News:

The US is attempting to salvage the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.(JTA)

Sec. Kerry will meet with Pres. Abbas in Jordan to discuss peace talks. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Ha’aretz)

The Arab League rejects recognizing Israel as a “Jewish state.” (AP/AFP/PNN/Ha’aretz)

Abbas says he is satisfied with the Arab League resolutions related to Palestine. (Ma’an)

Israel is excluded from the US visa waiver program because of discrimination against Arab Americans.  (JTA)

The US denies plans to free convicted spy Jonathan Pollard as an inducement to Israel. (Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Israel opens fire on two suspected smuggling boats off the Gaza coast. (AP/Xinhua/Ha’aretz)

Israeli occupation forces destroy a mosque, medical center and apartments in East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

Extremist Jewish settlers uproot 400 olive trees near Ramallah. (PNN)

Israeli occupation forces detain 13 Palestinians in the West Bank. (Ma’an)

The newly released minutes of the Camp David Israeli-Egyptian summit show how the parties overcame distrust. (Ha’aretz)

Palestinian citizens of Israel are reportedly receiving better treatment at Israeli airports. (Ha’aretz)

East Jerusalem residents petition Israel’s High Court over insufficient water supplies. (Jerusalem Post)

A Palestinian ISP offers a new option for broadband in the West Bank.(The Wall Street Journal)

The Arab League pledge to end divisions. (Reuters)

The US says the Syrian regime is mostly to blame for disruption of aid. (Reuters)

The US is concerned Al-Qaeda may be using Syria to prepare attacks elsewhere. (New York Times)

Gen. Sisi resigns as Egypt’s Defense Minister. (Reuters)

A Turkish court orders halt to Twitter ban. (AP)

Commentary:

Martin Raffel says there must be equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel. (The Jewish Week)

Ha’aretz says FM Lieberman’s idea about population transfer should be considered “ethnic cleansing.” (Ha’aretz)

Danny Danon threatens to resign his position if more Palestinian prisoners are freed. (JTA)

Zvi Bar’el says the demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a “Jewish state” stems from angst about the country’s identity. (Ha’aretz)

Yossi Mekelberg says the Syrian regime and Israel are edging towards the brink of conflict. (Al Arabiya)

Osama al Sharif says the Arab League has failed to promote development.(Jordan Times)

Ali Ibrahim looks at the collective Arab economic potential. (Asharq al-Awsat)

The Jordan Times says Jordan has made nuclear security and cooperation a priority. (Jordan Times)

Kirk Sowell says PM Maliki is using a budget dispute to boost his third-term prospects. (The National)

Diana Moukalled says by fighting Twitter PM Erdogan may well have committed a “cardinal sin.” (Al Arabiya)

Michael Singh says the US should defend rather than dismiss the arguments in favor of zero enrichment for Iran. (Foreign Policy)

News:

Sec. Kerry holds “constructive talks” with Pres. Abbas in Amman. (AP/New York Times/AFP/Ha’aretz)

King Abdullah of Jordan reiterates his support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. (Xinhua/Jordan Times)

Hamas criticizes the Arab League for not urging an end to the Gaza blockade. (Xinhua)

Economy Minister Bennett says the fourth release of Palestinian prisoners must be renegotiated. (PNN/Jerusalem Post)

Israeli occupation forces kill three Palestinians in the West Bank. (Reuters)

An Israeli soldier admits to the police that he made up the story of being stabbed by Palestinians in Jerusalem. (Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

B’Tselem says Israel is at fault for the killing of a Palestinian teenager in the West Bank. (Ynet)

Israel’s Transportation Ministry earmarks $57 million for roads in the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz)

Al-Quds University president Nusseibeh resigns. (Times of Israel)

The King’s College Student Union in London backs a boycott of Israel. (Ha’aretz)

Syrian warplanes bomb rebels in Latakia. (AP)

US lawmakers criticize the Obama Administration’s policy on Syria. (Reuters)

Gen. Sisi says he will run for Egypt’s presidency. (AP/Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post)

Gunmen kill a Lebanese army officer in Tripoli. (AP)

An Amnesty International study indicates a rise in executions worldwide in 2013. (New York Times)

An advocacy group says the US must help repair “environmental poisoning” in Iraq from the war. (New York Times)

Commentary:

ATFP Pres. Ziad Asali addresses the UN on the obstacles and opportunities for peace. (ATFP)

Aaron David Miller outlines five reasons why the peace process seems in trouble. (Foreign Policy)

Daniel Levy says Kerry’s initiative is a step backwards. (Ha’aretz)

Ari Shavit says Israel’s old left cannot end the occupation. (Ha’aretz)

Peter Joseph asks where is the Jewish American outrage over DM Ya’alon’s remarks. (Ha’aretz)

Michael Kaplan says Palestinian and Jewish refugees should not be compared. (Jewish Daily Forward)

The Daily Star says the Arab League is having a “summit of irrelevance.”(Daily Star)

Michael Young says there are many reasons why Pres. Assad is stronger now than ever. (The National)

Michael Young asks why the magnitude of the suffering in Syria continues to provoke little outrage in the West. (Daily Star)

Robert Hunter says Pres. Obama’s trip to Saudi Arabia should aim to reaffirm commitments on both sides. (Majalla)

Joyce Karam says Obama’s visit to Saudi Arabia is crucial in restoring balance to the Middle East. (Al Arabiya)

Caryle Murphy says Saudi Arabia should implement a gradual but genuine power sharing. (New York Times)

Hilary Krieger says, by banning a reporter, Saudi Arabia is sending a mixed message about the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. (Washington Post)

Abdallah Schleifer says Sisi has won the presidential race before it has begun. (Al Arabiya)

Steven Cook says if Sisi becomes president he will be vulnerable to all the forces that befell his predecessors. (Foreign Policy)

Nathan Brown looks at the relationship between the Egyptian judiciary and state. (SADA)

Louisa Loveluck says there are 529 reasons to doubt the Egyptian justice system. (New York Times)

Eyad Abu Shakra says the Lebanese are always the last to know who will be their next president.(Asharq al-Awsat)

News:

Pres. Abbas agrees to extend peace talks with Israel if certain conditions are met. (Ma’an./Ha’aretz)

A poll indicates a majority of Palestinians favor extending peace talks if prisoners are freed. (AFP)

A Fatah leader says Palestinians may turn to the UN if Israel doesn’t free more prisoners. (Ha’aretz)

A group of Israeli MKs implore PM Netanyahu to freeze settlements instead of releasing prisoners. (Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

The EU is ready to compensate Palestinian refugees who agree not to return to Israel in the event of a peace agreement. (Times of Israel)

An Israeli government document claims “population exchange” is legal under international law. (Ha’aretz)

A newly formed group of Israelis and Palestinians urge the Arab League to renew its peace initiative. (AP)

Most new Israeli homes in 2014 were built in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)

Former Pres. Carter opposes a boycott to Israel but says settlement goods must be labelled.(Ha’aretz)

Israeli occupation forces detain nine Palestinians in the West Bank. (Ma’an)

Jewish “price tag” extremists attempt to torch a Palestinian-owned shop in Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

Israel cuts off the water supply to a refugee camp north of Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)

Experts say Gaza groundwater might become unusable by 2016. (Xinhua)

The Arab League strives to heal rifts among members. (Reuters/Xinhua/PNN)

Qatar’s emir criticizes Iraq and Egypt in an address to the Arab League. (AP)

Clashes between Syrian regime forces and rebels spread near the Turkish border. (AP)

Egypt puts former Pres. Morsi and 682 other Muslim Brotherhood supporters on trial. (Reuters/AP)

The UN says mass death sentences in Egypt contravene international law. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish reviews the new play “Camp David” about the Egyptian-Israeli peace negotiations. (Now)

Ori Nir says supporters of a two-state solution must unite behind Sec. Kerry’s efforts.  (Ha’aretz)

Oudeh Basharat says Israel’s handling of the Palestinians is both a tragedy and a farce.  (Ha’aretz)

Ha’aretz says Israel is using the WZO’s settlement division to bolster the occupation.  (Ha’aretz)

Hassan Barari says Pres. Assad is likely to run for election, thus destroying the likelihood of a peaceful resolution to the conflict. (Jordan Times)

The National says Pres. Obama’s legacy lies at home, not in international relations. (The National)

The Daily Star says an American “policy of leading from behind” means abandoning the Syrian people.  (Daily Star)

Dennis Ross says Saudi Arabia is looking for deeds not words from Obama. (Los Angeles Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Saudi Arabia is aware that the relationship with the US is strategic. (Al Arabiya)

Rob Sobhani says Obama’s Saudi Arabia trip is key to stability in the region. (Al Arabiya)

The Jordan Times says its time for the Arab world to advance women’s rights. (Jordan Times)

Abdel Latif el-Menawy asks why Gen. Sissi has not announced his presidential bid yet. (Al Arabiya)

The New York Times says the death sentences for 529 Muslim Brothers in Egypt is a judiciary “run amok.” (New York Times)

News:

The standoff over the next prisoner release threatens peace talks. (New York Times/Times of Israel)

Chief Palestinian negotiator Erekat accuses Israel of prioritizing settlements over peace. (Ma’an/Ynet)

Pres. Abbas will ask the Arab League to reiterate its 2002 peace initiative. (PNN/Ha’aretz)

J Street says Israel’s demand for Palestinian recognition of it as a “Jewish state” is not realistic at present. (Ha’aretz)

Palestinians criticize Abbas for publicly feuding with former Fatah official Dahlan. (New York Times)

PM Netanyahu says the Israeli army will use force against anybody plotting attacks against Israel. (AFP/Ynet)

Israeli occupation forces kill three Palestinians in the West Bank. (AP/Xinhua)

The UN Human Rights Council will vote on a settlement boycott resolution. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Jewish “price tag” extremists vandalize 34 cars in occupied East Jerusalem. (AP/AFP/Ha’aretz)

Hamas supporters rally in Gaza. (AP/Ma’an)

Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank are becoming increasingly volatile and dangerous.(Ha’aretz)

The PA will sign a security accord aimed at protecting Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. (Daily Star)

Syrian rebels capture a town near the Turkish border. (AP)

The UN accuses both the Syrian government and rebels of hindering aid access. (Reuters/New York Times)

Sec. Kerry hopes the Crimea crisis will not affect Russian cooperation on Syrian weapons.(Reuters)

One person is killed in clashes in Lebanon between supporters and opponents of Pres. Assad.(Reuters/AP)

Turkey shoots down a Syrian plane. (Washington Post/Xinhua/The National)

Egypt sentences 529 Muslim Brotherhood members to death. (AP/Reuters/New York Times)

Pres. Obama may face a tough meeting in Saudi Arabia. (The National)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says the GCC impasse is about Egypt’s role in the unfolding new Middle Eastern strategic landscape. (The National)

The Boston Globe says peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians must be saved. (The Boston Globe)

Emily Hauser says the delayed release of Palestinian prisoners’ shows that Israel does not want to end the conflict with the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

Don Futterman says Palestinians are facing a “prisoners’ dilemma.” (Ha’aretz)

Amos Schocken says those who insist on demanding recognition of Israel as a “Jewish state” are acting to perpetuate the occupation and settlements. (Ha’aretz)

Jonathan Cook asks what will happen if peace talks fail. (The National)

Sharif Nashashibi endorses a binational state for Israelis and Palestinians. (Al Arabiya)

Mira Sucharov explains why she opposes the academic boycott of Israel but supports two states. (Ha’aretz)

Amira Hass writes a letter to the Israeli soldier who killed a fourteen-year-old Palestinian. (Ha’aretz)

Alon Pinkas says the US will not forget DM Ya’alon’s insults. (Ynet)

Bakir Oweida pleas the international community and the Palestinian leadership to “let Gaza breathe.” (Asharq Al Awsat)

The Daily Star says the Arab League summit in Kuwait comes at an all time high level of political tension among members. (Daily Star)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says he doesn’t expect much from this year’s Arab League summit. (Al Arabiya)

The National says the damage incurred by Syria’s architectural heritage is highly disturbing. (The National)

Natasha Hall says the Yarmouk siege has discredited both the Assad regime and the Palestinian leadership. (Daily Star)

H.A. Hellyer says Egypt’s growing tolerance of harassment towards women is alarming. (Al Arabiya)

Majdi Hamdan and Adel Suleiman debate if Egypt’s various presidential candidates could play a role in the next government. (Asharq al Awsat)

Rami Khouri counts the number of ways Arabs are dying. (Daily Star)

Amer Al Sabaileh says Qatar’s changed political position towards the Syrian crisis will not contribute to a political settlement.  (Jordan Times)

News:

Israel plans 2,372 more settler homes in the occupied West Bank. (Reuters/AFP)

The PA says peace talks with Israel have reached an impasse due to settlement activity. (AFP)

Pres. Abbas tells Fatah officials that Palestinians will not give in. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

A major Palestinian report says the PA is on the brink of collapse. (Ha’aretz)

The US reportedly insists on an explicit apology from DM Ya’alon. (Ha’aretz)

The EU and UNICEF launch a project to build a desalination plant in Gaza. (AFP)

Israel announces it has found a huge Gaza smuggling tunnel. (AP/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Two Palestinian children are attacked by settlers in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

The Manufacturers Association of Israel says factories over the green line do not operate in accordance with Israeli industrial standards. (Jerusalem Post)

A Syria-linked sectarian clash in Lebanon kills three. (AP/Reuters/Daily Star)

Lebanon’s parliament gave the newly-formed cabinet a vote of confidence. (Reuters/Daily Star)

Syrian troops capture a famed Crusader castle near the border with Lebanon. (AP)

Former Amb. to Syria Ford says Pres. Assad is likely to remain in power for the “medium term.” (New York Times)

The Turkish government announces a ban on Twitter use. (AP/Reuters/New York Times)

Ayatollah Khamenei says a stronger Iranian economy can overcome sanctions. (AP)

Ethics Prosecutor Garcia questions FIFA officials for choosing Russia and Qatar as future World Cup hosts. (AP)

Commentary:

Ahmad Majdoubeh says Middle East peace must remain a priority for the Obama administration. (Jordan Times)

The Jordan Times says the US has little political will to focus on the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. (Jordan Times)

George Hishmeh says peace talks are in limbo due to the halt of prisoners release. (Jordan Times)

Uri Savir says both Israeli and Palestinian leaderships show a worrying lack of maturity on peace talks. (Jerusalem Post)

Matthew Levitt says a return to armed struggle by any Palestinian group would be a disaster. (Washington Institute)

Daniella Peled says Hamas is starting to lose its grip on Gaza.  (The Spectator)

Ha’aretz says Ya’alon is wrong about his assessment of US power and reliability. (Ha’aretz)

Yoel Marcus says Israel should fire Ya’alon. (Ha’aretz)

Lior Akerman says everyone in Israel secretly agrees with Ya’alon. (Jerusalem Post)

Elior Levy looks at the ongoing confrontation between Abbas and former Fatah official Dahlan. (Ynet)

Aaron David Miller and Josh Nason predict five scenarios in which Pres. Obama might use military force in the Middle East. (Foreign Policy)

Ayla Fateh says Egyptian women dream of a harassment-free future. (Al Arabiya)

The CSM says Russia deserves some credit for voting at the UN to honor Libya’s sovereignty. (Christian Science Monitor)

Samir Salha asks what’s PM Erdogan’s next move. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

News:

The PLO says Israeli occupation forces have killed 56 Palestinians and injured 897 since the resumption of peace talks in July. (Ma’an)

DM Ya’alon apologizes to the US for criticizing Washington. (AP/PNN/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Abbas asks the US to help free jailed Fatah figure Barghouti. (Reuters/AP)

Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Danon says he will resign if more Palestinians are freed. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

A poll indicates that most Palestinians are dissatisfied with the peace process. (Xinhua)

Palestinians are looking for more inputs than just the American role in the peace process. (The Media Line)

Palestinians protest at the Temple Mount/Al Aqsa Mosque over right-wing MK Feiglin’s visit.(Ma’an/Ha’aretz/JTA)

Palestinian security forces arrest over 40 members of Hamas in Nablus. (Ma’an)

Former Sec. Clinton tells Jewish Americans Congress should not impose new sanctions on Iran. (Times of Israel)

Pres. Peres sends New Year’s greeting to Iranians. (AP/Jerusalem Post)

Israel’s airstrikes on Syria may be a message for Hezbollah not to approach the occupied Golan Heights. (Ha’aretz)

The UN-OPCW mission says nearly half of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile has been removed. (Reuters/New York Times)

Syrian troops close a border crossing with Lebanon. (AP)

Qatar is reportedly unlikely to abandon its favored Syrian rebels. (Reuters)

Many Egyptian investors believe a Sisi presidency will bring stability. (Reuters)

A suicide attack in a cafe in Baghdad kills 12. (AP)

Commentary:

Ravit Hecht says PM Netanyahu is using the “Jewish state” demand to avoid compromising with the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

Peter Beinart says Israel must define the “Jewish state” before asking Abbas to recognize it. (Ha’aretz)

Ari Shavit says there can be no peace if Palestinians don’t do their share. (Ha’aretz)

Gideon Levy says the annexation of Crimea is less problematic than the occupation of the Palestinian territories. (Ha’aretz)

Gershon Baskin proposes a framework for peace. (Jerusalem Post)

Brendan Byers asks if Pres. Obama and Sec. Kerry are working with or against each other, especially on Middle East peace. (NOW)

Yossi Mekelberg says the recent laws passed by the Knesset would leave Israel more fragmented and less pluralistic. (Al Arabiya)

Michael Young says events in Syria have turned in Pres. Assad’s favour. (The National)

Joyce Karam says Lebanon continues to suffer from Syria’s war and Hezbollah’s intervention. (Al Arabiya)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says there are currently two wars in Syria that are barely linked together. (Al Arabiya)

Eyad Abu Shakra says the Syrian revolution is the only real revolution in modern Arab history. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Michael Young says Gen. Aoun is once again a plausible candidate for Lebanon’s next president. (Daily Star)

Gordon Brown says Lebanon provides hope for Syrian children in need of an education. (Daily Star)

William McCants asks why Saudi Arabia has declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. (Foreign Affairs)

The National says Qatar must explain its foreign policy. (The National)

The New York Times says Egyptians deserve the world’s help in protecting their cultural heritage. (New York Times)

Zeynep Tufekci says the use of social media for political activism is a work in progress. (New York Times)

News:

Israel approves 186 new settlement units in the occupied East Jerusalem. (AFP/PNN/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

DM Ya’alon comes under heavy criticism from American officials for his anti-American remarks. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/JTA)

UNRWA resumes food distribution in the Yarmouk camp after a two-week halt. (AFP)

Israeli Chief Negotiator Livni says Pres. Abbas’ decisions on peace talks is key to a prisoner release. (AFP/JTA)

A Palestinian official threatens to resume UN initiatives if Israel calls off prisoner release. (AP/Ynet)

A growing generational divide among Palestinians about peace with Israel is reflected in Abbas’ family. (New York Times)

Former Fatah official Dahlan calls Abbas a “catastrophe” for the Palestinians. (Times of Israel)

Israel returns four bodies of Palestinians held for more than a decade. (Ha’aretz) 

Israeli occupation forces kill a Palestinian teeenager in the West Bank. (Xinhua/Ma’an/Jerusalem Post)

Extremist settlers uproot 50 olive trees in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

The PA announces plans to drill for oil in the West Bank. (AP)

Hamas urges the international community to end the blockade of Gaza. (Xinhua)

PM Netanyahu orders the IDF to prepare for a possible strike on Iran during 2014. (Ha’aretz)

Israeli officials have been urging Washington to resume aid to Egypt. (Ha’aretz)

Israeli airstrikes reportedly kill one Syrian soldier and wound seven. (AP/New York Times/The National)

The US suspends operations of Syria’s embassy in Washington and its US consulates.(Reuters/New York Times)

Lebanese troops open the road to a Syrian border town. (AP/Daily Star)

Al-Qaeda is reportedly building its network in Lebanon. (Washington Post) 

A government raid on a militant bomb factory in Egypt leaves two soldiers and five extremists dead.  (AP/Reuters)

The US signs a $165 million water assistance agreement with Jordan. (Jordan Times)

Commentary:

The Daily Star says Pres. Obama should make the “tough decisions’ on the peace talks. (Daily Star)

Jodi Rudoren says the Middle East peace process has its own coded language. (New York Times)

Salman Mashalha dismisses all notions of a binational state. (Ha’aretz)

Ha’aretz says Ya’alon is “endangering Israel’s security.” (Ha’aretz)

Yariv Oppenheimer says Israel’s peace camp has abandoned its “customary defensiveness,” especially online. (Ha’aretz)

Aaron Magid asks why Israel’s left opposes a peace referendum. (Ha’aretz)

Anat Saragusti says AIPAC’s version of Israel is not her’s. (Ha’aretz)

Hussain Abdul Hussain says the US should increase support for the Syrian opposition. (NOW)

Sharif Nashashibi says Hezbollah’s role in Syria is jeopardizing its position in Lebanon. (The National)

Osama al Sharif says the battle for Aleppo may decide the future of the conflict in Syria. (Jordan Times)

Rami Khouri says both the Egyptian military and the Muslim Brotherhood have proven illegitimate. (Daily Star)

Hussein Ibish says the saga of a rogue oil tanker is the latest evidence of Libyan state fragmentation. (NOW)

The National urges more official US delegation visits to GCC states. (The National)

News:

Pres. Obama says the path to Middle East peace is “very challenging.” (AP/New York Times/AFP/Ha’aretz)

The EU opposes boycotts against Israel. (Ha’aretz/JTA)

DM Ya’alon says Israel cannot rely on the US to lead any action against Iran’s nuclear program. (AP/Reuters/Ha’aretz)

A Palestinian official says peace will have to precede any recognition of Israel as a “Jewish state.” (Ynet/Times of Israel)

PM Netanyahu says Israel’s policy is to respond forcefully and immediately to all rocket attacks. (Jerusalem Post)

Pres. Peres apologizes to Jordan over the killing of a Jordanian judge. (Xinhua)

A new poll indicates 30% of settlers are willing to evacuate West Bank settlements in exchange for compensation. (PNN/JTA)

Economy Minister Bennett says a fourth Palestinian prisoner release is uncertain to happen.(Jerusalem Post)

Israel will extend a law that permits prohibition of the reunification of Palestinian families in Israel.(Ha’aretz)

Israeli occupation forces arrest eight Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

Israeli warships fire at Palestinian fisherman near the Gaza coast. (Ma’an)

A Palestinian woman is reportedly assaulted and humiliated by an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint. (Ma’an)

The UN says the list of suspected Syrian war criminals is growing on both sides. (Reuters)

Sec. Kerry names Daniel Rubinstein as new Special Envoy for Syria. (New York Times/JTA)

After three years of conflict the war in Syria is only intensifying. (New York Times)

The UN is concerned about violence in Lebanon. (Xinhua)

Egypt convicts four policemen for the killings of 37 Islamist detainees. (AP/Xinhua)

The al-Qaeda inspired Ansar al-Shariah Brigades claim responsibility for the killing of Egyptian policemen. (AP)

Qatar’s World Cup organizers distance themselves from corruption allegations. (AP)

Halabja residents remember those who died in gas attacks perpetrated by Saddam Hussein. (The National)

Commentary:

Uzi Baram says the occupation prevents Israel from being taken seriously by the world. (Ha’aretz)

Nahum Barnea says Abbas has fallen into Netanyahu’s trap. (Ynet)

Danny Ayalon questions whether NATO can guarantee peace in the Middle East. (Jerusalem Post)

Hassan Barari asks if the Jordanian government will expel the Israeli Ambassador. (Jordan Times)

The Daily Star says the fall of Yabroud indicates that the Syrian regime is intent on a military solution. (Daily Star)

Diana Moukalled says Pres. Assad’s meeting with displaced people  was a moment when the criminal met his victims. (Al Arabiya)

Octavia Nasr says the international community has failed Syria. (Al Arabiya)

Carol Nakhle says Lebanon’s gas and oil should be depoliticized. (Daily Star)

Yusuf Mansur says censorship and absolutist regimes are causes of hindered development in the Arab world. (Jordan Times)

Adnan Hussein and Rashid Al-Khayoun debate whether Iraq’s leaders have missed the chance to build a unified state. (Asharq al Awsat)

Mark Freeman says Tunisia is a model for bridging political and social divides. (Christian Science Monitor)

News:

Pres. Obama will meet with Pres. Abbas to discuss peace talks. (AP/New York Times/AFP/Ha’aretz/The National)

Sec. Kerry urges Abbas to make “tough decisions” on peace. (Reuters/AFP) 

Pres. Peres says Abbas is a true partner for peace. (Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

DM Ya’alon says a peace agreement with Palestinians is unreachable unless they recognize Israel as a “Jewish state.” (Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Hamas prevents supporters of Fatah from holding a demonstration in Gaza in solidarity with Abbas. (New York Times/Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces raid a Jerusalem neighborhood, detaining eight Palestinians. (Ma’an)

Extremist settlers uproot 55 olive trees in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces remove a Palestinian flag from a Hebron roof. (Ha’aretz)

Gaza’s power plant resumes operations after Israel allows fuel deliveries into the Gaza strip. (Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Lebanon sends its army to the Syrian border as rebels flee Syria. (AP)

The Syrian army reportedly ousts rebels from the key city of Yabroud. (AP/Reuters/New York Times)

The Syrian opposition is reportedly willing to trade land in Golan for Israeli military support. (Ha’aretz)

Pres. Mansour says the Egyptian general public opposes the inclusion of the Muslim Brotherhood in the political process. (AP)

Gunmen kill six Egyptian soldiers at an army checkpoint in Cairo. (AP/The National)

US delivers Hellfire missiles and munitions to Iraq. (AP)

US Naval forces seize control of a rogue Libyan oil tanker. (BBC)

Commentary:

Aaron David Miller says Abbas and PM Netanyahu face five huge hurdles on peace with Israel. (CNN)

Jackson Diehl says Obama’s double standards could doom peace talks. (Washington Post)

Robert Satloff says by refusing to recognize Israel as a “Jewish state,” Abbas is denying something even Yasser Arafat was willing to accept. (Foreign Policy)

Ha’aretz says Kerry is right that Netanyahu’s “Jewish state” demand is “unnecessary.” (Ha’aretz)

Shlomo Ben-Ami says giving up on a “united Jerusalem” is the only way to secure the city’s eternal status. (Jordan Times)

Elliott Abrams and Uri Sadot say the significance of Israeli settlement activity depends on whether they are building inside or outside the major blocs. (Washington Post)

Jeff Barak says Labor Party leader Herzog is Israel’s man for the future. (Jerusalem Post)

Ami Gluska asks if there could be an Arab-Israeli president. (Ha’aretz)

Moshe Arens says the Iron Dome system will never be able to provide 100 percent protection. (Ha’aretz)

Hussein Ibish says, despite liberal foreign policy aspirations, force still trumps diplomacy. (The National)

H.A. Hellyer says the international community must choose whether to let Syria suffer for generations. (Al Arabiya)

Ahmed Jarba says the Syrian people will not give up on their dreams of freedom and dignity. (Al Arabiya)

Abdul Rahman al Rashed says the fall of Yabrud exemplifies Iran’s success in leading the war in Syria. (Al Arabiya)

Rami Khouri says Syria is a mirror in which the Arab world sees itself. (Daily Star)

The Daily Star asks why the Lebanese people are not jolted into action by the failure of their political system. (Daily Star)

David Hearst says there is now open diplomatic warfare between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. (Huffington Post)

Mustafa Hashem says Egyptian youth are growing more disillusioned. (Daily Star)

Haider Saeed and Majid Rafizadeh debate if Iraq can escape Iran’s sphere of influence. (Asharq al Awsat)