November 14th, 2013

News:

The killing of an Israeli soldier by a Palestinian teenager deepens tensions. (New York Times)

Israeli extremists burn a Palestinian home in the occupied West Bank. (AP/Xinhua/Ma'an)

Israeli forces shoot and wound a Palestinian farmer in Gaza. (Xinhua)

Two mortar shells are fired from Gaza into southern Israel. (Xinhua)

Four more Palestinian refugees are killed in Syria in fierce clashes in a major refugee camp. (Ma'an/The Media Line)

A Palestinian NGO accuses Hamas of torturing Palestinian prisoners. (YNet)

The one-year anniversary of the last major Israeli attack on Gaza brings Israel little joy, but iscelebrated by Hamas. (AP/Xinhua/BBC)

Palestinians in Gaza fear the potential of another war. (Ma'an)

Centrist politicians in Israel slam the Jewish Home party for allegedly trying to sabotage peace talks. (Xinhua)

Palestinian negotiators yet again offer their resignations over planned Israeli settlement activity. (AFP/Reuters)

Palestinians say negotiations will continue regardless. (Ha'aretz)

Palestine obtains full membership status in the International Association of Deposit Insurers. (PNN)

Israel wants more Palestinian women citizens of the state to have jobs. (Christian Science Monitor)

Unmarried couples are breaking social conventions in Gaza. (Al Monitor)

The CIA declassifies its intelligence information on the Egypt-Israel Camp David peace negotiations. (AP)

Egypt insists it is not replacing Russia for the US as its main ally. (AP)

Egypt says it will end its state of emergency on Thursday. (Xinhua)

suicide bomber kills 41 Iraqi Shiites during a religious ritual. (AP)

Hezbollah's leader says the group will continue to fight in Syria. (AP/Reuters)

Rivalries between different commanders are spelling defeat for the Free Syrian Army. (The National)

Kurds in Syria are making major strides towards wide-ranging autonomy. (Christian Science Monitor)

Qatar may be considering altering its foreign policy after a string of major setbacks. (Washington Post)

Commentary:

Hamid Alkifaey says ATFP can serve as a model for genuinely effective Arab-American political engagement. (Al Hayat)

Hussein Ibish and Robert Satloff debate the role of the US in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. (PBS NewsHour)

Talal Alyan says Palestinians and their supporters need to stop calling each other traitors and collaborators. (+972)

Akiva Eldar says the Israeli government is determined to "Israelize" occupied East Jerusalem. (Al Monitor)

The Daily Star says the West must take stronger action against Israel's settlement activities. (The Daily Star)

Avi Issacharoff says Pres. Abbas may be using the threat of resigning negotiators to pressure Israel over settlements. (Times of Israel)

Aeyal Gross examines the moral economy of Israeli vegans who support the occupation. (Ha'aretz)

Joseph Dana looks at a new book by Shira Robinson on Palestinian citizens of Israel. (The National)

Tom Phillips says Israel and Saudi Arabia cannot cooperate on their mutual concerns about Iran without dealing with the Palestinian issue first. (Ha'aretz)

Jonathan Rynhold says the ultimate cost of the Iraq war may be a nuclear Iran. (Ha'aretz)

Michael Young says the specter of Hezbollah hangs heavy over Iranian negotiations. (The National)

Osama Al Sharif says the new US emphasis on diplomacy will test its relations with many Middle East allies. (Arab News)

The Jerusalem Post says the US must keep Israel "in the loop" on Iran. (Jerusalem Post)

Douglas Bloomfield says Israeli-US feuding over Iran only helps Iran. (Jerusalem Post)

Eyad Abu Shakra says Iran is virtually occupying Syria. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Ari Shavit says Saudi Arabia may attempt to go preemptively nuclear in 2014. (Ha'aretz)

Adnan Abu Amer closely examines Hamas' Mourabitoun unit. (Al Monitor)

November 13th

News:

Palestinians say new Israeli settlement activity threatens to halt ongoing peace talks. (New York Times/Ma'an)

Israel says it is placing major new settlement plans on hold. (AP/Reuters/AFP)

The PLO and the Arab League endorse an investigation into the death of the late Pres. Arafat. (Xinhua)

Disturbances erupt in occupied East Jerusalem during the commemoration of the death Arafat. (Jerusalem Post)

Israel's military is accused of using Palestinians living under occupation as unwitting part of training exercises. (The Guardian)

An "unauthorized" and particularly violent Israeli settlement outpost near Hebron is quickly growing. (Ma'an)

Israeli intelligence officials say they're concerned about heavily armed Palestinian elements in occupied Hebron. (Jerusalem Post)

A planned protest movement against Hamas in Gaza fails to materialize. (AP)

Israeli police say a police officer has been stabbed in the north of the country. (AP/Ha'aretz)

Israel may halt the production and distribution of gas masks. (Xinhua)

Israel seems set to accept EU restrictions on funding projects in the occupied Palestinian territories. (Ha'aretz)

Palestinian citizens of Israel are still struggling to integrate into the country's high-tech sector. (Times of Israel)

Private donors are making a huge impact on the war in Syria. (New York Times)

The Syrian conflict is giving rise to a wave of kidnappings in Lebanon. (AP)

Kurds in Syria say they have established a transitional autonomous authority but have no plans for independence. (Xinhua/BBC)

Egypt's secular parties continue to be bedeviled by disorganization and fragmentation. (Washington Post)

Egyptian Christians demand more action regarding ongoing kidnappings. (Christian Science Monitor)

Commentary:

Omar Shaban says Palestinians should pay more attention to the potential involvement of the EU in the peace process. (Al Monitor)

Hazem Saghieh says Sec. Kerry is not creating a good impression in the Middle East. (Al Hayat)

Hassan Barari says Kerry has too much on his plate to be successful. (Jordan Times)

Thomas Friedman says exploring negotiations with Iran is in the US national interest. (New York Times)

Rami Khouri says the exchange of accusations and recriminations between Iran and the US are a healthy sign. (The Daily Star)

Ben Caspit says PM Netanyahu is facing a potential lose-lose scenario on Iran and the peace process. (Al Monitor)

Chemi Shalev says Netanyahu sees the West's engagement with Iran in terms of 1938 Munich. (Ha'aretz)

Zvi Bar'el says Netanyahu is making Israel's relationship with Washington almost impossible. (Ha'aretz)

Henry Siegman says Netanyahu is clearly not committed to a two-state solution and another Palestinian uprising is inevitable. (Ha'aretz)

Alan Bauer says Sec. Kerry needs to hold Palestinians accountable. (Jerusalem Post)

Avraham Burg offers his vision of peace at Harvard University. (Harvard Crimson)

Ha'aretz says Netanyahu can't keep hiding behind Housing Minister Ariel on settlement expansions. (Ha'aretz)

The Jerusalem Post says Israel and Jewish Americans have a "shared destiny." (Jerusalem Post)

Nechama Duek says everyone should be grateful to Netanyahu for pushing the West to get a better deal out of Iran. (YNet)

Laurence Louër questions the "myth of the Shiite crescent." (Asharq Al Awsat)

George Semaan says the US may be able to secure six months of calm in Israel/Palestine, Iraq and Syria, but what after that? (Al Hayat)

Elias Harfoush says the West is harboring dangerous illusions about a political solution in Syria. (Al Hayat)

Diana Moukalled says Egyptian authorities are wrong to even consider graffiti and drawing a "crime." (Asharq Al Awsat)

Asharq Al-Awsat interviews historian Denise Spellberg on the surprisingly deep impact of Islam on the United States from its earliest times. (Asharq Al Awsat)

November 12th

Arab-Americans must embrace success over victimhood
In Print by Hussein Ibish - NOW Lebanon (Opinion) - November 12, 2013 - 1:00am

Arab-Americans must embrace success over victimhood


News:

The US and Israel remain divided on Iran. (Times of Israel)

Israel calls on the west to secure "a better deal" with Iran, but is trying to mend fences with the US. (AP/Xinhua)

Newly-reinstated Israeli FM Lieberman says it's time to mend fences with the United States over Iran. (Ha'aretz/Jerusalem Post/Times of Israel)

Israeli press reports suggest Pres. Abbas is actively preventing a third intifada. (PNN)

Palestinians mark the ninth anniversary of the death of the late Pres. Arafat. (Xinhua)

AP provides a Q&A on questions surrounding the death of Arafat. (AP)

There is an agreement to remove all arms from a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria. (Xinhua)

An Israeli NGO calls plans for a new Jewish town in the Negev "racist." (AFP)

Israeli occupation forces detain 10 Palestinians in the West Bank. (Ma'an)

PA police arrest Bethlehem journalist George Canawati. (Jerusalem Post)

A global Palestinian 'Right to Education Week' kicks off at Birzeit University. (Ma'an)

A giant "Question of Palestine" mural is unveiled in Nablus. (Ma'an)

Egypt destroys more Gaza smuggling tunnels. (Times of Israel)

Members of the Syrian opposition will attend potential upcoming peace talks. (Xinhua)

Syrian troops and rebels clash on the outskirts of Damascus. (AP)

Gunmen violate a cease-fire to try to assassinate pro-Hezbollah sheik in Lebanon. (AP/Reuters)

Eight more people are killed in attacks in Iraq. (Xinhua)

Leaders of a breakaway regional province movement in Libya declare their own oil company. (AP)

Egypt's constitution-drafting committee warns of differences within the group. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

 

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says Arab-Americans are torn between visions of success and perpetual victimhood. (NOW)

Alon Pinkas says Netanyahu is engaging in unnecessary quarrels with the US. (YNet)

Dalia Dassa Kaye says many Israelis, unlike Netanyahu, believe in diplomacy. (Los Angeles Times)

Ha'aretz says Israel should stop stealing Bedouin land. (Ha'aretz)

David Landau says Netanyahu's analogies between the Palestinians and Iran are ridiculous. (Ha'aretz)

Moshe Arens says Israelis are confident, but don't believe Abbas can end the conflict. (Ha'aretz)

Einat Wilf says hostility to Israel can be a form of anti-Semitism. (Ha'aretz)

David Ignatius interviews Egyptian intelligence chief el-Tohamy about relations with the US and other issues. (Washington Post)

Roger Cohen says a nuclear deal with Iran is achievable. (New York Times)

The Washington Post says US needs better strategy for dealing with Iran. (Washington Post)

Stanley Fish continues his musings about the idea of boycotting Israeli universities. (New York Times)

Aaron David Miller says there isn't much the US can do to impact domestic politics in Egypt. (New York Times)

Mohamed Farid Al-Shayyal says excluding the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood from politics won't help democracy, but Majdi Hamdan says it will. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Faisal Al Yafai says Syrians are starting to consider the unthinkable: Pres. Assad might stay in power. (The National)

Asharq Al-Awsat interviews Kurdish leader Barham Salih on the future of Iraq. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Rami Khouri says the Arab world needs to embrace basic freedoms for individual citizens. (The Daily Star)

November 11th

News:

Belgium upgrades Palestine's diplomatic status. (AFP)

The PLO says it is seeking a comprehensive deal with Israel, not an interim agreement. (Ma'an)

Palestinians say no agreement is better than a bad one. (YNet)

PM Netanyahu says Israel is "waiting for a Palestinian Ben-Gurion" to achieve Middle East peace. (Jerusalem Post)

PA police are increasingly active on the outskirts of Jerusalem. (The Media Line)

Israel issues orders for more Palestinian home demolitions in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma'an)

Israeli occupation forces detain seven Palestinian teenagers in the occupied West Bank. (Ma'an)

The Tamarod movement in Gaza gears up to challenge Hamas rule. (BBC)

Gaza continues to suffer from prolonged blackouts due to internal Palestinian disputes. (Xinhua)

Major protests are scheduled for November 30 against Israel's mass relocation plan for Bedouin citizens. (Ma'an)

Fatah says Hamas has banned them from commemorating in Gaza the seventh anniversary of the death of the late Pres. Arafat. (YNet/Times of Israel)

Palestinian artists resist the occupation with paintings. (Christian Science Monitor)

Pres. Abbas meets Pres. Mansour and Gen. Sisi in Cairo. (Ma'an)

Netanyahu accuses the world being "soft" on the Palestinians. (AP)

crisis in Israeli-American relations is said to be brewing over Iran. (AP)

Israel's cabinet approves the return of Lieberman as FM. (Xinhua)

Israel is repositioning itself as a trade gateway to the Middle East. (Xinhua)

Palestinian refugees accuse Jordanian police of abuses. (Al Monitor)

Western diplomats say Iran balked at a Western nuclear proposal over a few details, especially inspections. (New York Times/AP)

Sec. Kerry denies big splits within the P5+1 negotiating with Iran. (Reuters)

Syrian rebels recapture the airport near Aleppo. (New York Times)

Syrians on both sides of the conflict see Pres. Assad as likely to stay in office for some time. (New York Times)

Jordan confirms its eagerness to take the UN Security Council seat vacated by Saudi Arabia. (AP)

Kerry is visiting the UAE for an update on Iran talks. (The National)

Two Egyptian soldiers are killed in a drive-by shooting in Sinai. (AP)

 

Commentary:

Rana Askoul asks if the question of Palestine is still relevant today. (The National)

The Jerusalem Post interviews chief Israeli negotiator Livni. (Jerusalem Post)

Chemi Shalev says Israel should not find itself in an unwinnable diplomatic confrontation with Washington. (Ha'aretz)

Jackson Diehl says Kerry seems to be living in a Middle Eastern dreamworld. (Washington Post)

Alex Fishman cautions Kerry to stop warning about another intifada since expectations about negotiations are so low on all sides. (YNet)

Amira Hass says the occupation is plainly the main reason for the weakness of the Palestinian economy. (Ha'aretz)

Oudeh Basharat says Israel fears the prospect of real "truth and reconciliation." (Ha'aretz)

Avi Issacharoff looks at the difficult challenges facing the planned Palestinian city Rawabi. (Times of Israel)

Raphael Ahren asks why France took such a tough line in the Iran negotiations. (Times of Israel)

Hussein Ibish says some Western Middle East allies don't share any eagerness for a deal with Iran. (The National)

Kevin Connolly says Kurds in northern Iraq are aiming to change the outcome of World War I by achieving independence. (BBC)

Alaa Al Aswany says most Egyptian support the new government's war against terrorism, but that doesn't help promote democracy. (New York Times)

Abdullah Iskandar says the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood can no longer link its cause to that of freedom and democracy. (Al Hayat)

Abdullah Al Shayji says the US must delay growing fears of its GCC allies. (Gulf News)

Osama Al Sharif says Kerry is making progress in mending fences with Arab allies but much more work remains. (Gulf News)

Mostafa Zein evaluates the new structure of American Middle East policy, including working with rivals and enemies. (Al Hayat)

Hussein Ibish joins a panel on TV Ontario to discuss anti-Semitism on the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht. (TVO)

November 8th

News:

Sec. Kerry is taking a personal approach to advancing Middle East peace. (New York Times)

Kerry warns of the potential for new violence if peace talks falter. (AP/Xinhua/Los Angeles Times)

Recent polls suggest neither Israelis nor Palestinians think Kerry's efforts will yield peace. (The Media Line)

PM Netanyahu pushes back against Kerry, saying Palestinians are the only obstacle to peace. (Washington Post)

Israeli occupation forces kill a Palestinian at a checkpoint near Nablus in the occupied West Bank who may have been attacking them. (Xinhua/Ma'an/AP)

Occupation forces shoot and kill another Palestinian man near Bethlehem. (Ma'an)

Relatives say the man was killed in "cold blood." (Ma'an)

Israel closes two alleged Hamas offices in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma'an)

Speculation continues to grow about suggestions the late Pres. Arafat was poisoned. (AP)

People are wondering who might have had a motive for potentially poisoning Arafat. (AP)

Palestinians say Israel is "the only suspect" in Arafat's death, which they deem "unnatural." (AP)

The US loses voting rights at UNESCO over defunding the body regarding the membership of Palestine. (AP)

Pres. Obama reiterates that sanctions relief may be forthcoming if Iran halts nuclear R&D. (AP)

The West and Iran may be near a nuclear deal. (New York Times)

Netanyahu says a nuclear deal with Iran would be "a mistake of historical proportions," and he "utterly rejects" it. (Xinhua/AP)

Kerry is going to Geneva to try to formalize the deal with Iran. (Reuters)

Netanyahu reportedly tells Kerry Israel "won't be bound" by any Western agreement with Iran. (Xinhua)m

Sanctions remain a serious concern for Iran. (Reuters)

Jordan is considering adopting the UN Security Council seat vacated by Saudi Arabia. (New York Times)

Kerry is confident that dates for Syrian peace talks will be soon established. (Reuters)

30 people are killed in attacks in Iraq. (AP)

Lebanon says it won't "stand idle" in the face of Israeli spying along the border. (Xinhua)

The Arab American National Museum and University of Michigan are jointly presenting an exhibit and symposium entitled "Creative Dissent: Arts of the Arab World Uprisings." (AP)

Egypt's constitution drafting committee agrees in principle to abolish the parliamentary upper house. (Xinhua)

Egyptian forces say they have killed eight terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula. (Xinhua)

Reuters interviews Egyptian FM Fahmy, who says the country will hold parliamentary elections in February-March. (Reuters)

Two are killed in militia fighting in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. (AP)

The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood confirms it intends to form a new political party. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Commentary:

Aaron David Miller asks if Israel is "doomed," and says not for the meanwhile. (Foreign Policy)

Ilene Prusher says one of the possible reasons for a lack of progress on peace is that Israel's two negotiators are not in agreement. (Ha'aretz)

Matt Lerner says, in spite of the distortions of the political process, there is still a large constituency for peace in Israel. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

George Hishmeh wonders if Kerry's peace initiative is really following Pres. Obama's stated vision. (Jordan Times)

Jose Vericat says Israel and the world are missing a historic opportunity for peace in Gaza. (The Forward)

Ibrahim al-Amin describes how Hamas is plotting its comeback. (Al Akhbar)

Ehud Yaari says there is growing discontent with Hamas, but a major internal effort to unseat it is unlikely. (WINEP)

Mark Peplow says there's no hard evidence Arafat was actually poisoned. (Nature)

Christopher Dickey says Arafat might've been poisoned but even if he was we will never know who is responsible. (Daily Beast)

The National says questions about Arafat's death now need to be answered. (The National)

The Guardian says an explanation of Arafat's death is required for peace. (The Guardian)

Matthew Kalman and Matt Rees say other senior Palestinians were responsible for killing Arafat. (The Forward)

UK ambassador Matthew Gould explains his country's engagement in negotiations with Iran. (YNet)

Alan Phillips questions whether Iran is really ready to compromise. (The National)

Shoula Romano Horing says the West is engaging in "shameless appeasement" of Iran. (YNet)

Barbara Opall-Rome says Israel's censorship goes too far. (Ha'aretz)

Ha'aretz says Lieberman is "unfit to be a minister." (Ha'aretz)

The Jerusalem Post says Lieberman's acquittal casts serious doubts on its judicial officials. (Jerusalem Post)

Abdel Monem Said looks of the state of US-Egyptian relations. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

November 7th

News:

Sec. Kerry and Pres. Abbas will meet again in Jordan today. (Xinhua)

Recent developments appear to have complicated Kerry's Middle East peace efforts, especiallynew settlement activity. (New York Times/Xinhua)

Kerry reiterates the US considers new settlement activity "illegitimate." (Xinhua)

Nonetheless, Kerry says he sees some "clarity" emerging from the talks, and is extending his trip. (AP)

Abbas reportedly offers a united Jerusalem administered by a joint "supreme council." (Times of Israel)

A new poll suggests 70% of Palestinians expect the new peace talks to fail. (Ma'an)

Thousands of Palestinians face uncertainty over Israeli home demolition orders in the occupied West Bank. (Ma'an)

Israel begins demolishing another 11 Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem. (Jerusalem Post)

Swiss report into the remains of the late Pres. Arafat says its findings "moderately support" thetheory he was poisoned. (Institut de Radiophysique/New York Times/AP/Washington Post)

The Swiss scientists are scheduled to hold a news conference on their findings later today. (Reuters)

An Israeli radiation expert calls the findings "completely fabricated." (YNet)

Israel insists it did not poison Arafat and that former PM Sharon ordered he "not be harmed."(Reuters/AFP)

The PLO calls for an international committee to investigate Arafat's death. (AFP)

An Israeli court convicts an Islamist leader in Israel of incitement to violence. (Xinhua/YNet)

Lebanon complains Israel is using border stations to spy on Lebanon. (Xinhua)

Increasing numbers of young men from Gaza are fighting and dying in the conflict in Syria. (AFP)

Nationalist and Islamist rebels meet in Syria in a last-ditch effort to prevent a major split. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

An Obama administration official says the US will ease sanctions on Iran if it halts its nuclear program. (New York Times)

Iran says a nuclear deal, though "very difficult," is possible within a week. (Reuters/Jerusalem Post/Ha'aretz)

An Egyptian court upholds a general ban on the Muslim Brotherhood. (AP/Los Angeles Times)

Commentary:

John Reed looks at the difficult path the Palestinian economy will face to emerge from isolation. (Financial Times)

Bernard Avishai says peace is important to the Israeli economy. (The New Yorker)

Cesar Chelala says Israeli settlement plans are an unnecessary provocation. (The Daily Star)

Sara Miller Llana looks at the potential impact of new allegations about Arafat's death on the peace process. (Christian Science Monitor)

Asmaa al-Ghoul says expectations are now generally low for the Nov. 11 "Tamarod" campaign against Hamas rule in Gaza. (Al Monitor)

Gideon Levy says Israel deserves a Foreign Minister like Lieberman. (Ha'aretz)

Attila Somfalvi asks how Lieberman's return as FM will impact. (YNet)

Akiva Eldar says Lieberman will resume the role of Israel's "bad cop." (Al Monitor)

Aryeh Eldad says not all criticism is "incitement." (Ha'aretz)

Gershon Baskin says public and private atmospherics are crucial to negotiating success. (Jerusalem Post)

Jeffrey Goldberg thinks Sec. Hagel is overestimating the importance of an Israeli-Palestinian agreement to regional stability. (Bloomberg)

Abdulaziz Sager says US-Saudi relations have reached a crucial phase. (Arab News)

Douglas Bloomfield says the Saudi government shouldn't be angry with the US, it should participate on behalf of peace. (Jerusalem Post)

Mark Urban looks at the veracity of reports Saudi Arabia has purchased nuclear weapons from Pakistan for future delivery. (BBC)

Francis Matthew says the US lacks a consistent strategy in either Middle East or Asia. (Gulf News)

Barbara Slavin says, like the Iranians, its P5+1 interlocutors are also looking for quick results. (Al Monitor)

David Kenner says Saudi Arabia has a secret plan, based on Pakistan, to overthrow Pres. Assad. (Foreign Policy)

Michael Weiss asks if the agreement to get Syria to renounce its chemical weapons was a "success," what would failure look like? (Foreign Policy)

November 6th

ATFP Mourns the Passing of Board Member Dr. Mohammed K. Shadid
Press Release - November 6, 2013 - 1:00am

The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) expressed great sorrow at the death of long-serving ATFP Board Member Dr. Mohammed K. Shadid, who passed away yesterday after a prolonged illness.


ATFP Mourns the Passing of Board Member Dr. Mohammed K. Shadid
Press Release - Contact Information: Ghaith al-Omari - November 6, 2013 - 1:00am

ATFP Mourns the Passing of Board Member Dr. Mohammed K. Shadid   The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) expressed great sorrow at the death of long-serving ATFP Board Member Dr. Mohammed K. Shadid, who passed away yesterday after a prolonged illness.


News:

Sec. Kerry is urging both parties to make more progress in Israeli-Palestinian talks. (New York Times/AP)

PM Netanyahu says talks have made little progress and urges Kerry to help. (AP)

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators reportedly quarrel over settlements just before Kerry's arrival. (Ma'an/Ha'aretz)

Netanyahu accuses Palestinians of staging an "artificial crisis" in the talks. (AFP/The Guardian)

Pres. Abbas says he is committed to the peace talks and hopes they will succeed. (Ma'an)

Abbas says negotiations are the only way to create peace with Israel. (Xinhua)

Palestinians say any potential American proposal should be a final status deal with firm timelines. (PNN)  

Kerry says the US will provide $75 million in additional aid to Palestinians. (AP)

The UN says a halt in Gaza reconstruction projects is due to Israeli bans on building materials. (Reuters)

The death of young Palestinian prisoner in Israeli custody of cancer prompts charges of medical malpractice. (New York Times/Xinhua))

An Israeli court acquits former FM Lieberman of fraud, freeing him to rejoin high-level politics. (New York Times/Reuters/Ha'aretz)

Clerics sign  a "universal code of conduct" in an effort to stop attacks on religious sites in occupied East Jerusalem. (The Media Line)

The local head of the Roman Catholic Church protests Israel’s demolition of a church-owned property in occupied East Jerusalem. (AFP)

Palestinians say they have received test results on the remains of the late Pres. Arafat and will study them. (AP)

Egyptian Muslim Brothers are seeking refuge in many other Arab states. (Washington Post)

The UN says 9 million Syrian refugees badly need help before the approaching winter. (Los Angeles Times)

Peace talks regarding Syria are not expected before December at the earliest. (AFP)


Commentary:

Hazem Saghieh says the Arab world needs to prepare itself for a long period of frustration and unrest. (Al Hayat)

Yolande Knell looks at why the fate of the Jordan Valley is key to an Israeli-Palestinian deal. (BBC)

Adnan Abu Amer says Hamas is reconcling with Salafists in Gaza. (Al Monitor)

Omar Shaban asks if Kerry's Palestinian economic plan will prove another dead end. (Al Monitor)

Uzi Baram says any Israeli PM that pushes a peace process will be severely attacked by the right. (Ha'aretz)

Carlo Strenger says Lieberman's acquittal will push Netanyahu to the right. (Ha'aretz)

Ben Caspit says Palestinian disregard for Jewish history and the Israeli narrative is central to their tragedy. (Al Monitor)

Riccardo Dugulin says long-term nuclear negotiations between Iran and the West will be useful to Israel. (YNet)

Sefi Rachlevsky profiles an extremist Israeli rabbi who advocates murder. (Ha'aretz)

Rami Khouri asks if American policy towards Syria is changing. (The Daily Star)

Asharq Al-Awsat looks at the fight over Syria's border crossings. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Peter Beinart explains why he is closing his Open Zion blog in the Daily Beast. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)


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