January 15th, 2015

News:

Pres. Abbas asks the Arab League to provide a safety net of $100 million a month to cover tax revenues withheld by Israel. (AP)

Iraq donates $28 million to the PA. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces open fire at two Palestinians in the West Bank, killing one. (Ma’an)

Hamas members reactivate their ”separate parliament” in Gaza. (Ma’an)

Pres. Rivlin reaffirms his commitment to West Bank settlements. (Times of Israel)

A delegation of Israeli citizens testifies before the UN Human Rights Council.  (Ha’aretz)

FM Lieberman’s party slogan calls for land swaps to remove Palestinian citizens of Israel. (JTA/Times of Israel).

Hamas says the new Charlie Hebdo cover is part of a plot with John Kerry by the “Zionist lobby.” (JTA)

PM Davutoglu compares PM Netanyahu to the Paris massacre terrorists. (Reuters/AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz)

Netanyahu compares France to pre-Inquisition Spain. (Times of Israel)

France’s cyber defense chief Coustilliere says 9,000 websites have been attacked since the Charlie Hebdo massacre. (AP)

Pres. Hollande says the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier will support military operations against ISIS in Iraq. (Reuters)

Syrian rebels and government forces begin observing a 10-day truce in Homs. (AP)

Sec. Kerry says he supports Syrian peace talks brokered by Russia. (New York Times)

A facility to retrain Iraqi police officers to help in fighting jihadists can barely feed its men, let alone arm them. (Washington Post)

Canadian FM Baird says he held "constructive and fruitful" talks with his Egyptian counterpart over the three jailed Al-Jazeera journalists. (Reuters/AP) 

Kerry says he may meet FM Zarif again this week. (Reuters)

A Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, who has been detained in Iran for months, has been indicted and will stand trial. (AP/New York Times)

The US releases five Yemenis from Guantanamo. (New York Times) 

The New York Times profiles Rashid al-Dhaheri, a six year old car racing prodigy from the UAE. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says neglecting a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will bring more disasters to the region. (Al Arabiya)

Ari Shavit says a diplomatic war between Israel and the Palestinians would have far-reaching consequences. (Ha’aretz)

Mazal Mualem looks at Labor party’ new electoral list.  (Al-Monitor)

Michael Young looks at Netanyahu’s “shameless hijacking” of the concerns of French Jews. (Daily Star)

Bernard Avishai says that, by urging French Jews to flee to Israel, Netanyahu is undermining the value of republican tolerance. (New York Times)

Israel Harel says there is no place for Jews in Europe. (Ha’aretz)

Hussein Ibish lists six reasons why no one should be offended or annoyed by Charlie Hebdo’s latest cover. (Now)

David Rothkopf says the Paris attacks signal an opportunity and an urgent reason to find a more effective way to combat terrorism by Muslim fanatics. (Foreign Policy)

Yasmine Bahraini says the response to the Paris attacks will further strain the relationship between Muslims and the West. (Washington Post)

Joyce Karam says missing the rally in Paris is the latest indication that the Obama administration's failure to use soft power has weakened America’s international influence. (Al Arabiya)

Nicholas Kristof says the international community must support moderates in the Islamic world who are pushing for change. (New York Times)

Prince Turki al-Faisal says ISIS should be called “Fahesh” for its obscenities. (Asharq al-Awsat)

The Daily Star says Iran and the US are showing the world they are committed to achieving an agreement. (Daily Star)

Afshin Molavi says Egypt’s econonic recovery has allowed it to rejoin the group of emerging markets. (Al Arabiya)

January 14th

News:

Pres. Abbas will meet with Pres. Sisi in Cairo. (Ma’an)

Tensions between Fatah and Hamas are harming efforts to rebuild Gaza. (Reuters)

Israeli occupation forces detain 32 Palestinians in East Jerusalem and Hebron. (Ma’an)

Jewish “price tag” extremists vandalize vehicles in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma’an/Jerusalem Post)

Terrorism charges are filed against Jewish extremists in the arson attack on a joint Arab-Jewish school in Jerusalem. (JTA/Ha’aretz)

Former Finance Minister Lapid says Israel should attend Arab League meetings and push for a regional agreement. (JTA)

FM Lieberman says Abbas must be removed from the diplomatic arena. (Ynet)

After the terror attacks in Paris, PM Netanyahu is leading in the Israeli elections. (Reuters)

Hezbollah leader Nasrallah says “Israel cannot even imagine our arms stockpile.” (Ha’aretz)

Charlie Hebdo returns to newsstands across France with a controversial new cover. (New York Times)

An Al-Qaeda group in Yemen claims responsibility for the attack on the Charlie Hebdooffices. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/Washington Post/The National)

France arrests 54 people for “defending terrorism.” (AP/Times of Israel)

An Israeli paper cuts Chancellor Merkel from Paris rally photo for “reasons of modesty.” (AP/New York Times)

FM Zarif says the Charlie Hebdo affair makes dialogue with the West harder. (Reuters)

The UNHCR says abject poverty is driving Jordan's Syrian refugees to drastic actions. (Reuters)

Syria peace hopes dim further as opposition groups reject Moscow talks. (New York Times)

Britain launches its largest trade mission to Egypt. (AP)

Commentary:

Shlomi Eldar asks if the Paris terror attacks will overshadow quest for Palestinian statehood. (Al-Monitor)

Zvi Bar’el looks at Netanyahu’s “evil definition” of citizenship. (Ha’aretz)

Aaron David Miller says Netanyahu’s trip to Paris may be “political genius.” (Foreign Policy)

The New York Times says Jews are asking themselves if they have a future in France. (New York Times) 

Thomas Friedman says there should be a million-person march  in the Arab world against terrorists. (New York Times)

David Ignatius says another “war on terror” is bound to fail. (Washington Post)

Mustafa Akyol looks at Islam’s difficult relationship with blasphemy. (New York Times)

The National says Charlie Hebdo should not have depicted the Prophet Mohammed in its recent edition. (The National)

The Jordan Times says Middle Eastern countries bear the biggest responsibility to defeat sources of extremism. (Jordan Times)

Michael Young says ISIS, the Assad regime and Hezbollah are all pursuing agendas that threaten Lebanon. (The National)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Iraq could become a quagmire for Iran. (Asharq al-Awsat)
http://www.aawsat.net/2015/01/article55340375

January 13th

News:

Pres. Obama tells PM Netanyahu he opposes the Palestinians move to join the ICC.(AP/New York Times/JTA/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Abbas visits Turkey and vows to present another resolution to the UNSC. (Jerusalem Post)

Chief Palestinian Negotiator Erekat says France will continue supporting Palestine. (Ma’an)

Three infants and a young fisherman die from exposure during a fierce storm in Gaza. (New York Times/PNN) 

Israel’s Central Bank says the country’s economy has still not recovered from the Gaza war. (Ha’aretz)

Spanish FM García-Margallo arrives in Gaza. (Ma’an)

India donates $4 million to the PA. (Ma’an)

Israel shuts down three local Islamist groups, accusing them of stoking tensions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. (Reuters/AFP)

Joan Peters, a journalist who wrote a notorious book claiming Palestinian history is fabricated, dies at 78. (New York Times)

France and Israel mourn the victims of the Paris terror attacks. (AP/New York Times/JTA/Times of Israel)

Former Pres. Carter says the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the causes of the Paris terror attacks. (JTA/Jerusalem Post)

Egypt’s Grand Mufti warns Charlie Hebdo against publishing a new caricature of the Prophet Mohammed. (Reuters)

Pres. Erdogan criticizes “Western hypocrisy” regarding the terror attacks in Paris. (AP/The National) 

The White House admits Obama or another high-level US representative should have joined the anti-terror rally in Paris. (AP)

Hackers supporting ISIS briefly take over the Twitter and YouTube accounts of the US Central Command. (AP/New York Times)

An Egyptian court overturns the only remaining conviction against former Pres. Mubarak. (Reuters/AP)

A Saudi judge sentences a prominent human rights lawyer jailed for dissent to an additional five years in prison. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Asher Schechter says Netanyahu’s Paris appearance was a public relations disaster. (Ha’aretz)

Yossi Verter looks at how Netanyahu “brought Likud to Paris.” (Ha’aretz)

Shimon Shiffer says Netanyahu’s behavior in Paris was “shameful.” (Ynet)

J.J. Goldberg says a secret Israeli report says the rift with Europe will grow. (Jewish Daily Forward)

Tahar Ben Jelloun says the government, imams, teachers and parents must do more for alienated French youths. (New York Times)

Abdelkader Benali says when everyone seems to mock your faith the pull of extremism is powerful. (New York Times)

Diana Moukalled says the Paris massacre cannot be excused. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Michael Wahid Hanna says Saudi Arabia’s and Egypt’s blasphemy laws are “hypocritical, cynical and dangerous.”(Foreign Policy)

Hassan Hassan says statistics claiming to show ISIS is in retreat do not reflect the reality of a resilient and entrenched organisation. (The National)

Hassan Barari says King Abdullah has made Jordan’s stand against terrorism clear. (Jordan Times)

The Washington Post says the US and NATO are looking the other way as Libya spirals downwards. (Washington Post)

January 9th

News:

Israeli Gen. Gantz says he is not worried by the Palestinian move to join the ICC. (Reuters/AP/Times of Israel)

A Jewish Israeli man is stabbed in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma’an/JTA/Times of Israel)

Hundreds of Palestinians in southern Gaza are forced to evacuate their homes due to rising water levels. (Ma’an/The National)

Extremist Jewish settlers uproot 45 olive trees in the occupied West Bank. (PNN)

Israel closes the Erez crossing after Hamas personnel approached the area. (Ma’an)

The PA requests Israel’s help in dealing with snow currently covering the region. (Ynet)

Gaza will start importing citrus fruits from Israel starting on Sunday. (Ma’an)

Former PM Barak says PM Netanyahu is leading Israel toward a disaster. (Ha’aretz)

The Paris attack suspects are said to have taken at least one hostage in a new incident. (New  York Times/Washington Post/Times of Israel)

One of the Paris attack suspects reportedly met the late prominent al-Qaeda preacher Anwar al Awlaki during a stay in Yemen in 2011. (Reuters/New York Times)

An American official says the two suspected terrorists in the Paris attack were on the US no-fly list. (AP)

At least two people are killed and several others are taken hostage at a shooting in a Kosher marketin Paris. (Times of Israel/Ha’aretz/Ynet)

The Al-Nusra Front launches an attack on two predominantly Shiite villages in northern Syria. (AP/Reuters)

Egypt announces parliamentary elections scheduled to begin March 21. (AP/Reuters)

The UN Special Envoy to Libya Leon meets representatives from rival factions. (AP/Reuters)

A Saudi blogger will be publicly flogged for “insulting Islam.” (AP)

Yazidis thank Pope Francis for his support at a Vatican meeting. (Washington Post)

Sec. Kerry will meet with FM Zarif in Geneva next week. (AFP)

Commentary:

Raghida Dergham says Palestine’s accession to the ICC is a “peaceful intifada” against the elastic negotiating process. (Huffington Post)

Carolina Landsmann says Israel’s decision to withhold Palestinian tax revenues is part of a cynical policy of fulfilling Netanyahu’s “distorted vision of a new Middle East.” (Ha’aretz)

Asher Schechter says Israel has lost the fight against Palestinians in the court of international public opinion. (Ha’aretz)

Arad Nir says the US and Europe must intervene in the upcoming Israeli elections. (Al-Monitor)

Paul Scham says the next Israeli election will involve existential issues. (Partners for Progressive Israel)

Hussein Ibish says the Paris terrorists committed an act of supreme blasphemy, and insulted Islam and the Prophet through their violence. (BookForum) 

Sylvie Kauffmann says the attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices is an assault on French identity. (New York Times)

David Brooks says the massacre at Charlie Hebdo should be an occasion to end speech codes. (New York Times)

Michael Weiss asks why self-described liberals cower in front of violent Muslim extremists. (Foreign Policy)

The Daily Star says it is vital that the Paris attackers are not allowed to achieve their greater aims of creating further divisions in Europe. (Daily Star)

Abdullah Hamidaddin says Pres. Sisi’s “revolution” is an important step in “saving Islam.” (Al Arabiya)

Amal Mudallali says Yemen is struggling to preserve its unity and control its resources in the wake of the rise of the Houthis. (National Interest)

David Ignatius looks at the American and Iranian “double game” in nuclear talks. (Washington Post)
 

January 8th

News:
AP looks at the “looming Palestinian-Israeli showdown” at the ICC. (AP)
The US says Palestinians are “ineligible” to join the ICC. (Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)
Sen. Rand Paul introduces a bill to cut aid to the PA. (AP/Ma’an/Ha’aretz/Politico)
Palestinian Chief Negotiator Erekat says there is “no difference between ISIS and Israeli terrorism.” (Ma’an/PNN/Times of Israel)
The Palestinian Water Authority says 96% of Gaza water is unusable. (PNN)
American donors are providing most of PM Netanyahu’s reelection funds. (JTA)
Egypt has begun doubling the size of a buffer zone along the Gaza border. (AP/Ma’an)
Pres. Abbas condemns the Paris terror attack. (Ma’an/PNN)
France is hunting down two suspected terrorists in the Charlie Hebdo attack. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/The National)
Three are killed by a car bomb explosion in Samarra, the site of several Shiite holy places. (Reuters)
The Pentagon says US-led airstrikes have hit 3,222 ISIS targets. (Reuters)
A winter storm hitting the Middle East is raising concerns for Syrian refugees facing freezing temperatures. (Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post)
Pres. Sisi calls for a “revolution” against extremism and obscurantism in Islam. (AP)
Commentary:
Akiva Eldar says Israel’s withholding of Palestinian tax revenues will backfire. (Al-Monitor)
Ari Shavit says Labor leader Herzog must give Israelis a concrete plan for hope. (Ha’aretz)
Salman Masalha says what’s missing in  Israel is a party for all Israelis. (Ha’aretz)
Amos Harel says the Paris shooting will not garner European sympathy for Israel. (Ha’aretz)
The New York Times says the terrorist attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices is an assault on freedom everywhere. (New York Times)
The Washington Post says Charlie Hebdo stood solidly for free expression. (Washington Post)
The Daily Star says the Paris attack is a “black day” for freedom of expression. (Daily Star)
David Rothkopf says the response to extremist violence determines its success. (Foreign Policy)
Nicholas Kristof says Islam is not to blame for the shooting at Charlie Hebdo. (New York Times)
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Paris is yet another target of the same ideology and violence that bedevils the Middle East. (Al Arabiya)
H.A. Hellyer says the Paris terror attack requires more than “mere condemnation.” (The National)
Alan Philps says Europe’s response to the Paris attack must address Islamophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment. (The National)
Joyce Karam says the Paris terror attack demonstrates that ISIS and al-Qaeda are not contained. (Al Arabiya)
The National says history shows that extremists always fail. (The National)
Jeffrey Goldberg says the Charlie Hebdo massacre represents a direct attack on the most crucial western ideal. (The Atlantic)
David Horovitz says the first step toward defeating Islamist terrorism is acknowledging the problem. (Times of Israel)
Avi Issacharoff says the Charlie Hebdo attack highlights jihadists Middle East-Europe traffic. (Times of Israel)
Michael Young looks at the Russian peace plan for Syria. (Daily Star)
Simon Henderson says the West should prepare for a “stormy succession battle” within the royal family in Saudi Arabia. (Foreign Policy)

January 7th

News:

UNSG Ban says Palestine will become part of the ICC on April 1st. (PNN/JTA/Times of Israel)

EU Foreign Policy Chief Mogherini says Israel is violating the Oslo Accords by freezingPalestinian tax revenues. (AP/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

France warns the Palestinians not to resubmit the UN statehood resolution. (JTA/Reuters/Jerusalem Post)

An Israeli group files a war crimes suit against Palestinian leaders. (Times of Israel)

PM Hamdallah is scheduled to visit Gaza in the coming few days. (Ma’an)

Hamas says the PA is “misusing” Gaza reconstruction funds. (Ma’an) 

Sweden’s FM Wallstroem postpones a planned visit to Israel. (JTA/Times of Israel)

The Allenby Crossing has been witnessing very serious overcrowdedness, as tens of thousands of Palestinians are trying to leave to Jordan. (Ma’an)

The Media Line looks at the challenges facing bilingual education in Israel. (The Media Line)

The UN says Syrians are the largest refugee group after the Palestinians. (Reuters)

Chemical weapons investigators are confident chlorine gas was used in Syrian villages. (AP)

The Pentagon says the American training of Syrian rebels could begin in spring. (Reuters/New York Times)

Masked gunmen open fire in the offices of a French satirical newspaper, killing 12. (New York Times/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Sisi visits the main Coptic Christian cathedral during its Christmas Eve Mass. (New York Times)

The Egyptian army kills a senior Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis leader. (Ma’an)

Egypt’s central bank says foreign currency reserves fell to $15.33 billion at the end of December. (AP)

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Salman gives a speech on behalf of King Abdullah. (The National)

A female suicide bomber strikes in Istanbul, killing a policeman. (AP/Washington Post) 

Ayatollah Khamenei says the US cannot be trusted in nuclear talks. (AP/Reuters)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says in order to bring ICC charges against them, Israel would have to recognize Palestinian’s sovereignty. (Now)

Aaron David Miller says the Palestinian move to join the ICC seems desperate and rash -- to everyone but the Palestinians. (Foreign Policy)

Rami Khouri says its time for serious Palestinian leadership. (Daily Star)

Noah Feldman says joining the ICC could provide Palestinians more leverage in -- and to get to -- negotiations with Israel. (Bloomberg)

Daniella Peled looks at how Israel will stand to lose at the ICC, without a single trial taking place.  (Ha’aretz)

Yossi Mekelberg says the threat of the ICC is a serious weapon that should be handled by both sides very carefully. (Al Arabiya)

Osama Al Sharif looks at Pres. Abbas’ diplomatic options. (Jordan Times)

Al-Monitor interviews Fatah official Jibril Rajoub. (Al-Monitor)

Ha’aretz says Israel cannot allow itself another term with PM Netanyahu. (Ha’aretz)

Shlomi Eldar says Palestinian citizens of Israel will not vote in the next elections. (Al-Monitor)

Michael Young traces the blunders made by the Assad regime through the fate of one of its more prominent partners, the late Omar Karami. (The National)

Hamad Al-Majid says the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood needs to consider implementing significant, not superficial, change and reform. (Asharq al-Awsat)

John Hannah says its time to pursue regime change in Iran. (Foreign Policy)
 

January 6th

News:

Palestinians are seen to be gaining momentum in their quest for statehood. (New York Times)

The ICC says Palestinian officials have acknowledged the court's jurisdiction regarding last summer's Gaza war. (AFP)

The US is considering cutting aid to the PA over recent PLO moves. (AP)

Pres. Rivlin says he is opposed to Israel withholding Palestinian tax revenues in response to multilateral PLO initiatives. (AFP/Xinhua)

The US also strongly criticizes Israel's withholding of Palestinian tax revenues. (Ha'aretz)

Hamas denies reports that its leader, Khaled Meshaal, has been expelled from Qatar, but Israel welcomes the report. (Reuters/Times of Israel/Ha'aretz)

Hamas says it is opposed to Arabs and Muslims visiting Jerusalem. (Xinhua)

Hamas says it is "totally opposed" to any new Palestinian UN bid. (AFP)

Israel sentences a Hamas member to life imprisonment for the killing of three Israeli teenagers last summer. (BBC)

Israeli occupation forces shoot and injure a Palestinian teenager in a West Bank raid. (Ma'an)

Israel's military is divided over probes into last summer's Gaza war. (AP)

Palestinians eagerly await the performance of their Cinderella national soccer team at Asian Cup 2015. (The Guardian)

Japan and Israel are establishing closer ties. (JTA)

Hezbollah appears to acknowledge that a top official has been found to be spying for Israel. (New York Times/Times of Israel)

Clashes with ISIS extremists kill 23 government troops and allied forces in Iraq. (AP)

Kurdish fighters seize a key district in the embattled Syrian town of Kobane. (BBC)

A senior ISIS extremist is found beheaded by unknown assailants in Syria. (Ha'aretz)

Thousands of Syrians in Aleppo are trapped between ISIS and regime forces. (CNN)

There are growing signs of ISIS misrule and incompetence in the areas under its control. (Financial Times/Daily Beast)

Doctors say the West's focus on ISIS means it is ignoring the human tragedy in Syria. (Reuters)

Gunmen kill two Egyptian policeman guarding a Christian church. (AP)

France says it is ready to strike extremists on Libya's borders. (AP)

A Jordanian prince is trying to unseat FIFA chief Sepp Blatter. (AP)

Shiite rebels in Yemen are reportedly helping Sunni Al Qaeda militants. (Christian Science Monitor)


Commentary:

Peter Beinart responds to Dennis Ross's critique of Palestinian moves at the UN and the ICC. (Ha'aretz)

David Makovsky looks at the policy implications of the Palestinian ICC initiative. (WINEP)

Nehemia Shtrasler says Israel will pay the price for PM Netanyahu's 'management' of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. (Ha'aretz)

Adnan Abu Amer says Hamas is divided over a potential rapprochement with former Fatah leader Dahlan. (Al Monitor)

Ali Ibrahim welcomes a well-timed appeal for Jerusalem from the head of the OIC. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Amiram Barkat says Christians in Jerusalem want Jews to stop spitting on them. (Ha'aretz)

Abdulrahman Al-Rashed asks if relations can improve between Iran and Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Salman Aldossary says Saudi Arabia will not save Iran's economy. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Madawi Al-Rasheed asks if the next Saudi King will seize the opportunity for change. (Al Monitor)

The CSM says Arab and Turkish hospitality to Syrian refugees is an example to the West. (Christian Science Monitor)

The New York Times denounces Egypt's crackdown on gay men. (New York Times)

Mohamed Fadel Fahmy says Al Jazeera journalists are not Egypt's enemies. (New York Times)

The BBC looks at why ISIS' "Islamic State" is not a country at all. (BBC)

Gopal Ratnam asks what comes after ISIS is defeated. (Foreign Policy)

Rasha Al Aqeedi says Mosul was on its way to being much more conservative long before ISIS took over. (The National)

Michael Karam remembers legendary Lebanese wine-maker Serge Hochar. (The Daily Star)

News:

Palestinian officials demand an inquiry after the killing of a Gaza teenager by Egyptian forces. (New York Times)

Israel withholds tax revenues from Palestinians and threatens lawsuits against them. (The Guardian/Reuters/AFP)

Israel threatens more punitive measures against Palestinians. (AP)

Israel's responses will not include more settlement activity. (Ha'aretz)

Israel urges the US Congress to halt aid to the PA. (Ha'aretz)

US officials say Palestinian ICC moves will have "implications" for American aid to the PA. (Reuters)

Freezing Palestinian tax revenues is a double-edged sword for Israel. (Ha'aretz)

Pres. Abbas says he may resubmit a recently defeated draft UNSC text to the Security Council. (Xinhua)

Chief PLO negotiator Erekat says Palestine will decide when to submit a new UN resolution in meeting with Arab ministers. (Ma'an)

Jordan was reportedly displeased by the Palestinian UN initiative. (Ha'aretz)

MK Tibi says Israelis should think about the ICC when they "murder Palestinian children." (YNet)

Israeli officials say they're not concerned about facing ICC charges. (Al Monitor)

Israel's Supreme Court rules against the separation wall in the historic West Bank village of Battir. (Ma'an)

Rights groups say there was an 80% increase in detentions of Palestinians by Israel in 2014. (Ma'an)

Hamas and Islamic Jihad hold a joint meeting in Gaza. (Ma'an)

Tourism to Israel sharply decreased after the Gaza war last summer. (Jerusalem Post)

Israel allows a FIFA delegation to cross into Gaza after several hours delay. (Xinhua)

The speaker of Libya's Parliament rejects foreign military intervention. (AP)

The Libyan military says it opened fire on a "suspicious" Greek tanker. (AP)

20 Egyptian Christians are kidnapped by extremists in Libya. (AP/Xinhua)

Two Saudi border guards are killed in an attack near the Iraqi border. (AP/BBC)

Reuters looks at the foreign fighters joining the battle against ISIS. (Reuters)

Lebanon says ISIS seeks bases within the country. (Reuters)

ISIS gained ground among Muslim extremists the world over in 2014. (Los Angeles Times)

The Western-backed Syrian National Coalition elects a new leader. (Reuters)

The "rise and ugly fall" of a moderate Syrian rebel may offer valuable lessons for the West. (Washington Post)

Iyad Madani, secretary-general of the 57-nation OIC, visits Jerusalem and urges other Muslims to follow suit. (AP)

A Kuwaiti MP says he is facing criminal charges after supporting legalizing the sale of alcohol. (AP)

Nida Tunis asks veteran politician Habib Essid to form a new Tunisian government. (AP/Reuters)

Iran's president urges a nuclear deal with the P5+1. (Los Angeles Times)

Former U.S. Congressman Slattery is optimistic about a nuclear deal after visiting Iran. (Al Monitor)

The falling price of oil is squeezing Hezbollah's finances. (Christian Science Monitor)

Yemen's Shiite rebels reject an agreed-upon federal plan for the country. (AP)


Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says Palestinians desperately need a coherent national strategy. (The National)

Ha'aretz says freezing Palestinian tax revenues is a bizarre Israeli response to the PLO UN initiative. (Ha'aretz)

Aaron David Miller says Palestine's "diplomatic intifada" will fail. (Politico)

Avi Issacharoff says both sides experienced "Pyrrhic victories" at the UN. (Times of Israel)

Aaron Magid says the US must stop blaming Abbas for trying to join the ICC. (Ma'an)

Linda Heard asks if the ICC will let down the Palestinians, just as the UN has done. (Gulf News)

Dennis Ross says Palestinians should be pressured to focus on the substance, rather than symbols, of peace. (New York Times)

The Daily Star says Palestinians are right to seek new paths to independence, and should keep on doing so. (Daily Star)

The Wall Street Journal says the US should cut off aid to the PA if Palestinians try to use the ICC against Israel. (Wall Street Journal)

Oudeh Basharat says even the center-left coalition of Herzog and Livni promises a continuation of the occupation. (Ha'aretz)

Amira Hass says that in the West Bank, every flat tire tells a story. (Ha'aretz)

Theodore Sasson asks if Israel's "Jewish state" rhetoric will alienate the Jewish diaspora. (The Forward)

Bruce Riedel asks if a Saudi succession process is about to take place. (Al Monitor)

Hassan Barari says the US is too eager for a nuclear deal with Iran. (Arab News)

The Daily Star dismisses Iran's "empty promises" to the international community. (Daily Star)

Lauren Williams says ISIS has polarized Turkey. (Daily Star)

Diana Moukalled says Jordan may be ISIS' next target. (Asharq Al Awsat)

News:

Palestinians take the first step towards joining the ICC, a move seen as confrontational. (New York Times/Reuters/AFP)

Palestinians hope to bring war crimes charges against Israelis at the ICC. (AP)

It may be difficult for Palestinians to arrange for indictments of Israelis at the ICC. (New York Times)

Palestinians have reportedly filed an early complaint against Israelis at the ICC. (Asharq Al Awsat)

 

Congress warns Palestinians that the ICC move may lead to a reduction in aid. (JTA)

A Palestinian is reportedly crushed to death amid 'extreme overcrowding' at a West Bank checkpoint. (Ha'aretz)

Armed Israeli settlers confront American consulate guards in the occupied West Bank. (YNet)

Former Finance Minister Yair Lapid says settlement funding is "corrupt." (AP)

Israeli soldiers critically injure a Palestinian in a shooting near Nablus. (Ma'an)

Palestinian TV plans to raise awareness of violence against women and girls. (The Guardian)

A delegation of PA unity government ministers leaves Gaza. (Ma'an)

An injured nine-year-old girl has become a symbol of the Gaza war. (The Guardian)

Experts disagree about Palestinian projections that Jews will be a minority in historic Palestine by 2016. (Jerusalem Post)

PM Netanyahu wins Likud's primary. (AP)

An Arab woman is running for Parliament in Israel on a hard-line Israeli-nationalistic ticket. (AP/Times of Israel)

Half of Israel's Jewish and Arab students want nothing to do with each other. (Ha'aretz)

India is building closer ties to Israel. (The Media Line)

Coalition jets pound ISIS' stronghold in Syria. (AP)

Kurds in Iraq launch a new offensive against ISIS. (AP)

Gunmen kill three Sunni clerics in Basra. (AP)

2014 was the bloodiest year in Iraq since 2006-07. (Reuters)

Three Al Jazeera journalists remain in prison after an Egyptian court orders a retrial in the case. (New York Times/Los Angeles Times)

The family of one of the journalists hopes Egypt will deport him. (AP)

Beirut's elegant new downtown is bereft of people. (Washington Post)

Libya's Prime Minister may be considering resignation. (Asharq Al Awsat)

The BBC looks at prospects facing new Tunisian president Essebsi. (BBC)


Commentary:

The New York Times says Palestinians seem to be driven by desperation. (New York Times)

Barak Ravid says Israel's troubles with the international community are just beginning. (Ha'aretz)

Alon Pinkas says Palestinians lost the diplomatic battle, but not the war. (YNet)

Yonah Jeremy Bob says Israelis may not face any prosecution at the ICC. (Jerusalem Post)

Julian Borger says ICC membership could be a double-edged sword for Palestinians. (The Guardian)

J.J. Goldberg says Israel and the Palestinians are playing a "game of chicken" at the ICC. (The Forward)

Raphael Ahren says Palestine at the ICC is a headache Israel may learn to live with. (Times of Israel)

The Times of Israel interviews Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad. (Times of Israel)

David Brooks says Netanyahu is subtly reshaping Israel. (New York Times)

Roger Cohen says Gaza is a "nowhere" that must be turned into a "somewhere." (New York Times)

Ha'aretz says Israel should not censor a Gaza war investigation. (Ha'aretz)

Zeev Sternhell says Palestinians should follow the example of David Ben-Gurion. (Ha'aretz)

Amira Hass says Palestine's recent defeat at the UNSC is a "harsh wake-up call" for Pres. Abbas. (Ha'aretz)

Yoni Ben Menachem looks at "evidence of tension between the military and political wings of Hamas." (JCPA)

H.A. Hellyer says ISIS is unlikely to gain further ground in 2015. (The National)

Wafiq Al-Samarrai says Iran's central role in the fight against ISIS in Iraq must be recognized. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Abdulrahman Al-Rashed says any solution in Syria depends on getting rid of Pres. Assad. (Asharq Al Awsat)

News:

Palestine's latest UN resolution fails to garner nine votes, which would have raised the question of a US veto, in the Security Council. (New York Times/Reuters/Los Angeles Times/BBC)

The US reconfirms its support for peace based on the 1967 borders. (Ha'aretz)

US and Israeli intervention led to the Palestinian defeat. (The Guardian)

Jewish-American groups credit Pres. Obama for engineering the defeat. (Ha'aretz)

Palestinians say Australia may have damaged its relations with the Arab world by voting against the resolution. (The Guardian)

Palestinians plan their next steps. (AP)

Some in the Palestinian leadership are reportedly urging Pres. Abbas to seek ICC membership, possibly in the next day or two. (Ha'aretz/Times of Israel)

Hamas again condemns the PLO's UN initiatives. (Ma'an)

Israel says it is "satisfied" by the UN vote, but reiterates its criticisms of the Palestinians and Europe. (AFP/Ha'aretz)

Israel's UN envoy was absent during the vote. (Ha'aretz)

An Israeli settler runs over a Palestinian child walking to school in Tuqu. (Ma'an)

Israeli settlers set a Palestinian home on fire while the family inside sleeps. (Ma'an)

Israeli police arrest suspects accused of vandalizing a Jerusalem abby. (AP)

Fatah is preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary in Ramallah. (Ma'an)

US forces in Iraq are training new troops to combat ISIS, beginning in February. (New York Times)

Iran denies reports the US offered it a prisoner swap. (AP)

Russia says US sanctions may hurt talks on Syria and Iran. (AP)

International calls emerge for the release of Bahrain's leading opposition figure. (New York Times/AP)

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah is admitted to hospital for tests. (AP/Xinhua)

Tunisia's new secular president, Beji Caid Essebsi, is sworn in. (Ha'aretz/BBC)

A slowdown in aid from the Gulf threatens Egypt's economic recovery. (Al Monitor)


Commentary:

Itamar Eichner describes how the Palestinian UN draft was defeated. (YNet)

Raphael Ahren says the Palestinian defeated the UN is good news for Likud MK's. (Times of Israel)

The Daily Star says Fatah has been brought down by a "simple failure to show moral leadership and address core grievances.". (Daily Star)

Adnan Abu Amer says the rapprochement between Egypt and Qatar has rattled Hamas. (Al Monitor)

Jay Michaelson says "pinkwashing" Israel on gay rights is incredibly wrong. (The Forward)

Javier Solana says an international course correction on Syria must begin in Aleppo. (GulfNews)

Colum Lynch says fear of angering Pres. Assad has left a gap in the UN Syria relief program. (Foreign Policy)

Michael Young says Lebanon faces a familiar set of old problems. (The National)

Ali Ibrahim wants to know who's setting Libya's oil on fire. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Ali Mamouri thinks Basra may be moving towards independence. (Al Monitor)

The Gulf News says defeating extremism will be the priority in the Middle East in 2015. (GulfNews)

Alastair Sloane looks at how the war on terror became a lucrative business. (The Daily Star)

Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi sees improved Gulf relations with Egypt and Qatar as a positive sign for Arab unity. (Arab News)

Aaron David Miller lists five reasons why 2015 is going to bring positive changes to the Middle East. (Foreign Policy)

Joseph Kechichian says Middle Eastern states will survive the challenge from pseudo-states and substate actors. (Gulf News)


American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017