The New York Times looks at attempts within the Israeli Knesset to pass a bill making the return of occupied East Jerusalem to the Palestinians more difficult (2.) Reuters reports on Palestinian rebuilding of government administrative buildings in the West Bank as a symbols of authority (4.) A Washington Post opinion by David Ignatius urges Israel and the U.S. to give the Palestinians the capacity to establish security and to allow them to do so, otherwise any achievements at Annapolis will be frustrated (5.) A Baltimore Sun editorial stresses the importance of Palestinian unity and the addressing of the Hamas issue if a peace agreement with Israel is to be successful (6.) The Forward looks at the push by the Bush administration to get the organized mainstream Jewish-American community to support the Annapolis meeting (8.) The Guardian (UK) reports on Palestinian hopes that a one year timetable will be set to secure a peace agreement with Israel (10.) A Jordan Times (Jordan) editorial urges the rise of a 'third political faction' among Palestinians weary with Fatah and Hamas (12.) A Haaretz (Israel) editorial is critical of the Israeli demand that Palestinians recognize Israel as a 'Jewish state' (14.)

The New York Times examines how the Palestinian campaign to bring law and order to the West Bank city of Nablus is caught up in the larger picture of an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories and U.S. attempts to strengthen the Abbas/Fayyad government (2.) The Christian Century looks at the recent banning of Archbishop Desmond Tutu from speaking at the University of St. Thomas based on his criticism of Israeli occupation policies (4.) The Forward reports on the groundbreaking statement of support or current Mideast peacemaking efforts by the top ranking Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders in the Holy Land (6.) The LA Times reports from Gaza on the arrests of hundreds of Fatah members by Hamas in recent days (8.) The Guardian (UK) reports on a possible partial Israeli settlement freeze in the lead-up to the Annapolis meeting (10.) A Haaretz (Israel) opinion by Amira Haas analyzes growing indications of Palestinian disapproval of Hamas rule in Gaza (12.) Also in Haaretz, an opinion by Oxford University M. Phil. candidate Seth Anziska examines the growing uncertainty with two-state solution prospects (13.) Asharq Alawsat (pan Arab) interviews Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas (16.)

A Washington Post opinion by Columbia professor Rashid Khalidi takes issue with U.S. Mideast policy based on military power, urging instead a more focused and politically calibrated approach (2.) The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports on the growing skepticism within the organized Jewish American community over the Annapolis meeting facing Secretary of State Rice as she prepares to address the General Assembly of the United Jewish Communities (4.) Newsweek interviews Saudi foreign minister Saud Al-Faisal about the challenges facing the Middle East (5.) In the Jewish Quarterly (UK) Times correspondent and author Adam LeBor reflects on Israel at peace with its neighbors as the state approaches sixty years of existence (7.) BBC(UK) takes a look at how the violence in Gaza yesterday that led to the shooting deaths of 7 Fatah supporters is symptomatic of the increasing political Palestinian divisions (8.) An editorial in the Arab News (Saudi Arabia) is critical of Hamas for the recent Gaza bloodshed (10.) A Miftah (Palestine) editorial examines the internal challenges that would face the Israeli government should the Annapolis meeting be a successful one for both sides (11.) A Jerusalem Post (Israel) opinion by Peres Center for Peace president Uri Savir spells out what he believes Palestinians must do for the Annapolis meeting to be successful (13.)

The New York Times reports on how the continuing blockade of Gaza is preventing students from reaching their schools outside the territory (2.) A Chicago Tribune opinion by Episcopal priest and clinical psychologist Robert Fite recounts experiences the challenges of getting through Israeli checkpoints in the occupied West Bank (4.) An Economist (UK) editorial concludes the the very democratic nature of Israel is at stake if inner tensions over withdrawing from the occupied Palestinian territories are not resolved (8.) BitterLemons (Israel/Palestine) features an interview with Gaza Community Mental Health Project's Eyad Sarraj on the options facing Palestinians today (10.) A Haaretz (Israel) opinion by Gideon Levy urges the Israeli government to break out of the mentality of negotiating an end to the occupation as a result of violence (12.)

The Associated Press examines the positive shift in tone by the Israelis and Palestinians regarding expectations for the upcoming Annapolis meeting (2.) The Los Angeles Times looks at the report by the Israeli group Peace Now concerning Israel's continuing settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank despite an agreement not to do so (4.) A Forward opinion by Israeli journalist Akiva Eldar warns that a failure of the Annapolis meeting will put the future of Israel in danger (5.) A Baltimore Sun opinion by Anwar Sadat professor of peace and development at the University of Maryland Shibley Telhami identifies the two factors that could adversely impact Mideast peacemaking (7.) The Economist (UK) looks into reports of discord within Hamas (8.) A Middle East Times editorial refers to the American Task Force on Palestine's approach of articulating the U.S. national interest in achieving Mideast peace through a two-state solution (10.) A Jordan Times (Jordan) opinion by George Hishmeh addresses the issue of Arab Jews who moved to Israel, in the context of the Palestinian refugee issue (11.) A Daily Star (Lebanon) opinion by Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haass, published in collaboration with Project Syndicate, identifies five steps to take regarding the Mideast conflict in order to avoid failure at Annapolis (12.) Haaretz (Israel) reports on Israeli-Palestinian agreement that any future agreement between them will be conditional on implementation of Phase 1 of the Roadmap (14.)

The New York Times examines how the shortage of parts is putting Gazans in danger of another sewage flood similar to the one earlier this year that drowned five people (2.) The New York Review of Books features the text of the letter sent to President Bush and Secretary Rice by a bipartisan group of former senior U.S. officials emphasizing the importance of the Annapolis meeting being successful and setting the parameters for such a success (4.) An International Herald Tribune opinion by Immanuel Wallerstein analyzes the prospects for a two-state solution based on current political realities (6.) The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports on the lobbying efforts for and against the Annapolis meeting within the Jewish-American community (8.) BBC (UK) interviews Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on the deepening political divisions between the two parts (10.) In the Daily Star (Lebanon) Rami Khouri interviews retired U.S. General Abizaid on the strategic problems confronting the U.S. in the Mideast (11.) A Haaretz (Israel) editorial urges Israeli actions that are considered achievements by the Palestinians in order to strengthen the Abbas government and its platform (13.)

The Christian Science Monitor examines Israeli and Palestinian reaction to recent reports concerning Israel's willingness to negotiate the issue of Jerusalem (1.) The Jewish Telegraphic Agency analyzes how the Annapolis meeting is shaping up to have ramifications far beyond Israeli-Palestinian peace (4.) In the National Interest, president and director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Lee Hamilton lays out in detail his vision for an engaged, realistic and productive U.S. foreign policy (6.) The Independent (UK) looks at how politics and shady real estate sales to extremist Jewish groups factor into the struggle within the Greek Orthodox church over its Jerusalem patriarchate (8.) Le Monde Diplomatique (France) identifies five challenges facing the Annapolis meeting (9.) In BitterLemons (Israel/Palestine) former Palestinian minister of planning Ghassan Khatib explores the range of Arab countries' attitudes towards the Annapolis meeting (10.) Asharq Alawsat (pan Arab) takes a close look at the latest developments on the internal Palestinian political scene (12.) In his Haaretz (Israel) blog, Washington correspondent Shmuel Rosner examines the debate over the role American Jews should play in Israeli politics (13.)

A New York Times editorial stresses the need for serious and sustained U.S. engagement at the Annapolis meeting and beyond if there is to be any chance of an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement (1.) A Washington Post opinion by Robert Novak contrasts the former President Carter's 'clarity' on the Palestinian issue with that of President Bush and Congress (3.) The Christian Science Monitor examines how the deployment of Palestinian police in Nablus is a test of the ability of the Palestinian president and could bolster his position in upcoming talks with Israelis (5.) The Guardian (UK) reports on the campaign by the Palestinian Authority (PA) to prevent clerics affiliated with Hamas from preaching dissent at West Bank mosques (8.) The Independent (UK) reports from Nablus on reaction to the deployment of PA forces in an effort to improve security (10.) A Gulf News (UAE) editorial urges that the upcoming Annapolis meeting address the 'core issues' if there is to be any serious progress towards peace (11.) A Haaretz (Israel) opinion by Akiva Eldar makes the case for a nuclear-free Middle East (12.)

Reuters reports on the new Palestinian security drive in the occupied territories starting with the town of Nablus (1.) In Israel Policy Forum, MJ Rosenberg is critical of Palestinian rocket attacks out of Gaza into southern Israel, yet takes issue with Israel's strategy in preventing them (4.) A Forward opinion by Leonard Fein rejects the proposition that addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict necessitates choosing sides (6.) A Daily Star opinion by Israeli professor Moshe Amirav, published in collaboration with Common Ground News Service, draws lessons from the failed 2000 Camp David summit for the upcoming Annapolis meeting (9.) In Miftah (Palestine) Caelum Moffatt analyzes the latest signs of disunity within the ranks of Hamas over their military takeover of Gaza and their current policies (10.) A Jerusalem Post (Israel) opinion by David Kimche takes Israelis to task for their growing apathy and inwardness (12.)

A Boston Globe opinion by Israeli filmmaker Hilla Medalia discovers the humanity of Palestinians by visiting the Deheisheh refugee camp in the occupied West Bank (2.) In his Prospects For Peace blog, New America and Century Foundation senior fellow Daniel Levy is supportive of the bipartisan letter sent to President Bush by eight former senior U.S. officials regarding the upcoming Annapolis meeting (5.) A Financial Times (UK) opinion by CSIS's Jon Alterman outlines why the way that the Annapolis meeting is unfolding will only prove how hard it is to achieve peace and will strengthen rejectionists on both sides (6.) The Independent (UK) reports on the visit by British university vice-chancellors to the occupied Palestinian territories in order to strengthen ties with universities there (8.) A Gulf News (UAE) opinion by George Hishmeh takes issue with the fact that none of the US presidential candidates have said anything meaningful about the Annapolis meeting (10.) In a Jerusalem Post (Israel) interview, Canterbury Archbishop Rowan attributes the emigration of Palestinian Christians from their land to the separation barrier and its effects (12.) A Haaretz (Israel) opinion by Aluf Benn explains how Israel's avoidance of the 'core issues' at the Annapolis meeting will result in the meeting's failure and harms chances of a future agreement (14.)