November 13th, 2014

News:

Israel approves plans to build 200 new homes in a settlement in occupied East Jerusalem, drawing US criticism. (AP/AFP/JTA/Times of Israel)

Israeli occupation forces arrest 27 Palestinians in East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

Sec. Kerry will meet with Pres. Abbas on easing regional tensions. (AFP/Times of Israel)

State Department says Kerry will also meet with PM Netanyahu and King Abdullah of Jordan in Amman. (Jerusalem Post)

Israel says it will not cooperate with a UN inquiry into its 50-day war in Gaza this summer. (AFP/JTA/Times of Israel)

Israel reinstates its policy of demolishing the homes of “terrorists.” (Ha’aretz)

Israeli police will install facial-recognition scanners at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. (Ha’aretz)

Islamic Jihad says Israel should expect a response to its “settler terrorism.” (Ma’an)

Sweden signs an agreement with UNDP to step up financial support for the reconstruction of Gaza. (Ma’an)

Israeli Chief Negotiator Livni and Opposition leader Herzog hold a meeting with leaders of the Arab community. (Ynet)

Some Jewish American groups accuse Abbas of incitement. (JTA)

Forbes says Hamas is the second richest “terror group” in the world. (Times of Israel)

Palestinian filmmakers are fighting for funding to tell their own personal stories. (The Media Line)

PM al-Abadi removes 36 military commanders. (New York Times)

France is considering sending fighter jets to Jordan to strike ISIS extremists in Iraq. (Reuters)

Reuters profiles members of a Shiite militia who are defending the Baiji refinery from ISIS. (Reuters) 

Syria’s moderate rebels in the south are emerging as the West’s last hope, as other moderate rebels are crushed elsewhere. (Reuters)

Turkish Kurds are informally patrolling Turkey’s border with Syria. (AP)

Militants kill five Egyptian troops in Sinai. (AP)

A series of bombs explode near the Egyptian and UAE embassies in Tripoli. (Reuters/AP/The National)

Pres. Sisi issues a law that would allow the deportation of non-Egyptians convicted of crimes to their home countries. (New York Times/The National)

Egyptian authorities are detaining journalists for talking politics in Cairo cafes. (New York Times)

Lebanon’s politics are paralyzed by the surrounding regional conflicts. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says a new Palestinian poll suggests most want peace, not another uprising.  (Now)

The Jordan Times says Hamas and Fatah are back to their “old routine.” (Jordan Times)

The Daily Star says Palestinians must reclaim their future. (Daily Star)

El Hassan bin Talal says competing claims to Jerusalem as the capital for both Israel and Palestine reflect the need for a new architecture of waging comprehensive peace. (Jordan Times)

Yudith Oppenheimer says Jerusalem’s Arab neighborhoods cannot be erased from the map or history. (Ha’aretz)

Ari Shavit says Jewish settlers, Palestinian leadership and the international community must be blamed for the breakdown in Israeli-Palestinian relations. (Ha’aretz)

Ahmad Melhem asks if Palestinian attacks on Israelis are “lone wolf” attacks. (Al-Monitor)

Jack Khoury says Palestinians are in no hurry to end their security coordination with Israel. (Ha’aretz)

Chris Doyle says its time for a credible inquiry into Israel’s war on Gaza. (Al Arabiya)

Raphael Ahren says Israel’s fate at the UNSC may hinge on an increasingly critical Europe. (Times of Israel)

Akiva Eldar says Netanyahu’s ultimate goal is to perpetuate the occupation and bring the Palestinians to heel. (Al-Monitor)

George Hishmeh says Netanyahu must reshuffle his cabinet or quit. (Gulf News)

David Ignatius says sectarianism and corruption are sabotaging Iraq. (Daily Star)

Alan Philps says cooperation between the US and Iran in the fight against ISIS does not necessarily bode well for Iraq. (The National)

Joyce Karam says Baghdadi’s “ruthless, invisible and decisive leadership” of ISIS earned him the title of most powerful Jihadist today. (Al Arabiya)

Eyad Abu Shakra says the alliance of minorities in Syria is counterproductive. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Tariq Alhomayed asks what will follow the Nov. 24 deadline to reach a comprehensive deal on Iran’s nuclear program. (Asharq al-Awsat)

November 12th

News:

Extremist Jewish settlers torch a mosque in the occupied West Bank. (AP/Ma’an/PNN/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/The National)

Israeli police arrest a paramilitary border policeman over the fatal shooting of a Palestinian teenager in the occupied West Bank in May. (Reuters/New York Times/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu calls on Palestinian citizens of Israel to shun “propaganda and incitement” and “respect the law.” (JTA/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Abbas will meet with Sec. Kerry to discuss the upsurge in violence in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank. (Ynet)

Israeli officials are worried that tensions in the occupied West Bank could threaten Israel-PA coordination on Gaza. (Ha’aretz)

 

French lawmakers will vote on Nov. 28 on a proposal to recognize the State of Palestine. (AFP/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

 

AP looks at key recent events in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (AP)

 

The New York Times looks at the emergence of an “improvised intifada” in occupied East Jerusalem. (New York Times)

 

The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society says Fatah leader Barghouthi was moved to solitary confinement. (Ma’an/Ha’aretz/Ynet)

 A Hamas co-founder Muhammad Salih Taha dies in Gaza. (Ma’an/Times of Israel)

 

The New York Times profiles the Palestinian Qalandiya cultural festival. (New York Times)

 

The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces Gala raises a record-breaking $33 million. (Variety)

 

Kerry will meet will King Abdullah of Jordan in Amman. (AFP/Reuters)

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the US-led anti-ISIS coalition has killed 860 people. (AP)

Support for Pres. Assad is reportedly weakening in his Alawite base. (Washington Post)

Kurdish forces block a road ISIS extremists were using to resupply their forces in a Syrian town on the Turkish border. (Reuters)

The UN says Iraq needs a wheat planting boost to feed the displaced people and help farmers salvage next year's harvest. (Reuters)

A suicide bomb kills 23 people in Baghdad. (Reuters)

The largest American business delegation visits Egypts and meets with Pres. Sisi. (AP)

 

Commentary:

Rami Khouri says Jerusalem today is more than a major symbol of identity and sovereignty for Israelis and Palestinians. (Daily Star)

Amira Hass says Palestinians are not yet ready for another intifada. (Ha’aretz)

Yossi Mekelberg says what happens in Jerusalem has far reaching implications beyond its borders. (Al Arabiya)

Shlomi Eldar looks at how Hamas is using the escalation in the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound to its advantage. (Al-Monitor)

Zvi Bar’el says, according to Netanyahu, Israeli Arab citizenship is conditional on behavior. (Ha’aretz)

Raphael Ahren says the UN has not yet answered how rockets got into its schools in Gaza. (Times of Israel)

Peter Beinart says the new Jewish American struggle is between “hawks and ultra-hawks.” (Ha’aretz)

Ron Kampeas says, despite showing a united front, tensions remain between Israel and the US. (JTA)

David Ignatius makes a checklist for American success in Iraq. (Washington Post)

Thomas Friedman says there are many conflicting dreams and nightmares playing out among America’s Middle East allies in the war on ISIS. (New York Times)

Emad Kiyaei says the US can defeat ISIS only with the help of Iran. (Foreign Policy)

Rym Ghazal says women warriors who are fighting against ISIS extremists deserve credit. (The National)

The Jordan Times says there might be an opportunity for peace in Syria. (Jordan Times)

November 10th

News:
 
A Palestinian man stabs and critically wounds an Israeli soldier in Tel Aviv. (Reuters/New York Times/Ma’an/PNN/JTA/Ha’aretz)
 
PM Netanyahu vows a harsh response to the ongoing wave of Arab violence. (AP/PNN/Jerusalem Post)
 
A Palestinian citizen of Israel is shot by Israeli police, causing protests. (New York Times/AFP/Times of Israel)
 
An Israeli ministerial committee approves a bill that would apply all laws passed by the Knesset to the settlements. (Ma’an/PNN/Ha’aretz)
 
Palestinian official Shaath says the Knesset bill is dangerous and is aimed to eventually annexing territories. (Ma’an)
 
FM Lieberman says Palestinian citizens of Israel living in northern Israel should notremain citizens if there is an agreement for a Palestinian state. (Times of Israel)
 
Israel will reportedly confiscate 3176 acres around the occupied West Bank village of Beit Iksa for military purposes. (Times of Israel)
 
Pres. Abbas says he would he like to move the shrine of the late Pres. Arafat toJerusalem. (Ma’an/Ynet)
 
Fatah cancels the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the death of Arafat in Gaza. (Ma’an/JTA)
 
Israel will allow Palestinian fishermen in Gaza to export fish to the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)
 
A Jewish American billionaire Sheldon Adelson calls Palestinians an “invented people.”(Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)
 
A new recording from 1983 between Pres. Reagan and PM Begin exposes the fraught relationship between the two leaders during the First Lebanon War. (Times of Israel/Ha’aretz)
 
Palestine’s Sheikh Khalifa mosque opens for worship. (The National)
 
The Syrian Observatory for Human Right says five nuclear engineers were killed in the outskirts of Damascus. (Reuters)
 
Pres. Assad says he will consider the UN ceasefire proposal for Aleppo. (AP)
 
Iraqi officials say ISIS leader al-Baghdadi was wounded in an airstrike in the Anbar province. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/The National)
 
The New York Times looks at the obstacles that limit targets and pace of strikes on ISIS. (New York Times)
 
Pres. Obama will deploy an additional 1500 American troops to Iraq. (New York Times/Washington Post)
 
Pres. Masoum will visit Saudi Arabia, raising hopes of a tentative thaw in relations between the Arab neighbors. (Reuters)
 
Jordan imposes new rules on Muslim clerics to counter ISIS ideology. (Washington Post)
 
Egypt’s Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis allegedly pledges allegiance to ISIS in an audio clip. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National)
 
Egypt’s ultimatum for civil society expires. (AP)
 
King Abdullah of Jordan meets with EU Foreign Policy Chief Mogherini in Amman. (Jordan Times)
 
The US, EU and Iran hold an unscheduled second day of nuclear talks in Oman. (Reuters/AP/Washington Post)
 
The El Feel oil field in Libya has closed down due to a power outage. (Reuters)
 
Commentary:
 
Oudeh Basharat says when the victim is a Palestinian citizen of Israel, an entire country “devotedly protects the murderers.” (Ha’aretz)
 
Ha’aretz says the recent death of a Palestinian citizen of Israel in Kafr Kana is the direct result of the latest rules of engagement issued by Public Security Minister Aharonovitch. (Ha’aretz)
 
Pres. Rivlin says its time for all Israelis to denounce violence and seek new avenues for respectful dialogue. (Ynet)
 
Rogel Alpher says what’s happening in occupied East Jerusalem is not an intifada, but a civil war. (Ha’aretz)
 
Mattia Toaldo and Hugh Lovatti ask if EU recognition of the State of Palestine could be more than symbolic. (Al-Monitor)
 
David Horovitz says many Israelis are fed up with Netanyahu and are looking to Lieberman. (Times of Israel)
 
Nathan Guttman says Adelson and Saban are trying to “out-hawk” each other on pro-Israel issues. (Jewish Daily Forward)
 
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says extremism is most dangerous to the community that creates and hosts it. (Asharq al-Awsat)
 
Sharif Nashashibi asks if Egypt’s Sinai offensive misdiagnoses the actual problem. (The National)
 
H.A. Hellyer says its the end of an era for Egypt’s NGO’s. (Al Arabiya)
 
Luay Al Khateeb and Ahmed Mehdi say the Kurds should not leave Iraq. (New York Times)
 
Jackson Diehl says Obama hopes “direct diplomacy” with Iran will finally work. (Washington Post)
 
Trita Parsi says Obama’s letter to Ayatollah Khamenei is “pragmatic politics.” (Foreign Policy)
 
The National says an Iranian nuclear deal is in everybody’s interest. (The National)
 
Hussein Ibish looks at arguments both for and against a Nidaa Tounes-Ennahda coalition in Tunisia. (The National)

News:

PM Netanyahu says there will be no change in the status of holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem. (AP/JTA) 

The PLO calls on international media not to use the term “Temple Mount,” saying its use does not"adhere to international law." (Ha’aretz/Ynet)

FM Lieberman says some Israeli politicians are exploiting tensions in Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Tensions in Jerusalem pose a risk to Jordan. (Reuters)

Islamic Jihad says clashes in Jerusalem will increase. (Ma’an)

A new poll indicates half of Palestinians anticipate more violence with Israel in the near future. (Ynet)

The ICC says it will not take action against Israel regarding the Gaza flotilla. (AP/Ha’aretz)

Three Israeli soldiers are injured in a hit-and-run incident near the al-Arrub refugee camp. (Ma’an/PNN/JTA/Ha’aretz/The Media Line)

A Palestinian man turns himself in for having run over three Israeli soldiers. (Ma’an/JTA/Times of Israel)

Israel rejects Amnesty International’s report on war crimes in Gaza. (JTA)

Israel agrees that Egypt can deploy two more infantry battalions in northern Sinai. (Ma’an/Times of Israel)

Pres. Obama will ask Congress for more measures approving force against ISIS. (AP/New York Times/The National)

US-led airstrikes hit Al-Nusra in northwest Syria. (Reuters)

Iraq’s FM al-Jaafari says Iraq does not want foreign fighters against ISIS on the ground. (AP)

ISIS’ wave of momentum is turning into a slight ripple. (New York Times)

A former Egyptian political activist joins ISIS and dies in Iraq. (Washington Post)

Libya’s Supreme Court declares the internationally-recognized parliament to be unconstitutional. (Reuters/AP/The National)

Pres. Sisi appoints Fayza Abul Naga as his National Security Advisor. (New York Times)

The Lebanese Parliament extends its own mandate by more than two and a half years, supposedly due to the security situation. (New York Times/Washington Post)

Obama says the prospects for a nuclear deal with Iran are an “open question.” (AP)

Commentary:

Navi Pillay says Europe should support Palestine’s bid to join the ICC. (New York Times)

Lara Friedman looks at what midterm elections mean for American policies on  Israel and the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

David Horovitz says Jerusalem is starting to burn. (Times of Israel)

Avi Issacharoff says suicide terrorism is returning to Jerusalem. (Times of Israel)

Gershom Gorenberg says the Israeli left has failed to emotionally connect with Israelis regarding the occupation in East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)

Ari Shavit says Netanyahu’s “hate-hate” relationship with Obama will only get worse in the next two years. (Ha’aretz)

Akiva Eldar says Netanyahu and Lieberman are deepening Israel’s international isolation. (Al-Monitor)

Joyce Karam says a Republican Congress will not change Obama’s Middle East policy. (Al Arabiya)

Eyad Abu Shakra says the next few months will probably be critical in defining the future shape of the Middle East.  (Asharq al-Awsat)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says confronting extremism in Saudi Arabia requires bold leadership rather than “hesitant, scared and suspicious people.” (Al Arabiya)

News:
 
PM Netanyahu blames “militant Islamic incitement” for growing tensions in Jerusalem. (AP/Times of Israel)
 
Netanyahu calls King Abdallah of Jordan to reassure him that Israel is committed to maintain the status quo of Jerusalem holy sites. (New York Times/AFP/JTA/Jordan Times)
 
EU Foreign Policy Chief Mogherini says the violence in Jerusalem underscores the need for resumption of peace talks. (Reuters/JTA/Times of Israel)
 
Pres. Erdogan calls Israeli actions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound “barbaric and despicable.” (Times of Israel)
 
Israel’s Chief Rabbi Yosef urges Jews not to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. (Ynet)
 
Palestinian youth clash with Israeli police in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)
 
Pres. Abbas says later this month he will submit a UNSC resolution declaring the1967 lines to be the borders of a Palestinian state. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)
 
Palestinians and Israeli forces clash outside Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank. (Washington Post)
 
Palestinian officials say a series of blasts targeted the homes and vehicles ofFatah leaders in Gaza. (Reuters/Ma’an/Jerusalem Post)
 
Hamas leader Abu Marzouk urges PM Hamdallah to visit Gaza, despite anti-Fatah bomb blasts. (Ma'an)
 
Gen. Dempsey says Israel went to "extraordinary lengths" to limit civilian casualties in the recent war in Gaza. (Reuters/Ha’aretz)
 
The Palestinian government will hold its next session in Gaza. (Ma’an)
 
A new poll indicates that the majority of Palestinians support a two-state solution. (Ma’an)
 
Iraqi Kurdish forces in Kobani have not yet broken ISIS’ siege of the city. (Reuters)
 
Ayatollah al-Sistani says corruption in the Iraqi army enabled ISIS to seize control of much of northern Iraq. (Reuters)
 
Gen. Austin says US attacks are demoralizing ISIS fighters. (CNN)
 
Pres. Obama reportedly wrote a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei regarding shared US-Iranian interests in the battle against ISIS. (AP/JTA)
 
Egypt’s evacuation plans are angering some people in Sinai. (AP)
 
The Pentagon acknowledges that there are more than 600 reported cases of chemical exposure in Iraq. (New York Times)
 
Commentary:
 
Rami Khouri praises Pres. Rivlin’s visit to Kafr Qassem, which was the scene of one of many Israeli massacres of Palestinians. (Jordan Times)
 
Avi Issacharoff looks at the new dangerous status quo in occupied East Jerusalem. (Times of Israel)
 
The Daily Star says there is an Intifada in the making in occupied East Jerusalem. (Daily Star)
 
Ben Caspit says Israel and Jordan fear more violence at holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem. (Al-Monitor)
 
Linda Gradstein asks if there is a “car intifada” in Jerusalem. (The Media Line)
 
Shimon Shiffer says Netanyahu may go down in history as the prime minister who lost Jerusalem. (Ynet)
 
Shmuel Rosner says the status quo at Jerusalem holy sites is unjust, but better than the alternative. (New York Times)
 
David Ignatius says Obama should revamp his foreign policy team. (Washington Post)
 
Walter Pincus says Americans must understand their limitations in the fight against ISIS. (Washington Post)
 
Susannah George looks at “bloodthirsty” Shiite militias. (Foreign Policy)
 
The New York Times says the Egyptian government is silencing pro-democracy groups. (New York Times)
 
Abdallah Schleifer says the Egyptian press is not in peril. (Al Arabiya)
 
George Hishmeh says Tunisia has confirmed its democratic trajectory. (Jordan Times)
 
Amir Taheri says hope remains for Lebanon. (Asharq al-Awsat)
 
Dov Zakheim says Obama is making a bad and dangerous deal with Iran. (Foreign Policy)

November 4th

News:

Israeli occupation forces demolish two Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem. (Reuters/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Palestinian Chief Negotiator Erekat says Israel’s plans for 500 new settler homes in occupied East Jerusalem are a “slap in the face” to the US and the international community. (AFP/Times of Israel)

The US condemns Israel’s plan for new settlement housing units in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)

The New York Times looks at the history of the Ramat Shlomo settlement in occupied East Jerusalem. (New York Times)

The Knesset passes a law aimed at limiting the release of Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis. (Reuters/AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz)

Erekat reportedly asked Sec. Kerry to support a new Palestinian UN initiative. (Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

EU Foreign Policy Chief Mogherini calls for a Palestinian state within five years. (Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

Hamas calls on Palestinians to protest in support of access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. (Ma’an)

Israel will reopen its two border crossings with Gaza. (AFP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces and moderate Syrian rebels bomb ISIS positions in Kobani. (Reuters)

ISIS releases 93 Syrian Kurds. (Reuters)

Human Rights Watch says ISIS abused captive Kurdish children from Kobani. (AP)

France says the anti-ISIS coalition must not abandon moderate rebels in Aleppo. (Reuters)

Shi'ite Muslims gather at shrines and mosques across Iraq for Ashoura with Iraqi security forces on alert. (Reuters/AP)

Saudi Arabia and Iran have offered competing aid packages to the Lebanese military. (Washington Post)

VP Biden says he never apologized to Turkey regarding ISIS’ growth. (AP)

An Egyptian cleric defends the government's forced evacuation of families from Sinai. (New York Times)

Iran has reportedly agreed to ship much of its stockpile of uranium to Russia if it reaches a broader nuclear deal with the West. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says if the Supreme Court forces the State Department to issue passports implying that Jerusalem is part of Israel this will completely alter the American foreign policy-making process. (Now)

Raphael Ahren says Israeli officials fear they can no longer rely on Washington’s veto in the Security Council. (Times of Israel)

Nahum Barnea says a unilateral withdrawal from the occupied West Bank will prevent Israel's international isolation. (Ynet)

Nabila Ramdani says bus segregation in the occupied West Bank is only one aspect of Israeli “apartheid.” (The National)

Hassan Barari says Israel’s plan to change the status quo in occupied East Jerusalem is a “perfect recipe” for another bloody confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians. (Jordan Times)

Akiva Eldar says Netanyahu’s government is using the Al Aqsa mosque for political purposes at the risk of damaging the fragile status quo. (Al-Monitor)

Peter Beinart asks why the Obama administration is angry with PM Netanyahu. (Ha’aretz)

Ron Kampeas says political and diplomatic uncertainty fuel the US-Israel divide. (JTA)

Uzi Baram says Israel’s right-wing fanatics do not speak for the people. (Ha’aretz)

FM Fabius says, after Kobani, the anti-ISIS coalition must save the people of Aleppo. (Washington Post)

Tirana Hassan says Shi’ite militias in Iraq are using the fight against ISIS to destroy Sunni Arab communities. (Foreign Policy)

November 3rd

News:
 
Israeli forces continue to impose restrictions on Palestinian access to the Al-Aqsa mosque. (Ma’an)
 
PM Netanyahu calls for “calm and restraint” in Jerusalem. (AP/New York Times/JTA/Times of Israel)
 
King Abdullah of Jordan and Netanyahu reportedly met secretly to discuss tensions inJerusalem. (JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)
 
The visit by right wing Israeli MK Moshe Feiglin to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound causes tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. (New York Times)
 
Pres. Abbas angers Israeli officials by writing to the family of a Palestinian accused of trying to assassinate an Israeli right wing activist. (AFP/JTA/The National)
 
Israeli Chief Negotiator Livni says Abbas’ tough rhetoric could lead to an escalation in violence. (Times of Israel)
 
King Abdullah of Jordan says his country will continue to safeguard Jerusalem's Muslim and Christian holy sites. (Ha’aretz)
 
The Arab League says Israel may be crossing a “red line” regarding violence at holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem. (AFP)
 
Hamas leader Haniyeh claims Israel is planning to “demolish” the Al-Aqsa mosque. (PNN) 
 
Sec. Kerry calls Netanyahu to apologize regarding reports that an American official called him a “chickenshit.”(JTA)
 
Palestinian negotiators will meet with Kerry today in Washington. (Ha’aretz)
 
Former Pres. Peres says Israel cannot be Jewish and democratic without peace. (JTA/Times of Israel)
 
106 retired Israeli generals write a letter to Netanyahu endorsing peace with the Palestinians. (Jewish Daily Forward)
 
Israel is preparing the next phase of planning for 640 new settlement housing units in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz/The National)
 
The PA asks Israel for additional Gaza border crossings. (Times of Israel)
 
Israeli occupation forces detain 23 Palestinians in East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)
 
Israeli occupation forces demolish three Palestinian homes near Nablus. (Ma’an/PNN)
 
A Jerusalem train line that was supposed to connect Jews and Arabs has widened the divide. (Washington Post)
 
Hospitals in the occupied West Bank are facing a severe financial crisis. (Ma’an)
 
The Taybeh brewery in a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank is now making wine as well as beer. (AP)
 
Israel closes its two border crossings with Gaza. (JTA)
 
An explosion targets Egyptian troops near the Gaza border. (AP/The National)
 
Egypt says it has evidence of links between Sinai-based insurgents and ISIS. (Jerusalem Post)
 
Iraqi Kurds join the fight against ISIS in Kobani. (Reuters/AP)
 
ISIS seizes control of a gas field in the central province of Homs. (Reuters)
 
The Al-Nusra Front is massing its forces in Syria near a crossing with Turkey. (AP/Washington Post)
 
The US is helping Iraqi security forces prepare for an offensive against ISIS to retake Mosul. (New York Times)
 
Canadian warplanes launches their first airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq. (AP)
 
Saudi Arabia is mobilizing its clerics and media against jihadi recruitment. (Reuters)
 
Qatar serves as a haven for anti-American groups, while remaining close to the US. (Reuters)
 
A Kurdish rebel leader says the US could mediate in talks with Turkey. (Reuters)
 
Egyptian journalists protest editors’ pledge not to criticize the government. (New York Times)
 
Iran blocks UN nuclear inspectors, throwing the quest for an agreement with the P5+1 into doubt. (Wall Street Journal)
 
Commentary:
 
Hussein Ibish says increased US-Israeli tensions present new opportunities for Palestinians if they proceed carefully. (The National)
 
The Washington Post says Pres. Obama should reset relations with Netanyahu. (Washington Post)
 
Raed Omari says escalating tensions in Jerusalem are a major problem for Jordan. (Al Arabiya)
 
Oudeh Basharat looks at the legacy of late PM Yitzhak Rabin for Arabs. (Ha’aretz)
 
Eitan Haber says the man who assassinated Rabin killed peace. (Ynet)
 
Gideon Levy says Jerusalem is “divided, torn and scarred.” (Ha’aretz)
 
David Horovitz interviews Israel’s Minister of Science, Yaakov Peri. (Times of Israel)
 
Raviv Drucker asks why Netanyahu has not been ousted yet. (Ha’aretz)
 
Steve Clemons says for the Arab world to prosper, it must embrace change. (The National)
 
Jamal Khashoggi looks at the current situation in Mosul. (Al Arabiya)
 
Mshari al-Zaydi says ISIS needs to be confronted online. (Asharq al-Awsat)
 
The Jordan Times says Jordan must confront extremism and radicalism in the region. (Jordan Times)
 
Rami Khouri says Egypt is copying US and Israeli counterterrorism strategies that only exacerbate the threat of violent extremism. (Daily Star)
 
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed looks at ISIS’s enslavement of women. (Al Arabiya)
 
The AP interviews KRG PM Nechervan Barzani. (AP)

October 31st

News:

Israel reopens the Al Aqsa Mosque to Palestinian worshippers amid tight security. (Reuters/New York Times/Ma’an/Times of Israel)

Israel imposes strict restrictions on Palestinian worshippers entering the Al-Aqsa mosque. (Ma’an)

Palestinian youth clash with Israeli police around the Al-Aqsa mosque. (Times of Israel)

Fatah factions call for a “Day of Rage” in Jerusalem. (Times of Israel)

Tensions are rising between Israel and Jordan over Jerusalem. (New York Times/Ynet/Jordan Times)

Some Palestinian youths in Jerusalem are reportedly primed for a new intifada. (Ma’an)

Sec. Kerry says he is worried about the escalation of tensions across Jerusalem. (Ynet/Jerusalem Post)

UNSG Ban urges the UNSC to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more substantively. (JTA)

American officials are banned from entering Jerusalem’s Old city. (JTA)

Kerry says the reported description of PM Netanyahu by unnamed US officials as a “chickenshit” is disgraceful and damaging. (Reuters/JTA/Ynet)

Israel recalls its ambassador from Sweden for “consultations” after that countryrecognizes the State of Palestine. (AFP/Ha’aretz)

Israel allows several trucks of reconstruction material to enter Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing. (Ma’an)

The UN says the overall situation in Syria is “appalling” and getting worse. (Reuters)

US-led airstrikes hit ISIS positions around the Syrian border town of Kobani. (Reuters)

The Syrian regime criticizes Turkey for allowing help to reach Kobani. (Washington Post)

Gen. Dempsey says the US is considering empowering Sunni tribes in Iraq. (AP/Reuters)

Norway will send 120 soldiers to train Iraqi troops to fight ISIS. (AP)

A series of bomb attacks strike a marketplace near Baghdad, killing nine people. (AP)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish joins David Makovsky on the PBS NewsHour to discuss the tensions in Jerusalem. (PBS, video and transcript)

Nir Hasson looks at how occupied East Jerusalem has become a hub of “lone terrorists” while the West Bank remains relatively calm. (Ha’aretz)

Ron Ben-Yishai looks at how a religious war can be prevented in the Middle East. (Ynet)

Ha’aretz says Israeli officials must act responsibly and stop setting the landscape of Jerusalem alight. (Ha’aretz)

The Daily Star says Palestinians must show themselves to be worthy of support. (Daily Star)

Ben Sales asks if most Israelis think Netanyahu is a “chickenshit.” (JTA)

Ben Caspit asks if relations between Netanyahu and Pres. Obama are about to reach a breaking point. (Al-Monitor)

The National says US-Israeli tensions can help the Palestinians. (The National)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed thanks the Swedish people for recognizing the State of Palestine. (Al Arabiya)

Elhanan Miller interviews Yuval Rabin, the son of late Yitzhak Rabin. (Times of Israel)

Ahmad Majdoubeh says the current Israeli government favours war over peace. (Jordan Times)

The New York Times says the “Muslim world” has a lot to learn from Tunisia. (New York Times)

Fareed Zakaria looks at Tunisia’s success story. (Washington Post)

H.A. Hellyer says Egypt must handle its Sinai problems with “great care.” (The National)
 

October 30th

News:
 
Israeli police kill a Palestinian man who allegedly killed a Jewish activist in Jerusalem. (AP/New York Times/Ma’an/JTA)
 
Clashes erupt in occupied East Jerusalem between Palestinians and Israeli police following the death of the Palestinian man. (Reuters)
 
PM Netanyahu orders “significant increase” in police deployments in Jerusalem. (AFP/Ynet)
 
Pres. Abbas says Israel’s closure of the Al-Aqsa mosque is a “declaration of war.” (Ma’an/JTA/Ha’aretz)
 
Netanyahu and DM Ya’alon blame Abbas for inciting the shooting of the Jewish activist in Jerusalem. (Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)
 
Hamas praises the shooting. (Ma’an)
 
Sweden recognizes the State of Palestine. (AP/Reuters/New York Times/PNN/Ha’aretz)
 
Abbas praises Sweden’s decision to recognize the State of Palestine. (AFP/PNN)
 
UK Foreign Sec. Hammond says Israeli settlement-building is intended to undermine peace. (PNN)
 
The UN Human Rights Committee says Israel should investigate all alleged violations committed by its forces during three recent wars in Gaza. (Reuters) 
 
Palestinians ask the UNSC to demand that Israel immediately reverse plans to build more Jewish settlements. (Ynet)
 
The White House says Israeli and US national security advisers will meet. (JTA/Ha’aretz)
 
Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai donates $50,000 to rebuild a UN school in Gaza. (AP/JTA/Ha’aretz)
 
SodaStream will close its factory in the occupied West Bank. (New York Times/JTA)
 
Iraqi peshmerga fighters enter the Syrian border town of Kobani through Turkey. (AP/Reuters/Washington Post)
 
Al-Qaeda says ISIS should rejoin the group so they can fight together against the West. (AP)
 
American officials say US-led airstrikes probably did not kill senior terrorist leaders in Syria. (CNN)
 
Human Rights Watch says ISIS killed 600 Iraqi prisoners in Mosul. (AP)
 
American and British officials say more foreign fighters are joining ISIS in Syria. (NBC)
 
The Nida Tunis party wins 85 of the 217 seats in parliament. (AP)
 
Egypt is seeking to avert unrest in Cairo University. (Reuters)
 
Commentary:
 
Elhanan Miller says the “Jerusalem Intifada’” is symptomatic of the eastern city’s political void. (Times of Israel)
 
Avi Issacharoff looks at the recent escalation in Jerusalem. (Times of Israel)
 
Ha’aretz says Israel’s mayor in Jerusalem Barkat uses paternalism to keep Palestinians in line. (Ha’aretz)
 
Barak Ravid says Israel’s crisis with Washington is here to stay. (Ha’aretz)
 
Aaron David Miller says the US-Israeli relationship isn't in crisis and it's not on the verge of failing. (CNN)
 
Joyce Karam looks at the recent tensions between Pres. Obama and Netanyahu. (Al Arabiya)
 
George Hishmeh says Netanyahu keeps on humiliating Obama. (Gulf News)
 
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Islamist parties should be banned. (Al Arabiya)
 
The National says defeating extremism is a universal duty. (The National)
 
Jamal Khashoggi says the Tunisian path of resorting to democracy is the right path. A (Al Arabiya)
 
Eyad Abu Shakra says Lebanon should learn from Tunisia. (Asharq al-Awsat)
 
The Daily Star says Lebanon has a shameful gender inequality. (Daily Star)

October 29th

NEWS:
 
The EU says its relations with Israel depend on the future of a two-state solution. (Ha'aretz)
 
PM Netanyahu dismisses US criticism of Israeli settlement activity. (YNet)
 
Israel's attorney general questions a ban on Palestinians on settler West Bank buses. (AP)
 
PM Hamdallah pays a rare visit to holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem 
and reiterates the city must serve as a Palestinian capital.
(Ha'aretz/AP)
 
Palestinians in Jerusalem say Israeli police are using right control for collective punishment. (Ha'aretz)
 
An AP photographer and freelancer are shot with rubber bullets by
Israeli border police. (AP)
 
Egypt is going to create a buffer zone along the Gaza border. (Ma'an)
 
Hamas insists it has no tunnels running into Egypt. (Times of Israel)
 
Egyptian reports say gunman who killed 30 Egyptian troops were trained in Gaza. (Times of Israel)
 
The PA transfers money to pay Hamas-hired Gaza public employees. (Ma'an)
 
Tunisia's largest secular party is set to win the country's new parliamentary elections. (AP)
 
PM Al-Abadi reportedly agrees on the creation of a 30,000-strong anti-ISIS militia force drawn from Sunni communities in Anbar province. (Asharq Al Awsat)
 
A British hostage is reportedly shown in a new ISIS video, purportedly
from the embattled town of Kobani. (New York Times)
 
A US official urges Arab allies to do more to combat ISIS propaganda. (AP)
 
The Pentagon says the battle against ISIS is now costing $8.3 million
a day. (Reuters)
 
Iraqi Kurdish fighters are joining the battle in Syria. (AP)
 
Turkish villages are sheltering Syrian Kurdish refugees. (AP)
 
35 are killed in clashes between Syrian rebels and government forces. (AP)
 
Hezbollah is under strain as it battles on multiple fronts, home and
abroad. (Washington Post)
 
Egypt grants the military new judicial powers over civilians. (Washington Post)
 
A court in Bahrain has reportedly issued an order suspending the work
of the country's largest Shiite opposition group. (AP)
 
COMMENTARY:
 
Robert Wade describes Israel's economic occupation of the West Bank as
"organized hypocrisy on a monumental scale." (London Review of Books)
 
Barak Ravid says PM Netanyahu has no strategy beyond slogans. (Ha'aretz)
 
Avi Issacharoff says, despite the evidence, Palestinians continue to
believe Hamas won this summer's war with Israel. (Times of Israel)
 
Christa Case Bryant says Israelis can expect to make progress with
Palestinians if they wall themselves off in a fortress. (Christian
Science Monitor)
 
Mohammed Samhouri looks at the challenges of rebuilding Gaza. (The Daily Star)
 
Hassan Barari asks whether Jordan has a "Plan B" beyond its peace
treaty in dealing with Israel. (Jordan Times)
 
Akiva Eldar says Israel should be sensitive to Jordan's concerns. (Al Monitor)
 
Hussein Ibish says Tunisia's new election shows the way forward in a
troubled Arab world. (NOW)

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