April 13th, 2015

News:

A coalition of international aid groups urge the world to deliver on aid promises for Gazareconstruction. (AP/AFP)

Human Rights Watch says Jewish settlers profit from Palestinian child labour. (AP)

Hamas says Pres. Abbas is preventing reconciliation with Fatah. (Jerusalem Post)

The Washington Post looks at the “new misery” in Yarmouk. (Washington Post)

A PLO official says ISIS is using heavy weaponry and artillery in Yarmouk. (Ma’an)

The head of the PNC Salim Zanoun calls on the Palestinian leadership to speed up efforts to resolve the ongoing Yarmouk crisis. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces arrest 20 Palestinians in detention raids across the territories. (Ma’an)

An Iranian nuclear framework agreement may push PM Netanyahu to seek to form a national unity government. (Reuters/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Obama denounces attempts to derail a nuclear framework agreement with Iran. (New York Times)

Iran calls for the formation of a new Yemeni government and offers to assist in a political transition. (Reuters)

Pres. Hadi appoints his former PM Khaled Bahah as VP. (Reuters)

The US-led coalition steps up bombing raids in Anbar after Shiite militias withdraw. (AP)

ISIS militants claim attacks on embassies in Libya. (Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post)

A study shows Saudi military spending rose 17 percent in 2014. (Reuters)

Iran suspends all trips by pilgrims to Saudi Arabia amid growing diplomatic tensions between the two countries. (AP)

Iran accuses Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian of obtaining sensitive economic data. (Washington Post) 

Turkey recalls its ambassador over Pope Francis’ Armenia genocide comments. (AP)

Commentary:

Mehdi Hasan says Palestinians in Yarmouk are dying at the hands of an Arab regime. (The Guardian)

Oudeh Basharat asks why Israel doesn’t help Palestinians in Yarmouk. (Ha’aretz)

Ernest Moniz says the Iranian nuclear framework agreement sets up vital restrictions. (Washington Post)

Jackson Diehl asks if nuclear detente will force a change in Iran. (Washington Post)

Abraham Foxman says the US and Israel need to put aside their mutual suspicions over an Iran deal.  (Ha’aretz)

Djavad Salehi-Isfahani says Iran's convoluted relationship with the global economy is a pivotal factor in whether any nuclear deal will succeed. (The National)

Uri Savir says France is stepping up its involvement on Iran and Palestine. (Al-Monitor)

Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi says Yemen is besieged by pro-Iranian militias and it is in no nation's interest to let them win. (New York Times)

Hussein Ibish looks at the perils of half-measures in war. (The National)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Yemen’s war is linked to Syria. (Al Arabiya)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed calls for the protection of the Egyptian-Saudi alliance. (Asharq al-Awsat)


April 9th

News:

Palestinian police expand their security control in parts of the occupied West Bank, following an agreement  with Israel. (Reuters/JTA)

Gaza public employees launch a strike over additional unpaid salaries. (Ma’an)

The PA says it has received a $100 million loan from Qatar to help pay civil servants’ salaries. (Reuters)

Israeli forces shoot and injure Palestinian fishermen off the Gaza coast. (Ma’an)

Hamas is reportedly treating Sinai jihadists in a Gaza hospital. (Times of Israel)

PM Hamdallah meets with the UN humanitarian coordinator in Ramallah. (Ma’an)

Israeli-Arab MK’s call for the release of Palestinian lawmaker Khalida Jarrar, arrested by Israel. (Ha’aretz)

The Red Cross demands access to ISIS-held areas of the Yarmouk camp in Syria. (Reuters)

A Palestinian official says an agreement has been reached with the Syrian government to use military force to expel ISIS from Yarmouk. (AP)

The ICC says ISIS is outside of its jurisdiction. (New York Times)

The New York Times looks at the status of the neglected National Museum of Iraq. (New York Times)

Houthis seize the mainly Sunni Shabwa province in eastern Yemen. (Reuters)

Pres. Erdogan says Egypt must free former Pres. Morsi before it can restore ties with Turkey. (Reuters)

Pres. Rouhani says Iran will only sign a nuclear deal if sanctions are lifted on the same day. (Reuters/JTA)

Ayatollah Khamenei says he neither backs nor rejects the framework understanding reached between Iran and the P5+1. (Reuters/AP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)  

Pres. Obama lobbies Congress on the Iran nuclear framework. (AP)

CIA Director Brennan says Iran’s economic peril helped guide the framework agreement. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish looks at the tragedy in Yarmouk. (NOW)

Ha’aretz says Israel must help Yarmouk’s Palestinian refugees. (Ha’aretz)

Michael Young says Iran’s use of Shia militants across the Middle East has been largely successfull over the year’s but dangers for Tehran remain. (The National)

J.M. Berger explains why ISIS’s claimed attack in Yemen could spark a broader Arab  war. (Foreign Policy)

Emma Ashford says the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen is doomed to fail because the conflict is local not regional. (New York Times)

Manuel Almeida says radicalism not sectarianism is the threat in Yemen. (Al Arabiya)

Salman Aldossary says “Operation Decisive Storm” can protect the Gulf. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Moshe Ya’alon says Israel does not want a war with Iran but the current framework agreement is “dangerous.” (Washington Post)

J.J. Goldberg looks at how PM Netanyahu enabled Pres. Bush’s war in Iraq and what that means for Iran today. (The Forward)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed asks if Saudi Arabia’s relationship with Egypt is under threat. (Al Arabiya)

Michael Young looks at Lebanon 40 years after the civil war.  (Daily Star)

The National says Turkey must play a better role in solving the conflicts shaping the future of the region. (The National)

April 8th

News:

 

A Palestinian stabs two Israeli soldiers outside a settlement in the occupied West Bank. (AP/New York Times/Ma’an/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

 

The IDF raids the home of the Palestinian assailant. (Times of Israel)

 

France is preparing a draft UNSC resolution to propose a Palestinian state. (Ynet/Al-Monitor/The Media Line)

 

Israeli occupation forces assault two guards at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. (Ma’an)

 

A Syrian Minister says a military operation is needed to expel ISIS from the Yarmouk refugee camp. (AFP/The National)

 

Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition strike an airbase north of Aden. (Reuters)

 

Iran sends two warships to the Gulf of Aden. (The National)

 

Jordan circulates a draft UN resolution aimed at ending the fighting in Yemen. (AP)

 

Saudi Shiites are worried about a backlash from the war in Yemen. (Washington Post)

 

Def. Sec. Carter says al-Qaeda is making "great gains" on the ground amid the chaos in Yemen. (AP/New York Times)

 

The World Health Organization says more than 560 people have been killed in Yemen. (AP)

 

Arab states want the UNSC to "blacklist" the son of Yemen’s former Pres. Saleh. (Reuters)

 

After the victory over ISIS in Tikrit, the next battle in the Anbar province probably requires a new template. (New York Times)

 

Moody’s raises Egypt’s credit rating, saying macroeconomic performance has improved and external vulnerabilities have been reduced. (AP)

 

A poll indicates 31% of Republicans support an Iran nuclear deal. (Reuters/Ha’aretz)

 

Commentary:

 

Ghaith al-Omari asks if the PA has already collapsed. (The Hill)

 

Uri Savir says PM Netanyahu’s electoral win has left Palestinians fearing they have no option left but a nonviolent intifada. (Al-Monitor)

 

Ahmad Melhem asks if Qatar-Israel relations will threaten PA”s relevance in Gaza. (Al-Monitor)

 

The New York Times says Israel’s demands are unrealistic and, if heeded, could scuffer any nuclear deal with Iranl. (New York Times)

 

David Ignatius looks at Pres. Obama’s “delicate path” ahead on Iran. (Washington Post)

 

Ruth Marcus says Obama needs Congress’s buy-in on Iran. (Washington Post)

 

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed looks at Obama’s apologies to Iran and criticism of Arabs.  (Al Arabiya)

 

Peter Beinart says Obama and Netanyahu see Iran differently because they see their own countries differently. (Ha’aretz)

 

David Horovitz says Obama didn’t sign a bad framework deal with Iran, he left it unsigned, open to a more worrying interpretation. (Times of Israel)

 

Avi Shilon says Netanyahu should embrace the Iran deal as his greatest achievement.(Ha’aretz)

 

Khaled Almaeena says Saudi action was needed against the Houthis. (Al Arabiya)

April 7th

News:

Palestine’s UN Amb. Mansour calls for the Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding a deadline for a Palestinian state. (AP)

The PA is reportedly providing new documents to the ICC to speed up a preliminary probe into possible Israeli war crimes. (Ma’an)

Palestinian importers say Israel has cut back on lumber shipments to Gaza. (Reuters/Jerusalem Post)

Hamas arrests a radical Salafist sheikh in Gaza, accusing him of membership in ISIS.  (AFP)

A PLO committee slams the arbitrary detention of Khalida Jarrar. (Ma’an)

Israel’s military faces a delicate balance in the occupied West Bank. (New York Times)

SodaStream changes the labels on some of its products to note that they were manufactured in the West Bank. (JTA)

Palestinian refugees are fleeing the horrors of ISIS atrocities in Syria. (AFP)

The UN says the crisis in the Palestinian refugee camp in Yarmouk has worsened since the ISIS invasion. (New York Times/Ynet)

The PA has managed to secure the evacuation of up to 800 Palestinian students from Yemen. (Ma’an)

Warplanes from a Saudi-led air coalition bomb a military base in Yemen controlled by Houthi fighters. (Reuters)

UNICEF says at least 74 children have been killed in Yemen fighting. (AP)

The Red Cross says it aims to fly two planes carrying 48 tonnes of medical help and other aid to Yemen over the next two days. (Reuters/Washington Post)

China calls for a ceasefire in Yemen. (Reuters)

Iraqi forensic teams begin excavating 12 suspected mass grave sites thought to hold the corpses of as many as 1,700 soldiers massacred last summer by ISIS. (Reuters/AP) 

VP Biden will give a major speech on Iraq’s future on Thursday. (AP)

The Lebanese army kills three militants in a raid near the Syrian border. (AP/The National/The Daily Star)

Pres. Obama says he is confident sanctions against Iran could be reimposed if a deal is broken. (Reuters/AP/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

Iranian hardliners stage a protest against the nuclear deal.  (AP)

Sen. Corker is a key player in the Iran nuclear accords. (New York Times)

Hezbollah leader Nasrallah says an Iran deal rules out specter of regional and world wars. (Ha’aretz)

Pres. Erdogan visits Iran amid spat over Yemen. (AP)

Commentary:

Hassan Hassan says ISIS’s Yarmouk offensive has profound implications. (The National)

Daniel Drezner says PM Netanyahu is the least important player on the “Iran chessboard.” (Washington Post)

Eugene Robinson says the Iran agreement may be a turning point. (Washington Post)

The Washington Post says Obama is “walking a tightrope” on the Iran nuclear framework. (Washington Post)

Peter Beinart asks what is the alternative to Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran. (Ha’aretz)

Amos Harel asks if Israel can still scuttle an Iran nuclear deal. (Foreign Policy)

Aaron David Miller says an Iranian nuclear deal is still in the motions of negotiations. (Foreign Policy)

Jamal Khashoggi says “Operation Decisive Storm” has pushed the region to a “different and more progressive future.” (Al Arabiya)

The National says Arab collective strength through unity allows the region to better cooperate with the West. (The National)

Salman Aldossary asks if Obama understands Sunni Arabs. (Asharq al Awsat)

April 6th

News:

Pres. Abbas says he rejects Israel’s offer of a partial transfer of tax revenues.(AP/AFP/JTA/Reuters)

Israeli occupation forces detain 100 Palestinians from Hebron in March.  (Ma’an)

Iran is reportedly “intensifying support for Hamas” by helping rebuild tunnels in Gaza. (Ma’an/JTA/Ha’aretz)

The UN says the state of the Yarmouk refugee camp is “beyond inhumane.” (AP)

Palestinians from Yarmouk ask for international intervention. (Ynet)

A PLO delegation heads to Syria for talks on Yarmouk crisis.  (Ma’an)

Hamas-affiliated group is reportedly fighting ISIS in the Yarmouk refugee camp. (Ma’an)

Pakistan says Saudi Arabia has asked for warplanes, warships and soldiers in Yemen. (Reuters/AP)

Yemen’s Aden suffers amid continued clashes, as aid deliveries are delayed. (Reuters)

The Red Cross gets approval from the Saudi-led coalition to distribute aid in Yemen. (Reuters)

An apparent Saudi strike kills nine members of a Yemeni family. (New York Times)

Islamist militants and fighters loyal to the Syrian government make a rare prisoner swap.(Reuters)

Ex-officers from Saddam Hussein’s army have risen to prominent positions in ISIS’s hierarchy. (Washington Post)

Islamist militants attack Egypt's two largest cities with a bombing in Cairo and an attack on a church in Alexandria, leaving one policeman dead and seven people wounded. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

Pres. Obama defends the Iran deal as “once in a lifetime” opportunity. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu seeks a better deal on Iran. (Reuters/AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

An Israeli document poses 10 key questions about the “irresponsible and dangerous” Iran deal. (Times of Israel)

Experts say the framework for an Iran nuclear deal may sideline hard-liners.(AP)

Turkey blocks access to social media over the publication of photographs of slain prosecutor. (AFP)

Commentary:

Ha’aretz says Netanyahu should return to the negotiating table with Abbas. (Ha’aretz)

Avi Issacharoff says Israel is turning a blind eye to tunnel construction and the next Gaza war. (Times of Israel)

Thomas Friedman interviews Obama on Iran. (New York Times)

Roger Cohen says the nuclear deal with Iran is still only preliminary but if concluded it will represent the most important American diplomatic achievement. (New York Times)

David Rothkopf says the interim Iran nuclear deal is worth celebrating. (Foreign Policy)

E.J. Dionne says the Iran deal is tougher than many skeptics anticipated. (Washington Post)

Bryan Gibson looks at five times the US and Iran tried to mend ties-- and failed. (Foreign Policy)

Peter Beinart looks at the three benefits of ending the US’s cold war with Iran. (Ha’aretz)

Hussein Ibish looks at the Iran nuclear framework in its regional context. (AGSIW)

Ben Caspit interviews Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin. (Al-Monitor)

J.J. Goldberg has four questions on Iran for Netanyahu. (The Forward)

Amir Oren says Netanyahu must take responsibility for his abject failure to exert any influence on the Iranian nuclear program talks. (Ha’aretz)

Aluff Benn says the Iran deal can be scaffolding for an Israeli unity government.  (Ha’aretz)

The Daily Star says Gulf leaders must work on a unified stance to work out what is best for them and the rest of the Middle East. (Daily Star)

Theodore Karasik says the Yemen operation is a good test run for an Arab army. (The National)

Salman Aldossary says “Operation Decisive Storm” is not a battle against Shiites, but against Houthis. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Iran is against Saudi Arabia. (Al Arabiya)

Hugh Eakin says the world should use military force to stop ISIS’ destruction of monuments. (New York Times)

Avi Lewis looks at a new Jordanian think tank that seeks to inject nuance into the conversation about Israel and the Arab world. (Times of Israel)

April 3rd

News:

Iranians celebrate after negotiators reach a framework for a nuclear accord, and Pres. Obamahails  "historic understanding." (Reuters/AP/New York Times/Washington Post/AFP/Times of Israel/Foreign Policy/The National)

Reuters looks at the details of the P5+1 agreement. (Reuters)

Iran’s hardliners criticize the tentative nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1. (AP)

Ayatollah Khamenei lends “cautious support” to pursuing a nuclear deal. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia publicly welcomes a framework nuclear deal with Tehran, but in private mistrust remains deep. (Reuters/Washington Post/Times of Israel)

PM Netanyahu says he and his cabinet are united in “strongly opposing” an Iranian nuclear deal.(AP/Washington Post/AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Israeli officials say an Iran deal will make the world much more dangerous. (Ha’aretz)

American Energy Sec. Moniz says an Iran deal affords a one-year buffer to prevent a nuclear breakout. (JTA)

Disarmament groups welcome the Iran framework agreement. (New York Times)

FM Fabius says France held out for firmer conditions in the preliminary agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, and remains cautious about its success. (AP)

Iranian businesses say billions are “up for grabs” if a nuclear deal will open the country’s economy. (Reuters)

Israeli police find missing Israeli man near Hebron who staged his “fake kidnapping.” (AP/New York Times/Ma’an/PNN/JTA/Ynet/Jerusalem Post)

Pres. Abbas threatens to file an ICC complaint if Israel does not release Palestinian tax revenues. (Times of Israel)

An Israeli court rules against building the separation wall in Beit Jala. (Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Deaf children in Gaza use art therapy to cope with war trauma. (Ma’an)

American for Peace Now calls the expansion of Israeli settlements a “plague” in a Facebook post. (JTA)

Saudis airdrop weapons and medical aid to fighters defending Aden from the Houthis. (Reuters/New York Times)

The UN says violence in Yemen has killed an estimated 519 people in the past two weeks, 90 of them children. (AP)

PM Sharif says Pakistan is concerned by the overthrow of Yemen’s government and will stand by Saudi Arabia. (Reuters) 

Commentary:

William J. Burns says the Iran deal is not perfect, but its a crucial step forward. (New York Times)

The New York Times says the preliminary agreement is a significant achievement that makes it more likely that Iran will never be a nuclear threat. (New York Times)

David Ignatius says the Iranian framework agreement is “better-than-expected.” (Washington Post)

Fareed Zakaria says a nuclear deal with Iran is the best option. (Washington Post) 

Experts weigh in on the implications of a nuclear framework. (Washington Post)

Amir Taheri looks at the difference between “talkers and deciders” in Iranian foreign policy. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Chemi Shalev says after the Iran deal, its time for Netanyahu to reassess his strategy. (Ha’aretz)

Barak Ravid says Israel will have a “hard time” fighting the Iranian nuclear framework agreement. (Ha’aretz)

David Horovitz says Obama lacks the resolve to insist upon a better deal with Iran.  (Times of Israel)

The Daily Star says if Obama is concerned about his legacy, he must encourage Iran to become a regular member of the international community. (Daily Star)

Justine Drennan looks at what leaders around the world are saying about the Iran deal. (Foreign Policy) 

Kori Schake gives five reasons to support the Iranian nuclear deal. (Foreign Policy)

David Kenner says an Iran deal threatens to upend a delicate balance of power in the Middle East. (Foreign Policy)

Matthew Levitt and Neri Zilber say the EU still has issues with Hamas. (TWI)

Shlomi Eldar asks if the Palestinians will file complaints against Israel at the ICC. (Al-Monitor)



April 2nd

News:

Palestinians refrain from immediately asking the ICC to look into cases that may implicate Israeli officials. (New York Times)

Israel denounces the Palestinian decision to join the ICC as “hypocritical.” (Ma’an/Ynet)

79 Congressional Democrats tells Pres. Obama that he should “persevere” in his efforts for a two-state solution. (JTA)

A Palestinian man stabs an Israeli soldier in the occupied West Bank. (AP/Ma’an/PNN/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Israel arrests a Palestinian lawmaker Khalida Jarrar over “incitement and terror involvement.” (AP/Ma’an/Times of Israel)

Israeli forces uproot 120 olive trees belonging to Palestinian farmers in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

The New York Times looks at Speaker Boehner’s visit to Israel. (New York Times)

ISIS militants retreat from the besieged Yarmouk refugee camp. (AP)

Turkish security forces arrest nine British nationals who were trying to cross illegally into Syria. (Reuters)

The Al-Nusra Front captures the main border crossing with Jordan. (AP) 

The Iraqi government claims victory over ISIS insurgents in Tikrit. (Reuters/AP/Washington Post)

Dozens of unidentified troops land by sea in Aden after Houthis seize control of its center.(Reuters/Washington Post)

Gunmen attack several Egyptian military checkpoints in Sinai, killing 15 soldiers and two civilians. (Reuters/New York Times/Ma’an)

The P5+1 talks with Iran stretch into another day; with diplomats saying prospects for a preliminary agreement were finely balanced between success and collapse. (Reuters/AP/JTA/Jerusalem Post)

Pres. Obama reportedly told Sec. Kerry to show the Iranians that he was ready to “blow up” the negotiations. (New York Times/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel) 

Israeli air force chief Gen. Amir Eshel says first-strike capability is still an option for Israel. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Commentary:

Jonathan Schanzer and Grant Rumley say the resignation of Palestinian Deputy PM Mustafa should be big news.  (Foreign Policy)

Akiva Eldar says the dangers PM Netanyahu perceives in the region obstruct his ability to see opportunities favorable to Israel. (Al-Monitor)

Avraham Burg says this is the worst time for Jews to abandon Europe. (Ha’aretz)

John Bellinger says ISIS leaders should be prosecuted at the ICC for international crimes rather than in national courts. (New York Times)

The New York Times says  ISIS's campaign of religious and cultural cleansing must not go unpunished by the UN. (New York Times)

Michael Young says the challenge for Lebanon will be to manage Hezbollah’s fluctuating fortunes. (Daily Star)

Joyce Karam says Obama’s full resumption of military aid to Egypt concludes the administration’s failed experiment in Egypt. (Al Arabiya)

Arif Rafiq looks at the “dangerous and delicate” Saudi-Pakistan alliance. (Foreign Policy)

Alan Philps says during the time Iran has taken to get within striking distance of a nuclear deal, it has come close to being the dominant regional power. (The National)

Nicholas Kristof says a nuclear deal with Iran isn’t just about bombs. (New York Times)

Yossi Mekelberg looks at Israel’s last efforts to stop an Iranian nuclear agreement. (Al Arabiya)

Israel Harel says there are a few indications that positions on the Iranian nuclear deal are hardening in Washington, due to pressure from Israel and Congress. (Ha’aretz)

April 1st

News:

The PA joins the ICC. (Reuters/AP/JTA/Jerusalem Post)

Gazans hope the ICC will hold Israel accountable. (AFP)

An opinion poll indicates the majority of Palestinians support a decision by the PLO to end security cooperation with Israel. (Ma’an)

Saudi Arabia contributes $60 million to the PA budget. (Ma’an)

The PA will pay partial salaries as Israel withholds Palestinian tax revenues.(Reuters)

Hamas leader Meshaal says Israeli extremism killed the peace process. (Ynet)

The Israeli city of Nazareth has no Arabic library books. (PNN)

An Interior Ministry committee in Israel approves preliminary plans for the construction of 2,200 housing units in a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem. (JTA/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

The Palestinian Football Association will ask FIFA to suspend Israel. (Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post) 

Israeli forces open fire at Gaza fishermen. (Ma’an)

Israel applies to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. (Reuters)

ISIS seizes control of most of the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in southern Damascus. (AFP/Jerusalem Post)

Jordan closes its border with Syria amid heavy clashes. (AP/Jordan Times)

Iraq’s Interior Minister al-Ghabban says most of Tikrit has been liberated. (Reuters/AP)

Pres. Sisi welcomes the release of withheld US military aid. (AP/New York Times/Foreign Policy)

An explosion at a dairy factory in Yemen kills at least 27 people. (New York Times/Washington Post)

Sec. Kerry renews effort to reach a preliminary nuclear deal with Iran. (New York Times)

Despite progress, the P5+1 and Iran hit an impasse over key details such as the lifting of UN sanctions and Iran's future atomic research. (Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post)

PM Netanyahu calls for a “better deal” with Iran. (Reuters/AP/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Commentary:

Don Futterman says the rise of Ayman Odeh presents a unique opportunity to improve Jewish-Arab relations. (Ha’aretz)

Peter Beinart looks at Netanyahu’s never-ending excuse for opposing a two-state solution. (Ha’aretz)

Ahmad Melhem looks at Palestine’s lingering water crisis. (Al-Monitor)

The New York Times says the Saudi-led bombing campaign threatens to turn a civil war into a larger Shiite-Sunni war with Iran. (New York Times)

Michael Young explains why Iran will find the struggle with the Sunni world hard to sustain. (The National)

Rami Khouri says Yemen’s war reflects a new regional era. (Daily Star)

Salman Aldossary says countries participating in “Operation Decisive Storm” have done a good job launching a necessary war to avoid repeating the Syrian tragedy. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Eyad Abu Shakra says “Operation Decisive Storm” is a good start for saving Yemen. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Jamal Khashoggi looks at the “Salman Doctrine.”

The New York Times says by releasing American military aid to Egypt, the Obama administration used both punishment and incentives to set a new tone for a “frayed relationship.” (New York Times)

David Ignatius says the process of engagement with Iran is a significant achievement of the Obama administration, even if the nuclear accord unravels. (Washington Post)

March 31st

News:

The PA will become the 123rd member of the ICC on Wednesday. (Reuters/AFP)

Palestinians may have to wait for years for their day in court with Israel. (Reuters)

To an increasing number of Palestinians, Pres. Abbas is inextricably enmeshed with their broader problems. (New York Times)

The release of Palestinian tax revenues has been held up over a dispute regarding the size of the PA’s unpaid electric bill. (Times of Israel)

Displaced Gazans have begun to return to their damaged homes while they wait for promised aid to arrive. (AP)

Palestinian Deputy PM Mustafa who is overseeing Gaza reconstruction submits his resignation. (AP)

An Israeli NGO says it will file a complaint against Hamas with the US Department of Justice forfiring rockets against Ben-Gurion Airport during last summer's war. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Ynet)

Israeli forces demolish a home near Jerusalem's Old City. (Ma’an)

Some Jewish House Democrats call on Pres. Obama to tamp down the rhetoric against PM Netanyahu. (JTA)

Saudi led-airstrikes hit Houthi militia targets across Yemen overnight. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

Military experts say Saudi Arabia can easily afford its military intervention in Yemen and the cost is unlikely to limit the duration or scale of its operations. (Reuters)

Iraqi security forces seize government headquarters in the battle for Tikrit. (Reuters/AP/Washington Post)

The US and Kuwait pledge $1 billion towards easing Syria's humanitarian crisis. (Reuters/AP/The National)

Officials say the P5+1 and Iran will issue a general statement agreeing to continue talks in a new phase aimed at reaching a final agreement by the end of June. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Times of Israel)

FM Lavrov heads back to Lausanne for the P5+1 talks with Iran and says prospects for reaching a deal are “good.” (AP/Ha’aretz)

A poll indicates that the majority of Americans back a nuclear deal with Iran. (Washington Post)

An Israeli official says Iran is placing guided warheads on Hezbollah rockets. (Jerusalem Post)

Commentary:

Dennis Ross, Ghaith al-Omari and  David Makovsky say Netanyahu must offer up hope to Palestinians or face a revived de-legitimization movement.(Politico)

Raphael Ahren says the significance of Palestine’s ICC membership taking effect tomorrowdepends on the next steps by the political leaderships in Jerusalem and Ramallah. (Times of Israel)

Akiva Eldar asks if the Swiss employment plan will help rehabilitate Gaza. (Al-Monitor)

Rasha Abou Jalal says Rafah is in dire need of a central hospital. (Al-Monitor)

Ron Prosor says the UN has become a forum for “hypocrites,” in which repressive regimes single out Israel for “special punishment.” (New York Times)

Hussein Ibish looks at how the split of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood could herald a historic realignment of Islamist politics in the Middle East. (New York Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says establishing an Arab military force, funding it and leading it are complicated issues which require thinking about all future possibilities. (Al Arabiya)

The Washington Post says an Arab military force could compound the regions problems. (Washington Post)

Salman Aldossary calls on the GCC to unite on Yemen. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Micah Zenko says the US is at war in Yemen and does not want to admit it. (Foreign Policy)

Eugene Robinson says US policies in the Middle East are “inconsistent but wise.” (Washington Post)

The National says ignoring Syria is not an option. (The National)

Barak Ravid gives a primer on the P5+1 talks with Iran.  (Ha’aretz)

March 30th

News:

The PA will reportedly pause ICC steps against Israel regarding settlement construction in exchange for tax revenues. (Ma’an/Jerusalem Post)

Palestinians deny report which claims that the PA agreed to halt war crimes charges against Israel in exchange for tax revenues. (Ha’aretz)

Pres. Abbas urges the Arab League to carry out an “intervention policy” in Palestine. (Ynet)

Pres. Putin says his country will support efforts to build a Palestinian state with a capital in East Jerusalem. (JTA)

The PA says it will provide financial support to 15,000 displaced Gazans. (Ma’an)

Egyptian border guards uncover a 2.8 km-long tunnel under the yards of three homes in Rafah near the Gaza border. (Ma’an)

Thousands of Palestinians march to commemorate Land Day. (Ma’an)

Israel detains 25 Palestinians in overnight raids. (Ma’an/PNN)

FIFA orders an Israeli soccer club to compensate a Palestinian club. (Ha’aretz)

Former Sec. Clinton wants to improve relations with Israel. (New York Times/JTA)

The Arab League unveils plans to form a joint Arab force amid Yemen crisis. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/The National)

Houthi militiamen push into the northeastern outskirts of the Yemeni port city of Aden amid heavy clashes with loyalists of Pres. Hadi. (Reuters/Washington Post)

King Salman says he is open to meeting all Yemeni political parties. (Al Arabiya)

A high-level Pakistani defense delegation heads to Saudi Arabia to discuss support in Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. (Reuters)

Pres. Erdogan says he still plans to visit Iran next week, but is watching the crisis in Yemen. (Reuters)

Pres. Assad says Russia is supplying weapons to Damascus under contracts signed since the conflict in Syria began in 2011. (Reuters/AP)

The UN says up to $9 billion is needed for basic help of Syrian civilians. (AP)
http://www.statesman.com/videos/news/un-up-to-9bn-needed-for-basic-help-of-syrian/vDMb7Q/

King Abdullah meets with Speaker Boehner in Amman. (Jordan Times)

Reuters and Washington Post looks at the setbacks and progress in the latest round of the P5+1 nuclear talks with Iran. (Reuters/Washington Post)

The US says shipping uranium out of Iran is still part of a possible nuclear deal. (New York Times)

PM Netanyahu expresses “deep concern” on pending Iran deal. (AP/AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Commentary:

Joseph Dana says Palestinian citizens of Israel must establish unity through reform in order to secure their rights. (The National)

The Jordan Times says Palestinians need a process of implementation of all resolutions adopted by the Security Council, starting with 242. (Jordan Times)

Raphael Ahren says the EU is not currently reassessing its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Times of Israel)

Nahum Barnea says in a right-wing government, Netanyahu will be more attentive to the world's reactions than in a national unity government. (Ynet)

Ha’aretz says Herzog and Livni must present a clear alternative to “Likud's destructive policies” from the opposition. (Ha’aretz)

David Horovitz tells Pres. Obama to reconsider an Iranian nuclear agreement. (Times of Israel)

Amos Harel says Netanyahu has inadvertently positioned himself as someone whom the Americans won’t take seriously on Iran. (Ha’aretz)

Seth Lipsky says a P5+1 deal with Iran would be the worst American betrayal of Israel yet. (Ha’aretz)

Ali Alfoneh and Reuel Marc Gerecht look at Iran’s troubling alliance with North Korea. (Washington Post)

Jackson Diehl says Obama has set the stage for a foreign policy legacy. (Washington Post)

Faisal Al Yafai says even before the Saudi-led coalition struck, Yemen was suffocating. (The National)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says after the Yemen intervention there should be a negotiated peace. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Raghida Dergham says “Operation Decisive Storm” responds to Iran’s encroachment on Saudi borders. (Al Arabiya)

Sinem Cengiz looks at Turkey’s stance on the Yemen crisis. (Al Arabiya)

Salman Aldossary says Iran’s allies are the Houthis’ allies. (Asharq al-Awsat)

David Schenker and Gilad Wenig look at the pan-Arab coalition that is stepping up as Yemen falls apart and US policy remains unclear. (Wall Street Journal)

David Rothkopf says the entire Middle East is at war right now, and the Obama administration's strategic incoherence is aiding and abetting the chaos. (Foreign Policy)

Michael Weiss and Michael Pregent say the US is providing air cover for ethnic cleansing in Iraq. (Foreign Policy)

The National asks if Syria can remain whole without Idlib. (The National)

Mustapha Tlili says bold action, by the US in particular, could make a big difference in saving Tunisia’s young democracy. (New York Times)


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