israel of preventing “a constructive solution to the challenges facing the peace process.”(Jerusalem Post)
Tit-for-Tat measures might replace Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. (Reuters)
Pres. Abbas arrives in Egypt for an emergency meeting of Arab League foreign ministers. (Ma’an)
Prisoner release is a central issue in the peace talks impasse. (Washington Post)
Many Palestinians are not impressed by the peace talks and are frustrated with politicians from both sides. (Global Post)
Palestinian Christians say Israeli police are spoiling Easter celebrations. (Ha’aretz)
Extremist Jewish settlers assault Palestinian school girls in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)
Israeli bulldozers demolish Bedouin homes across the Negev desert. (Ma’an)
Economy Minister Bennett unveils two initiatives to encourage entrepreneurship in the “Arab sector.” (Jerusalem Post)
Tiyul-Rihla’s tours use history as a key to mutual understanding between Israelis and Palestinians. (Times of Israel)
A gunman kills two Lebanese soldiers. (AP)
Egypt arrests another journalist said to work for Al Jazeera. (Reuters)
Car bombs in Baghdad kill at least 24. (AP)
The Saudi Shura Council says it will end a ban on sports in state girls’ schools. (The National)
The US says Iran’s choice of UN Envoy is “not viable.” (New York Times)
Commentary:
Hussein Ibish says recent cases involving athletes and artists show Gaza is still under Israeli occupation. (Now)
Osama Al Sharif says the failure of Kerry’s initiative may be the end of the two-state solution. (Jordan Times)
Aaron David Miller asks if Kerry will abandon his initiative or stick to his belief that a deal can be reached. (Foreign Policy)
Zvi Bar’el says when Israelis, both right and left, look at Kerry, they see a reflection of themselves. (Ha’aretz)
Peter Beinart says Pres. Obama’s efforts to broker a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians failed three years ago. (Ha’aretz)
Henry Siegman explains why he thinks the US is irrelevant to Middle East peacemaking. (Ha’aretz)
Oded Eran and Robbie Sabel say Israel and the US should consider supporting full UN membership for the State of Palestine. (Jerusalem Post)
Yossi Mekelberg says both the Israelis and Palestinians do not realize that beyond brinkmanship there is desperation. (Al Arabiya)
Sharif Nashashibi says the release of Marwan Barghouti could bring peace between the Palestinians and Israel. (The National)
Jamal Khashoggi says Abbas’ application to sign 15 conventions is the Palestinians’ greatest achievement. (Al Arabiya)
Ha’aretz says DM Ya’alon should “clamp down” on settler terror against Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)
Michael Young says Lebanon must move quickly to benefit from its gas reserves. (The National)
The Jordan Times says Jordan and the Vatican are promoting the same Muslim and Christian values of peace, tolerance, and coexistence. (Jordan Times)

April 8th

News:

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators meet again with no sign of a breakthrough. (Reuters)

Pres. Obama will meet with Sec. Kerry to discuss the future of the peace talks. (AFP/Times of Israel)

FM Lieberman warns the Palestinians that a prisoner release will not happen as long as they try  to join international agencies. (AP/Ynet)

Pres. Abbas will ask the Arab League for economic aid. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

The Arab League says there is still a chance to move negotiations forward. (Ma’an)

The release of the Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti is linked to the peace talks. (New York Times)

Former Pres. Carter backs the PLO move to sign 15 conventions. (Ma’an)

Palestinians want Russia and the EU to change the format of peace talks. (Ynet)

Extremist Jewish settlers injure six Israeli soldiers and destroy a military post. (Xinhua/Ha’aretz/JTA)

Hamas leader Haniyeh warns Palestinian refugees in Lebanon against inter-Palestinian violence. (Ma’an)

Thousands of Palestinians living in occupied East Jerusalem have been living without water for over a month. (AP)

Israel’s High Court upholds a decision by the military to prevent a Palestinian olympian from leaving Gaza.  (AP/Ha’aretz)

King Abdullah of Jordan meets with Pope Francis. (AP/Jordan Times)

The World Food Program says Syrian wheat production has hit an all time low. (Reuters)

An Israeli official says Pres. Assad again used chemical weapons two weeks ago. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Syrian Information Minister Zoabi says the presidential election will not be delayed. (Reuters/Xinhua)

A gunman kills a Dutch priest in the Syrian city of Homs. (AP/New York Times)

Syria’s polio outbreak has now officially spread to Iraq. (New York Times)

Women activists in Egypt are worried that their rights in the new constitution have not yet been implemented. (AP)

PM Erdogan says Turkey’s next elected president will be a more powerful figure. (Reuters)

In parts of the Anbar province there will be no balloting due to fighting. (AP/Xinhua)

A young Iraqi hopes books will stop his peers from migrating. (Washington Post)

Commentary:

Hassan Barari says neither the Palestinians nor the Israelis are capable or willing to offer the concessions necessary for peace. (Jordan Times)

Aaron David Miller outlines five rules for saving Kerry’s initiative. (New Republic)

Dennis Ross provides his suggestions for how to move the process forward. (WINEP)

J.J. Goldberg says Palestinians have been easing the terms for renewing talks with Israel. (Jewish Daily Forward)

Klaus Schwab says there is a strong constituency in Israel and Palestine to make peace a reality. (Times of Israel)

Daniel Landes says ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a Jewish imperative. (Ha’aretz)

Nehemia Shtrasler says PM Netanyahu wants the peace talks to keep going but he will not give up the West Bank. (Ha’aretz)

Yoram Schweitzer, Benedetta Berti and Shlomo Brom look at the erosion of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza. (INSS)

The Daily Star says the violence that has erupted in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon undermines their “legitimate struggle.” (Daily Star)

The Jordan Times says Syrian refugees in Jordan should not resort to violence. (Jordan Times)

The Los Angeles Times says the US should pressure Egypt to stop the crackdown on opposition groups. (Los Angeles Times)

H.A. Hellyer asks if there is a link between government policies and the rise of terrorism. (Al Arabiya)

Octavia Nasr says with every political battle, Lebanon sinks deeper into the abyss. (Al Arabiya)

The National says young Arabs are seeking to emulate the UAE’s success. (The National)

April 7th

News:

The US Consulate in Jerusalem says Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have requested to meetwith each other. (AP/New York Times/AFP/PNN/Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu says Israel will respond to any Palestinian UN initiative. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Abbas reportedly will send Chief Negotiator Erekat to the US with a new plan to revive negotiations, if Israel frees prisoners. (Ha’aretz)

Israeli Chief Negotiator Livni says Netanyahu and Abbas should talk directly. (Ynet)

Fatah official Shaath says PLO will seek membership in 48 international organizations and conventions if peace talks fail. (Ma’an)

FM Lieberman opposes any return to Sec. Kerry’s initiative. (Ha’aretz)

Many think there are strong signs that indicate that this round of peace talks is over. (Christian Science Monitor)

Many are pointing the finger at Israeli Housing Minister Ariel as the primary culprit in sabotaging the most recent US initiative. (Buzzfeed)

Labor leader Herzog says the Knesset should put together an alternative coalition which woulddesire peace. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Arab Foreign Ministers will hold an emergency meeting due to the PA’s request to discuss the peace talks. (Ma’an) 

Israel’s High Court of Justice urges the state to rethink its detention policies for Palestinian minors.(Jerusalem Post)

22 Palestinian women join the first PA commando unit. (AP)

An Arab youth survey includes Palestine for the first time. (The National)

A group of Christians says Israel violates Palestinian religious freedoms each Easter. (Ma’an)

An ex-Palestinian prisoner teaches Hebrew to Palestinian children. (AP)

Israeli occupation forces detain a Palestinian man near Bethlehem. (Ma’an)

Israeli websites are attacked by pro-Palestinian “hacktivists.” (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

A senior IDF commander’s jeep is vandalized in an Israeli settlement. (Ha’aretz)

Clashes in a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon kill seven. (AP/Jerusalem Post)

Hezbollah says Pres. Assad’s government is no longer in danger of falling. (AP)

Former Russian PM Stepashin says Assad told him that most of the fighting in Syria would be over by the end of the year. (Reuters)

A surge of violence in Syria kills 12. (New York Times)

An Egyptian court upholds the sentence for three prominent activists. (AP/Reuters)

Al-Qaeda chief Al Zawahiri’s brother is to stand trial in Egypt. (The National)

An explosion in Fallujah kills over 17 Iraqi soldiers. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Faisal Al Yafai says Israel alone cannot end its own occupation. (the National)

Oudeh Basharat says neither Palestinians nor Israelis should give up on Abbas. (Ha’aretz)

Amer Al Sabaileh says the impact of the US pulling back from the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations would be dramatic.(Jordan Times)

Gideon Levy says the Palestinians cannot be blamed for the failure of the talks. (Ha’aretz)

Avi Issacharoff looks at how the Palestinians view the collapse of peace talks. (Times of Israel)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Kerry’s Middle East “peace dream” has ended. (Al Arabiya)

Avirama Golan tells Kerry to go away and let Israel’s “true colors shine.” (Ha’aretz)

Moshe Arens says Kerry has finally understood that the peace process was a “farce.” (Ha’aretz)

Rami Khouri says former Amb. Kurtzer offers a valuable plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. (Daily Star)

Tal Harris says there are concrete measures that still need to be taken before negotiations end. (Jerusalem Post)

Sharif Nashashibi asks if the Palestinians will ever go to the ICC. (Al Arabiya)

Thomas Friedman says Sheldon Adelson and Ayatollah Khamenei are both working to destroy Israel. (New York Times)

Shmuel Rosner says the only way of restraining Sheldon Adelson in Israel is by establishing other newspapers. (New York Times)

Eric Yoffie asks why young Jewish-Americans are “drifting away from Israel.” (Ha’aretz)

Ayesh Ali Awas and Nabil Naeem debate if security measures or ideology are more effective in defeating Al-Qaeda. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Hussein Ibish says Lebanon is unable to cope with the Syrian refugee crisis. (The National)

April 4th

News:
Sec. Kerry warns that the US is evaluating its role in the Middle East peace talks. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Ha’aretz)
Kerry calls Pres. Abbas and PM Netanyahu to save the peace talks. (JTA)
Israel cancels its fourth promised prisoner release. (Xinhua/AFP/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/The National)
Palestinian officials propose seven conditions that must be met by Israel to extend negotiations. (Ma’an/PNN)
Palestinian negotiator Erekat says the leaked list of demands does not represent the official Palestinian stance. (Ha’aretz)
Israel punishes Palestinians with new restrictions in the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz)
Israeli Finance Minister Lapid accuses Palestinians of “intentionally” derailing the peace process. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)
The Palestinian leadership is confident that the US will not punish its decision to join 15 international organizations. (Ynet)
Israel strikes Gaza after a militant attack. (AP/New York Times/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)
Hamas accuses PA security forces of arresting 144 of its members in the West Bank. (Ma’an)
Syrian refugee children in Lebanon find safety from war but face new dangers on the streets. (Washington Post)
Iraq’s Amb. to the US Faily calls on the US to strengthen ties with Iraq. (New York Times)
29 US Senators urge Pres. Obama to deny a visa to the Iranian Ambassador to the UN. (AP)
The Turkish government unblocks Twitter after a court rules the ban illegal. (New York Times/Times of Israel)
Commentary:
Jeffrey Goldberg says Kerry can’t be faulted for wanting Middle East peace. (Bloomberg)
Kori Schake offers diplomatic advice to Kerry. (Foreign Policy)
Charles Krauthammer calls Kerry’s initiative “disastrous.” (Washington Post)
The National says Palestinians should consider all their options, including the ICC. (The National)
Uri Savir says recent developments are a testament to the weakness of the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships.(Jerusalem Post)
Gideon Levy says the occupation is Israel’s “biggest act of corruption.” (Ha’aretz)
Ari Shavit and Tal Niv debate whether Israel can end the occupation “unilaterally.” (Ha’aretz)
Joanna Kramer says there needs to be “a great student constituency for peace.” (New Voices)
Carolina Landsmann says only “blindness” allows Israelis to see themselves as living in a democracy. (Ha’aretz)
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says the British government has a better understanding of the nature and complexity of the situation in Egypt then the Americans.  (Al Arabiya)
Brooklyn Middleton says there is “no bright light” at the end of Syria’s devastating humanitarian crisis. (Al Arabiya)
Alan Philps says PM Erdogan will learn that populist leaders thrive or fail due to the urban-rural divide. (The National)
Lally Weymouth interviews PM Jomaa. (Washington Post)
Saleh Mutlaq fears a civil war in Iraq. (Foreign Policy)

April 3rd

News:

Sec. Kerry says Israeli and Palestinian leaders “must lead” to prevent peace talks from collapsing. (AP/Reuters/New York Times/AFP/Ha’aretz/Wall Street Journal)

Kerry calls Pres. Abbas to prevent talks from collapsing. (Ma’an)

A critical meeting between American Envoy Indyk and Palestinian and Israeli negotiators reportedly ended in failure. (PNN/Jerusalem Post)

A Palestinian official says talks with Israel can continue only if they define the borders of a future Palestinian state. (Times of Israel/The National)

US officials accuse Israeli Housing Minister Ariel of deliberately sabotaging talks. (Ha’aretz)
mitments. (Xinhua/Ynet)

Palestinian Representative to the UN Mansour delivers the treaty accession letters to the various bodies. (Xinhua)

There appears to be an American consensus that the release of convicted spy Pollard would be “futile.” (Ha’aretz)

American lawmakers threaten to withhold Palestinian aid. (Al Monitor)

Jewish “price tag” extremists vandalize 40 cars of Palestinian citizens of Israel. (Xinhua/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Employees of Israel’s Foreign Ministry announce end of their strike. (New York Times/Ynet)

Israel refuses to let a Gaza-based athlete run in a Bethlehem marathon. (Ha’aretz)

The UN says Syrian refugees in Lebanon now exceed 1 million. (AP/Reuters)

Turkey continues to block Twitter, despite a court ruling. (AP/Reuters)

The Muslim Brotherhood urges Britain not to yield to foreign pressure in conducting a review of the group.(Reuters)

PM Jomaa says he wants to “fix” the Tunisian economy. (AP)

Commentary:

The Jordan Times says the “delaying tactics” of both Israelis and Palestinians are too familiar to be taken seriously. (Jordan Times)

Abdallah Schleifer says the only option for Israelis and Palestinians is a two-state solution. (Al Arabiya)

Grant Rumley says Abbas’ move to seek membership in 15 international organizations does not necessarily mean the end of the peace process. (Foreign Policy)

Ha’aretz asks where is PM Netanyahu leading Israel. (Ha’aretz)

Ari Shavit says Kerry must find a “Plan B” to deliver peace to Israel and the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

Douglas Bloomfield says Palestinians and Israelis should both be blamed for the failure of the peace talks. (Jerusalem Post)

David Horovitz says the deep asymmetry between Israelis and Palestinians is “dooming the negotiations.” (Times of Israel)

Joyce Karam says releasing convicted spy Pollard will not save the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. (Al Arabiya)

Peter Beinart says Sheldon Adelson represents a “culture of hate.” (Ha’aretz)

The Washington Post says the US will not be judged well by historians because it failed to stop the “mass slaughter” in Syria. (Washington Post)

The National asks what more can the UAE do in Syria. (The National)

Taylor Luck says this week marks the anniversary when the international community failed the entire Syrian population. (Jordan Times)

Mohammed Fahad al-Harthi says Pres. Obama’s visit to Saudi Arabia affirms the strategic relationship between the US and the Kingdom.(Al Arabiya)

Mshari Al-Zaydi says the UK’s recent moves against it are a turning point in the history of the Muslim Brotherhood. (Asharq al-Awsat)


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