News:

Pres. Abbas says Israel must clarify what its borders are, and blasts Hamas for maintaining a "parallel" government in Gaza. (Ma’an/Jerusalem Post)

Hamas leader Meshaal says Hamas will go back to war against Israel if the upcoming long-term ceasefire talks fail. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

The US is reportedly planning to present a comprehensive proposal for the demilitarization of Gaza to the UNSC. (Times of Israel)

Palestinians in Gaza are slowly returning to their normal routines. (Ma’an/The Guardian)

Palestinian fishermen in Gaza say they are already seeing the benefits of an extended fishing zone. (Ma’an)

Many children in Gaza are left orphaned by the conflict. (Ma’an)

Israel’s attacks on Gaza caused $40.4 million worth of damage just to religious sites and cemeteries. (Ma’an)

The new school year in Gaza will start on September 14th. (Ma’an)

Islamic Jihad says 121 of its fighters were killed in Gaza. (Times of Israel)

Many Israelis used an app to track the Gaza conflict during the latest round of hostilities. (New York Times) 

Israel approves plans to build another Yeshiva in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

Israeli police say they have found the body of a 23-year-old American student who went missing inJerusalem. (Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post/JTA)

PM Netanyahu meets with members of Congress. (JTA)

A poll indicates that Americans sympathize with Israel more than with the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

An armed group detains 43 UN peacekeepers, and another 81 are trapped, during fighting in Syria. (AP/Reuters)

Pres. Obama downplays the prospect of imminent US military action in Syria. (AP) 

The UN says the war in Syria has driven a record 3 million people out of the country. (AP/Reuters/New York Times)

A video shows IS fighters executing Syrian soldiers. (Reuters/New York Times/The National)

The Wall Street Journal looks at IS’ extensive criminal finances and racketeering. (Wall Street Journals)

A captured IS laptop includes lessons for making bubonic plague bombs and missives on using weapons of mass destruction. (Foreign Policy)

The US has delivered a shipment of weapons to Lebanon. (AP)

A powerful Islamist militia in Tripoli says it agrees with a UN call for a Libyan ceasefire. (AP)

FM Zarif expresses optimism on nuclear talks. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Asmaa Al Ghoul says Israel gained the upper hand in the final days of the Gaza war. (Al-Monitor)

Naomi Shihab Nye desrcibes growing up in Ferguson and Palestine. (Washington Post)

Peter Millett says UNRWA will have to rebuild “shattered lives” in Gaza. (Al Arabiya)

The CSM says Israel should seek a lasting peace with the Palestinians, not merely prolonged quiet. (Christian Science Monitor)

Lara Friedman says Israeli settlement activity would greatly strengthen Hamas. (Jewish Daily Forward)

Neri Zilber says Hamas did not win the Gaza war. (Politico)

Zvi Bar’el says the Gaza war was a distraction from the main issue in the Middle East today: IS. (Ha’aretz)

Peter Beinart says Palestinians are invisible to many Jewish Americans. (Ha’aretz)

David Ignatius asks if Saudi Arabia can help fight IS. (Washington Post)

Steven Cook, Jacob Stokes and Alexander Brock say Obama's attempt to disengage from Middle East’s conflict has intensified regional rivalries. (Foreign Policy)

Winston Harris asks if Kurds can achieve independence. (Small Wars Journal)

The National says Gulf states must not forget Pres. Assad’s brutality. (The National)

The Daily Star says world leaders must take “meaningful action” against the Syrian regime. (Daily Star)

Abdallah Schleifer says Egypt is preparing for a worst-case scenario in Libya. (Al Arabiya)

News:

Israel seizes 1,000 acres of West Bank land for a Jewish settlement bloc near Bethlehem. (NewYork Times/PNN/The National)

The US urges Israel to reverse its latest land expropriation. (AFP/JTA)

UNSG Ban is alarmed by Israel’s decision to seize the land. (New York Times/Xinhua/PNN)

FM Lieberman says Israel stands behind its decision to appropriate the land. (Ha’aretz)

Finance Minister Lapid warns Israel is eroding its international support through such expropriations. (AFP/Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Pres. Abbas will present a plan to the Arab League for determining borders with Israel and ending the occupation of the West Bank within three years. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post/The National)

A poll suggests a significant rise in the popularity of Hamas among Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. (Reuters/AP/Times of Israel)

A high-level Egyptian delegation arrives in Ramallah to address Fatah-Hamas tensions. (Times of Israel)

Egypt says it will open the Rafah crossing only if PA troops guard it. (Ha’aretz)

Israeli warships open fire at Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Rafah. (Ma’an/PNN)

Palestinians schools educate students to avoid Israeli products. (The Media Line)

Israeli children return to school after the Gaza war. (AP)

The murder of the Palestinian teenager Mohamed Abu Khdeir shakes his school’s faith in coexistence. (Ha’aretz)

A bombing in Sinai kills 11 police officers. (AP)

The World Food Program says 4.1 million people in Syria received food rations in August. (Reuters/AP )

The Al-Nusra Front issue a set of demands for the release of 45 UN peacekeepers. (AP/JTA/The National)

The US carries out airstrikes against IS fighters near the formerly besieged Shi’ite town of Amerli. (Reuters)

Iranians play a key role in breaking the IS seige of Amerli. (Reuters/Washington Post)

Chancellor Merkel says arming the Kurds in Iraq is in Germany’s interest. (AP)

The New York Times looks at why Kurdish fighters failed initially against IS militants. (New York Times) 

Former PM Maliki pledges to turn Iraq into “a big grave” for IS militants. (AP)

IS extremists are reportedly using cluster bombs. (New York Times)

The UN Human Rights Council will send a team to Iraq to investigate possible war crimes by IS extremists. (New York Times)

Amnesty International accuses IS extremists of committing war crimes in Iraq. (AP)

HH Prince Zeid assumes his position as UN Human Rights Commissioner. (Jordan Times) 

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says Palestinians should redefine the concept of martyrdom to promote effective non-violent resistance to occupation. (The National)

The National says Israel should be “held accountable for its land grab.” (The National)

The Daily Star says Israel’s latest land expropriation is a “war crime.” (Daily Star)

Ha’aretz says Netanyahu’s government is not serious about peace with the Palestinians.  (Ha’aretz)

Nabila Ramdani says Israel’s actions in Gaza must not be forgotten. (The National)

Khairallah Khairallah says Hamas has perfected the art of celebrating defeat. (Al Arabiya)

Akiva Eldar says Netanyahu will accept a major PA role in Gaza only if the unity government is dissolved. (Al-Monitor)

Uri Savir says an economic federation between Israel, Palestine and Jordan might facilitate the establishment of a Palestinian state. (Al-Monitor)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed asks if Gulf countries are coming together out of fear of ISIS. (Al Arabiya)

Hassan Barari says PM-designate Abadi’s task of forming an inclusive government is far from easy. (Jordan Times)

Diana Moukalled says everyone should feel sympathy for ordinary Syrian soldiers who are the victims of ISIS. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Andrew Hammond says the UAE’s airstrikes in Libya represent a new and dangerous phase in its struggle with Qatar. (Foreign Policy)

News:

The US and the EU call on Israel to reverse its appropriation of West Bank land. (JTA)

Sec. Kerry calls PM Netanyahu to protest land appropriation. (Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Peace Now says Israel’s land appropriation is intended to consolidate control over the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz)

Kerry willl meet with Palestinian negotiators. (AFP)

A delegation from the Arab League will visit Gaza. (Ma’an)

An Egyptian official says no date has been set for renewed Gaza ceasefire talks. (Ma’an)

Palestinians are considering new international initiatives. (New York Times)

Pres. Abbas reportedly accused Hamas leader Meshaal of scheming to overthrow him in a meeting in Qatar. (Ha’aretz)

The New York Times looks at the significance of the Erez crossing. (New York Times)

Palestinians in Gaza demand the right of passage to the West Bank. (Ha’aretz)

The Israeli navy detains two Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Gaza. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces demolish a house and a water well in Hebron. (Ma’an)

The Washington Post looks at what happened this summer to the Abu Khdeir’s  Palestinian-American family. (Washington Post)

John Edwin Mroz, an American official negotiating with the PLO, dies at 66. (New York Times)

Israel signs a 15-year natural gas deal with Jordan. (Ha’aretz)

Pres. Obama has ordered an increase of 350 troops in Baghdad to protect the US embassy. (Reuters/AP)

Australian PM Abbott does not rule out sending combat troops in Iraq. (Reuters)

Human Right Watch says IS militants killed 770 Iraqi troops in June. (AP)

A Yazidi girl tells the story of her escape from IS kidnappers. (Reuters)

Pope Francis tells Iraqi Christians that they are the "heart" of the church. (AP)

IS extremists release a video purportedly showing the beheading of a second American journalist,Steven Sotloff. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National)

Syrian government forces escalate their assault on a rebel-held district in Damascus. (Reuters/The National)

Commentary:

Rami Khouri looks at Abbas’ new international initiative. (Daily Star)

Osama Al Sharif says Hamas and Abbas are already fighting. (Jordan Times)

Shlomi Eldar says Abbas needs Hamas. (Al-Monitor)

Ron Kampeas says the Obama administration is retreating from Middle East peace endeavors. (JTA)

David Horovitz says there are no “quick fixes” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Times of Israel)

Eric Yoffie says Israel’s land appropriation is “foolish, ill-timed and self-destructive.” (Ha’aretz)

Hussein Ibish says IS is trying to raise a loyal generation of citizens of its “caliphate” through endoctrination and brainwashing. (Now)

Thomas Friedman says to defeat ISIS you have to address the context out of which it emerged. (New York Times)

Shane Harris and Kate Brannen say Sotloff’s murder proves that IS isn’t interested in negotiating. (Foreign Policy)

Amos Yadlin says IS is not an existential threat to Israel. (Ynet)

Mshari Al-Zaydi says Egypt is now free to play its natural role as the leading Arab country once more. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Mohammed Fahad al-Harthi says the government priorities of the Arab world should shift toward a development-based agenda. (Al Arabiya)

News:

Israel and the Palestinians agree to an Egyptian-brokered plan to end the fighting in Gaza. (Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post/AFP/JTA)

Hamas urges Palestinians in Gaza to "celebrate victory and the fulfillment of the Palestinian people's demands." (Ma’an/Ha’aretz/The National)

Hamas leader Abu Marzouq says Israel has agreed to open Gaza crossings to allow the flow of humanitarian aid and construction material. (Ma’an)

PM Netanyahu is facing strong criticism in Israel. (Reuters/Jerusalem Post/Times of Israel)

Sec. Kerry calls on Israel and the Palestinians to “fully and completely” comply with the terms of the cease-fire. (JTA)

Ynet looks at the numbers behind “Operation Protective Edge.” (Ynet)

Palestinians in Jerusalem are experiencing the largest upsurge in detentions since the second Intifada. (Ma’an)

Hamas arrests another 15 suspected collaborators with Israel. (Ha’aretz)

The Israeli military fires at a Syrian army position after an officer is wounded from a mortar fire. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/Times of Israel)

The US has begun to mobilize a broad coalition of allies behind potential American military action inSyria. (New York Times)

IS militants execute Syrian army soldiers and are holding a group hostage after capturing an air base in northeast Syria. (Reuters)

The UN says IS and Syrian government are committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

Syrian rebels capture a border crossing with Israel in the Golan Heights. (AP)

An American militant was killed in Syria while allegedly fighting for IS. (AP/New York Times)

Saudi Arabia arrests eight suspects for inciting youth to fight abroad. (The National)

Libyan ministers resign over militia fighting. (AP)

Commentary:

The National says if Israel truly seeks “quiet for quiet”, it needs to give Gaza and the West Bank self determination and freedom. (The National)

The Los Angeles Times asks what’s next for Gaza. (Los Angeles Times)

David Rothkopf interviews former Middle East Special Envoy Indyk. (Foreign Policy)

Avi Issacharoff says Hamas has been “humiliatingly defeated.” (Times of Israel)

Gideon Levy says the war in Gaza should teach Netanyahu that Israel can no longer “live by the sword.” (Ha’aretz)

Ben Caspit says there are no winners in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. (Al-Monitor)

David Horovitz says Hamas’ victory celebrations should not be dismissed. (Times of Israel)

Yossi Mekelberg says one of the outcomes of “Operation Protection Edge” is likely to be a genuine challenge to replace Netanyahu. (Al Arabiya)

Linda Gradstein says Egypt hopes to regain its regional role through mediating the Gaza ceasefire. (The Media Line)

Yael Aronoff looks at the political psychology of Netanyahu. (Foreign Policy)

Faisal Al Yafai says IS was born from a warped theory of war. (The National)

Clint Hinote looks at the risk of targeting the head of IS. (Washington Post)

Mohammed Fahad al-Harthi writes an open letter to Iraq’s PM-designate Al-Abadi. (Al Arabiya)

The Daily Star says, like Iraq and Syria, events inside Libya will affect not just its neighbors but countries across the region. (Daily Star)

News:

Israeli airstrikes kill five Palestinians in Gaza. (Ma’an/PNN)

Palestinian militants fire more rockets at Ashdod. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Hamas militants kill 18 alleged Palestinian collaborators. (AP/New York Times/Ma’an/Jerusalem Post/Times of Israel)

Britain, France and Germany are pushing for a new UN resolution on Gaza. (AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Israel is examining the option of renewing the Egypt-mediated ceasefire talks. (Ha’aretz)

Hamas leader Haniyeh says there will be no ceasefire until the Gaza siege ends. (Ynet)

Pres. Abbas and Hamas leader Meshaal will hold a second meeting with the Emir of Qatar. (Ma’an)

Abbas reportedly castigated Meshaal over an alleged Hamas plot to overthrow the PA in the West Bank at yesterday’s meeting. (Times of Israel)

The Jerusalem Post looks at the pros and cons of assassinating Hamas commanders. (Jerusalem Post)

The cost of Israel’s “Operation Protective Edge”reaches $60 million a day. (Ha’aretz)

A poll indicates most Israeli Jews are opposed to intermarriage. (Ha’aretz)

Arab states and Israel are likely to clash at next month's annual meeting of the IAEA. (Reuters)

Gen. Dempsey says IS cannot be defeated unless the US and a coalition of partners confront it head-on in Syria. (AP/New York Times/The National)

Ayatollah al-Sistani urges Iraqi leaders to swiftly form a new government. (AP)

Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces launch an operation to retake Jalawla from IS fighters. (The National)

At least 30 people are killed when a Shi'ite Muslim militia opened fired inside an Iraqi Sunni mosque. (Reuters)

IS militants stone a man to death in Mosul. (Reuters)

The UN says the death toll in Syria has risen to more than 191,000 people. (AP/Reuters/NEw York Times)

Pres. Erdogan says FM Davutoglu will become the new prime minister. (Xinhua/AP)

Commentary:

The Jordan Times says the UNSC must force Israelis and Palestinians to achieve a ceasefire. (Jordan Times)

Asmaa al-Ghoul says Palestinians in Gaza are dreading the return of war. (Al-Monitor)

Zvi Bar’el explains why Egypt won’t let Turkey be Gaza’s hero. (Ha’aretz)

Antony Lerman says Israel’s embrace of ever more right-wing nationalist politics has stirred a crisis among Diaspora Jews. (New York Times)

Ha’aretz says PM Netanyahu must resume negotiations with the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

George Hishmeh says British and American media differ in their assessment of the Gaza war. (Jordan Times)

The New York Times looks at the question of ransoms. (New York Times)

The Los Angeles Times asks if in the wake of James Foley’s execution, should the US pay ransoms. (Los Angeles Times)

David Ignatius says the US is on the right track against IS. (Washington Post)

Amir Taher says IS is a “threat to humanity.” (Asharq al-Awsat)

Alex Massie says British intelligence can’t prevent men like James Foley’s killer from fighting in Syria or coming home. (Foreign Policy)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed say IS has now declared a war against the radical group the Surooris. (Al Arabiya)

Eyad Abu Shakra says the crisis in Syria and Iraq are joined “at the hip.” (Asharq al-Awsat)

Shane Harris asks if Iraq’s Baathists could help win Iraq back. (Foreign Policy) 

The CSM says Iraq’s newly designated PM al-Abadi can heal the religious and ethnic divisions. (Christian Science Monitor)

The Daily Star says the task of the political and military opposition in Syria is to contribute to a solution. (Daily Star)

The National says addressing terrorism requires the debunking of extremist ideas. (The National)

News:

Fighting continues between Israel and Hamas militants. (AP/Washington Post/The National)

Egypt proposes a new ceasefire plan. (Reuters/AFP/PNN/JTA/Times of Israel)

The Gaza death toll today reaches eight following Israeli airstrikes. (Ma’an)

Gaza militants fire more rockets into Israel. (Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Israeli airstrikes target the Rafah crossing. (Ma’an)

Hamas leader Meshaal vows to exclusively aim only at Israeli military targets if his group can get more sophisticated weapons. (JTA)

A Palestinian teenager describes his ordeal as a captive of the Israeli military. (New York Times)

A poll indicates the majority of Palestinians in Gaza support peace but oppose disarmament. (Ma’an)

Pres. Abbas will reportedly soon appeal to the international community to set a deadline for Israel to end its occupation. (AP/Times of Israel)

Gaza’s water delivery drivers fear death. (AFP)

A Palestinian teenager in the West Bank dies from wounds sustained during clashes with Israeli occupation forces. (Ma’an)

Hamas’ public executions of at least 22 Palestinians has sparked outrage in the West Bank. (The Media Line)

Israel is turning to other arms sources amid uncertainty of US and EU sales. (Ha’aretz)

UN Human Rights Chief Pillay condemns “appalling and widespread” crimes committed by IS. (Reuters/AP)

Iraq’s PM-designate al-Abadi calls on the country's numerous militias and tribes to come under government control. (AP)

Qatar denies funding IS. (AP)

IS militants seize an air base in northern Syria. (Reuters)

The Syrian government says its ready to work with any state to fight IS militants. (Reuters/Xinhua/The National)

The Al-Nusra Front frees an American writer missing since 2012. (Reuters/New York Times)

Academics and archaeologists fight to save Syria’s artifacts. (New York Times/Washington Post/The National)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish looks at the Palestinian unity agreement in the context of the Gaza conflict. (MEPC)

Fahed Fanek says the PA should oversee Gaza reconstruction efforts. (Jordan Times)

Rami Khouri asks if there is a better option that Israelis and Palestinians could explore to end their “mutually destructive militarism.” (Daily Star)

Aaron David Miller looks at the dysfunctional relationship between PM Netanyahu and Pres. Obama. (Los Angeles Times)

Uri Savir says Israel’s policies are creating a de facto binational state. (Al-Monitor)

Suha Arraf says Palestinian citizens of Israel have a right to define their own identity. (Ha’aretz)

Hussein Ibish says the US is at war with IS and this will only intensify and spread. (The National)

The Daily Star says the US acts in Syria and Iraq only when it believes its direct interests are at stake. (Daily Star)

The New York Times says defeating IS will require an organized and longer-term response involving a broad coalition of nations. (New York Times)

Abdullah Bani Ali says Jordan is worried over IS’s ever growing threat. (The National)

Amer Al Sabaileh says IS expansion is still a regional threat. (Jordan Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says former PM Maliki is giving bad advice to Al-Abadi. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The National says Libya requires a fresh start free from the militias. (The National)

Salman Aldossary asks if the Gulf countries will lose Qatar. (Asharq al-Awsat)

News:

Israeli airstrikes destroy two Gaza high-rise apartment buildings. (AP/New York Times/Ma’an/PNN/Ynet/The National)

The Palestinian death toll in Gaza today reaches six. (Ma’an)

Palestinian militants fire more rockets into Israel, hitting a kindergarten in Ashdod. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Pres. Abbas will hold an emergency meeting in Ramallah to discuss initiatives to end the war in Gaza. (Ma’an)

Abbas is reportedly considering a broad international strategy beyond the US led peace process. (New York Times)

Israel is considering the new Egyptian ceasefire proposal. (Ma’an)

Hamas says the language of the Egyptian ceasefire proposal is acceptable. (Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

A Fatah official says “hidden hands” prevented an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

Hamas leader Meshaal is said to be the last obstacle to a cease-fire. (Ha’aretz)

Gen. Allen will meet with Israeli officials to discuss the possible renewal of peace talks once the Gaza operation ends. (Times of Israel)

PA security officials are questioning the nonprofit of former PM Fayyad over its campaign to help Palestinians in Gaza. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)  

The Palestinian planned city of Rawabi is awaiting for Israel’s approval for water. (New York Times)

Palestinian athlete from Gaza Nader Masri can no longer run. (New York Times)

A poll indicates PM Netanyahu’s approval rating in Israel has plunged to 38 percent. (JTA)

Qatar is reportedly seeking to free more American hostages in Syria. (Reuters)

The US is preparing military options including surveillance flights, to pressure IS in Syria. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National) 

Iran is supplying weapons and ammunition to the Iraqi Kurdish forces. (Reuters/The National)

VP Biden calls for the formation of a new Iraqi government. (AP/Washington Post/Xinhua)

A car bombing in Baghdad kills at least 11 people. (AP)

Egypt and the UAE reportedly recently launched joint air strikes on Islamist-allied militias trying to take control of Tripoli. (New York Times)

UN Envoy Leon says he opposes foreign intervention in Libya. (AP)
 

Commentary:

ATFP Exec. Dr. Ghaith Al-Omari and Mara Rudman say reconstruction implementation in Gaza should be led by the PA. (The Hill)

Jean-Pierre Filiu says if there is ever to be Israeli-Palestinian peace, Gaza will be the foundation and the keystone.(New York Times)

Sharif Nashashibi says lifting the siege in Gaza is not enough, Israel must end the occupation. (The National)

Adnan Abu Amer says Hamas is worried about the PA’s return to Gaza. (Al-Monitor)

Shlomi Eldar says Abbas is is no position to negotiate for Hamas. (Al-Monitor)

The Media Line interviews EU Amb. to Israel Lars Faaborg-Andersen. (The Media Line)

Joanne Feinberg Goldstein says the war in Gaza is the Jewish American’s “Vietnam war.” (Ha’aretz)

Fiyaz Mughal says Muslim-Jewish relations must confront the Palestinian issue. (Ha’aretz)

Hussein Ibish says attacking IS, in the long run, is tantamount to attacking the Assad dictatorship. (Now)

Hassan Barari says the US is playing into Pres. Assad’s hands. (Jordan Times)

Aaron David Miller says the US should not expand its mission to strike IS in Syria. (Foreign Policy)

Diana Moukalled asks if after the death of James Foley will the Syrian suffering continue to worsen out of sight of the media. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Mohammad Bazzi says Muqtada Al Sadr is emerging as an unlikely kingmaker in Iraq. (The National)