News:

Israel advances plans for 1500 new settlement housing units in the occupied Palestinian territories. (AP/AFP/PNN/Ha’aretz/JTA/The National)

The PLO will appeal to the UNSC over Israel’s settlement plans. (Ma’an/Xinhua)

Israeli Chief Negotiator Livni says settlement building is a “diplomatic mistake.”(Jerusalem Post)

US Amb. to Israel Shapiro condemns Israel’s new settlement plans. (Jerusalem Post/Times of Israel)

The US has reportedly been speaking to Hamas through back channels for more than six months. (Ynet/Buzzfeed)

Sec. Kerry defends the US decision to work with a new Palestinian government. (AP/Ha’aretz)

The White House says Israel’s “hard line public position” on the new Palestinian government isbelied by its own actions. (Ha’aretz)

The question of Hamas is the latest dispute between the US and Israel. (New York Times)

Pres. Abbas will reportedly seek to secure an Egyptian role in supervising reconciliation with Hamas. (Ma’an)

The Australian government will no longer refer to East Jerusalem as a territory under occupation. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Clashes break out in Gaza as PA public employees attempt to withdraw their salaries from ATM machines. (Reuters/Ma’an)

Abbas urges the new Palestinian government and the Central Elections Commission to start preparing for the upcoming elections. (Xinhua)

PM Hamdallah urges the international community to pressure Israel to allow elections to take place in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

An Israeli military court says Palestinian minors have the right to see a social worker before remand. (Ha’aretz)

Jewish “price tag” extremists set fire to dozens of olive trees in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an) 

Pres. Assad is re-elected in a landslide. (AP/Reuters/New York Times/The National)

Kerry calls the Syrian election a “great big zero.” (Washington Post)

UN Humanitarian Chief Amos tells Assad to put his country's people first. (Reuters)

Chinese Pres. Xi calls for a political resolution for Syria. (Reuters)

Ayatollah Khamenei says Pres. Obama has taken the option of military intervention to resolve conflicts off the table. (New York Times)
 

Commentary:

The LA Times says the US should continue to support the PA. (Los Angeles Times)

Akiva Eldar says the Arab Peace Initiative is Israel’s best option. (Al-Monitor)

Khaled Diab says the Palestinian literature festival demonstrates that “the pen is mightier than the sword.” (The National)

Salman Masalha says, despite the new x-ray machines, the “brutal treatment” of Palestinian citizens of Israel at Ben-Gurion Airport continues. (Ha’aretz)

The Jordan Times says the Syrian presidential election was a “sham.” (Jordan Times)

Rachel Brandenburg says the amount of assistance required to meet the basic needs of Syrians affected by the conflict is astounding. (Foreign Policy)

Faisal Al Yafai says, before his assassination, Lebanese journalist Samir Kassir foresaw the extent of Assad’s brutality in Syria. (The National)

The Daily Star says the timing of Kerry’s visit to Lebanon is significant and so is his message. (Daily Star)

Joyce Karam says Kerry in Lebanon looked more like a spectator than a problem solver. (Al Arabiya)

Michael Young says focusing on Hezbollah, may tell us what the ultimate outcome will be in the Lebanese presidency. (Daily Star)

News:

Pres. Abbas swears in a new Palestinian government. (Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post/Ma’an/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/Times of Israel/The National)

PM Netanyahu wants the new Palestinian government to be isolated. (AP/New York Times/AFP/PNN/Ha’aretz/JTA)

Sec. Kerry voices his concerns to Abbas about Hamas’ role in the new Palestinian government. (AFP/Ynet)

The new members of the Palestinian government are named. (Ma’an/Times of Israel)

Kerry will reportedly meet with Abbas on Wednesday in Jordan. (Ma’an/PNN)

Israel’s security cabinet will meet to discuss the new Palestinian government. (Ha’aretz)’

Israel will withhold Palestinian tax revenues to the PA. (Xinhua/Times of Israel)

Egypt opens the Rafah crossing for three days. (Ma’an)

An attorney, who is a Palestinian citizen of Israel, cannot find an apartment in Tel Aviv. (Ha’aretz)

Israel responds to a mortar launched from Syria. (AP/Ha’aretz)

Hezbollah leader Nasrallah reportedly holds meetings with Hamas officials. (Jerusalem Post)

Syrians will vote in the presidential election tomorrow. (AP/New York Times)

Hassan al-Nouri, who is a US educated businessman, is running against Pres. Assad in the Syrian presidential election. (Washington Post)

Russian FM Lavrov says Russia will oppose a UN resolution authorizing cross-border aid deliveriesto Syria. (Reuters)

Lebanon warns Syrian refugees that if they return to Syria they will lose their refugee status. (Xinhua)

Egyptian islamists torch shops owned by Coptic Christians near Luxor. (AP)

Clashes between the Libyan army and Islamist militants in Benghazi kill eight.(Reuters)

Ayatollah Khamenei urges better ties with Arab countries. (AP)

The UN says violence in Iraq killed 799 people in May. (AP)

Qatar reportedly paid millions in bribes to host 2022 World Cup. (The National)

Commentary:

Ha’aretz says Israel’s refusal to deal with the new Palestinian government is “puzzling and damaging.” (Ha’aretz)

Ali Jarbawi says the election of Egyptian Pres. Sisi has given Palestinians hope that their cause will return to the forefront of Arab affairs. (New York Times)

Shlomi Eldar says Hamas will not challenge the PLO’s agreements with Israel. (Al-Monitor)

Tal Niv says Israelis can no longer make use of the army and debase it to make “murderousness the norm.” (Ha’aretz)

Sever Plocker says it's time to replace Netanyahu and Abbas' indecision with the resolve of Pres. Obama, Pres. Putin, Chanc. Merkel and Sisi.  (Ynet)

Jonathan Schienberg says Palestinian businessman Bashar al-Masri has a plan for building democracy in the occupied West Bank. (Foreign Policy)

Lipika Pelham says Munib al-Masri has a vision for Palestine. (Times of Israel)

Amer Al Sabaileh says Jordan has no intention to alter diplomatic relations with Syria after the expulsion of Amb. Suleiman. (Jordan Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Egypt will either bring security to the entire region or become a source of regional problems. (Al Arabiya)

The National says Egypt needs a modern day Marshall plan. (The National)

Rami Khouri says the west has “worsened” the terrorist threat in the Arab world. (Daily Star)

Theodore Karasik asks if Gen. Haftar will be the next charismatic and nationalist leader of Libya. (Al Arabiya)

News:

The US will work with and fund the new Palestinian government. (Reuters)

The EU is also prepared to work with the new Palestinian government. (AP/Ynet)

PM Netanyahu says he is “deeply troubled” by the US decision to maintain relations with the new Palestinian government. (AP/AFP/Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Israel denounces the US for accepting the new Palestinian government. (Times fo Israel)

PM Hamdallah urges the international community to continue supporting Palestinians and their legal rights. (Xinhua)

Pres. Abbas says new elections will be held within six months. (Ma’an)

Israel will bar members of the new Palestinian government from moving freely. (Ha’aretz)       

Many Jewish American organizations urge the US to either review or cut off its financial support of the PA. (Ha’aretz)                                 

Israeli Amb. Dermer expresses “deep disappointment” in the US decision to continue supporting the PA. (JTA)

The New York Times answers questions about the new Palestinian government. (New York Times)

Palestinians in Ramallah say the new government must prove itself. (Jerusalem Post)

Hamas’s interior ministry in Gaza is abolished with the swearing in of a new Palestinian government. (Times of Israel)

Israeli occupation forces kill a Palestinian man who allegedly attacked a checkpoint in the West Bank. (Reuters/Ma’an/Xinhua/PNN/JTA/Ha’aretz)  

Syrians vote in a presidential election. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National)

Turkey lists the al-Nusra Front as a terrorist group. (Xinhua)

Libya’s new PM Maiteeq holds his first cabinet meeting. (Reuters)

Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef ends his show. (AP/New York Times)

Commentary:

The Jordan Times says Israel’s move to boycott the new Palestinian government is “childish and counterproductive.” (Jordan Times)

Chemi Shalev says Israel’s decision to isolate the new Palestinian government is aimed at two audiences: Israeli public opinion and Republican lawmakers. (Ha’aretz)

The Media Line interviews Abbas advisor Dr. Sabri Saidam. (The Media Line)

David Horovitz outlines 12 ways the Obama administration has failed Israel. (Times of Israel)

Ron Ben-Yishai says Israel should try to enhance the positive aspects of the new Palestinian government. (Ynet)

Akiva Eldar says Israel can learn from the Palestinian narrative. (Al-Monitor)

Ha’aretz says Israel’s use of administrative detention must be reviewed. (Ha’aretz)

Steven Heydemann says the Syrian presidential election is a farce, but it is still dangerous. (Foreign Policy)

David Kenner looks at the other two candidates of the Syrian presidential election. (Foreign Policy)

Diana Moukalled says the ballot that took place in Lebanon among Syrians was not a “genuine election.” (Al Arabiya)

Mustapha Tlili says the Obama administration has failed to grasp the nature of political Islam. (New York Times)

Hassan Barari says a new equilibrium in the Gulf and the Levant can only materialise if Iran changes course. (Jordan Times)

Mohsin Khan says Pres. Sisi must solve numerous economic problems if Egypt is to “bounce back.” (The National)

Mamoun Fandy says Egypt has five major crises that need to be prioritized. (Asharq al-Awsat)

The Daily Star says Iran and the Gulf need to work together to minimize threats posed by extremists from both sides of the divide. (Daily Star)

News:

A new Palestinian government will reportedly not be announced this week. (Ma’an)

Israel marks 47 years since the capture of occupied East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu tells the Knesset Jerusalem will remain united forever. (Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

Israeli Housing Minister Ariel says Jerusalem will never again be divided. (Ha’aretz)

Israeli opposition leader Herzog says the government is turning Jerusalem into a settlement. (Jerusalem Post)

Israeli occupation forces disperse a Palestinian protest in East Jerusalem. (AP/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Jewish settlers enter the Rajaji building to mark Jerusalem Day. (Ma’an)

Israel’s presidential frontrunner Rivlin says he does not support the two-state solution. (Times of Israel)

Israeli occupation forces raid the al-Ayam newspaper building in Ramallah. (PNN/AFP)

DM Ya’alon says signing the UN Arms Trade Treaty would put Israel at risk. (Ha’aretz)

Lebanese Maronite Cardinal Rai makes two politically charged stops in Israel. (AP)

Thousands of Syrians abroad vote for the presidential election. (Reuters/New York Times)

The Lebanese army beats Syrian voters outside of the Syrian embassy in Beirut. (AP)

Pres. Obama is reportedly nearing a decision to train Syrian rebels. (AP)

Syrian rebels describe reported training in Qatar. (McClatchy)

Egypt’s presidential election is extended by a day. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National)

Ansar al-Sharia threatens the US if it interferes in Libya. (Reuters)

Obama will defend his foreign policy in today’s West Point speech. (New York Times)

Commentary:

David Ignatius says Israel and Saudi Arabia agree on major security issues in the Middle East but are divided over the occupation. (Washington Post)

Peter Beinart says Israel and the Palestinians need peace and justice. (Ha’aretz)

Yossi Mekelberg says Middle East peace is in need of Pope Francis’ blessing. (Al Arabiya)

Nahum Barnea says Netanyahu is the PA’s savior. (Ynet)

Emily Hauser says Jerusalem Day is a big lie. (Jewish Daily Forward)

The Daily Star says Hezbollah’s “resistance” has gone from being a weapon used to deter foreign occupiers to an excuse for issuing ultimatums to domestic political rivals. (Daily Star)

Jeffrey Goldberg says the GCC has never become the counterweight to Iran because of “poor management, leadership and jealousy.”  (Bloomberg)

Sharif Nashashibi says the prospect of justice or a negotiated diplomatic solution seem more remote than ever in Syria. (The National)

The Jordan Times says Jordan’s decision to declare Syrian Amb. Suleiman persona non grata is correct. (Jordan Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Pres. Assad will not surrender his last weapons of mass destruction. (Al Arabiya)

Rami Khouri says Iraq mirrors a wider Arab pattern of state mismanagement and mediocrity. (Daily Star)

Samir Atallah says Pres. Mansour’s statements and decisions have been exemplary, characterized by fairness and justice. (Asharq al-Awsat)

The National says women need to play a more critical role in the economy of the Arab world. (The National)

News:

Pope Francis ends his trip to the Middle East pushing for peace. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/The National)

The Pope delivers a powerful boost of support to the Palestinians. (AP)

Pres. Abbas calls on the Pope to support the Palestinian struggle. (Ma’an)

Hamas and Fatah reportedly agree on most of the make-up of a new Palestinian government. (Reuters)

A Fatah official says there are no disputes on the formation of a new Palestinian government with Hamas. (Ma’an)

Israel approves plans for 50 new settler homes in occupied East Jerusalem. (AFP/PNN)

Finance Minister Lapid says annexation and unilateral steps on Israel's parts would destroy Zionism. (Ynet)

Israeli Gen. Mordechai warns power blackouts in the occupied West Bank will lead to violence. (Ha’aretz)

Saudi Prince Faisal Al Saud declines an invitation to Jerusalem by former Israeli intelligence chief Yadlin. (Ha’aretz/JTA/Times of Israel)

Israel is reportedly adopting the recommendations of a pro-settler study. (JTA)

Jewish extremist settlers uproot 30 olive trees in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

FIFA Pres. Blatter calls himself an “ambassador of the Palestinian people.” (AP/Times of Israel)

Cardinal Rai is the first Lebanese religious leader to go to Israel. (AP/Ynet/Times of Israel)

Jordan expels Syrian Amb. Suleiman. (AP/New York Times/Jordan Times/The National)

Syrian refugees are being approached by Lebanese close to Pres. Assad to vote in the presidential election.

OPCW inspectors escape an attack in Syria. (New York Times/Xinhua)

Syria’s fractured railroad is a testament to the dire conditions in the country. (New York Times)

Egypt urges voters to cast ballots in the presidential election. (Reuters/New York Times/The National)

Pres. Suleiman leaves Lebanon’s presidential palace. (Xinhua)

Gunmen fire grenades at the house of PM Maiteeq in Libya. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says Palestinians should ensure that the world remembers the Pope’s visit to Palestine. (Now)

The National says the Pope’s visit to the “Holy Land” highlights Israeli injustice. (The National)

The Jerusalem Post says the Pope met the challenges of his visit to the “Holy Land” with grace and charm. (Jerusalem Post)

David Horovitz says a planned Peres-Abbas-Francis Vatican prayer could yield a rare picture of unity for a common cause. (Times of Israel)

Orlando Crowcroft says Israel’s military conscripts are a real obstacle to peace. (The National)

Prince Charles draws attention to the plight of Christians in the Middle East. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Grant Rumley asks if Abbas is going to the UN again. (Ha’aretz)

Rasha Abou Jalal says, if a new Palestinian government is formed, all legislation issued after Hamas’ takeover of Gaza will be reconsidered. (Al-Monitor)

Akiva Eldar says Chief Negotiator Livni must choose between negotiations with a new Palestinian government or “diplomatic stagnation” that will lead to a binational state. (Al-Monitor)

Abdullah Erakat says Palestinian women are making strides on campuses.(The Media Line)

J.J. Goldberg says the debate between Prince Faisal and Yadlin is the first public contact between a high-ranking Saudi and Israeli. (Jewish Daily Forward)

Hassan Barari says Egypts needs a strong leader to assure stability. (Jordan Times)

Hussein Ibish says the Kurds are inching towards independence as PM Maliki struggles to form a new governing coalition. (The National)

News:

New CNN footage fuels debate over the killing of two Palestinian teenagers by the Israeli military on Nakba Day. (Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu says he is considering unilateral moves in the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

Economy Minister Bennett urges Netanyahu to impose Israeli law in the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Palestinians and Israelis prepare for Pope Francis’ visit. (AFP/The Media Line)

Israel allows Palestinian Christians from Gaza to travel to the occupied West Bank for the Pope’s upcoming visit. (AFP)

Jordan hopes the Pope’s visit will boost its religious tourism. (The National)

Israeli military prosecutors seek to imprison “dangerous” Palestinian teenagers but oppose psychological evaluations of them. (Ha’aretz)

South African Ambassador to Israel Ngombane says the situation in the West Bank reminds him ofapartheid. (Times of Israel)

Russia and China veto a UNSC resolution to refer Syria to the ICC. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

A video shows chlorine gas floating in Syrian streets near Hama. (Reuters)

Syrian rebels kill 20 supporters of Pres. Assad in a mortar attack in Daraa. (New York Times/Xinhua)

UNSG Ban demands urgent action from the UNSC on inadequate Syria aid access. (Reuters)

The US will step up its scrutiny of Americans fighting in Syria. (Reuters)

A poll suggests that only a “narrow majority” supports Field Marshall Sisi as next president of Egypt. (New York Times)

Gen. Haftar calls for a “war against terrorism” in Libya. (AP)

Iraqi Kurds are starting to export oil unilaterally through Turkey. (AP)

Commentary:

Jeffrey Goldberg interviews Netanyahu. (Bloomberg)

Yossi Sarid says Israelis have no choice but to wait for the findings of the investigation of the two killed Palestinian teenagers. (Ha’aretz)

The Jordan Times says the Pope’s comes to the “Holy Land” with a message of peace, harmony and brotherly relations among peoples. (Jordan Times)

Kamel Abu Jaber says the Pope must encourage Israelis to make peace with their neighbors. (Jordan Times)

Marc Schneier and Shamsi Ali say moderate majorities of all three Abrahamic religions need to confront the extremists in their respective faiths. (Jerusalem Post)

Bakir Oweida asks how Sisi will deal with Gaza and Libya if he becomes Egypt’s next President. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Eyad Abu Shakra says the “scourge of sectarian extremism” has become the greatest threat to the “Syrian revolution.” (Asharq al-Awsat)

The Daily Star says Pres. Sleiman’s successor should have his same qualities of resilience and calmness. (Daily Star)

H.A. Hellyer says if Libya is to have a stable and democratic transition, it needs to be helped to emerge from its current crisis. (The National)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Saudi Arabia and the UAE are among the “most mindful” states in the Middle East regarding “development and civil peace.” (Al Arabiya)