The New York Times reports on the cash shortage in Gaza's banks due to the decision by Israeli commercial banks to stop all Palestinian banks in Gaza (2.) In Israel policy Forum, MJ Rosenberg identifies the critical steps needed in terms of both an agreement and actions on the ground if the fall Mideast meeting is to be a success (4.) The Guardian (UK) looks at the continued barring of Palestinian students from Israeli universities by the Israeli army despite an Israeli Supreme Court order to relax such restrictions (8.) The Economist (UK) reviews a book by Israeli historian Idith Zertal and Israeli journalist Akiva Eldar on how Israeli settlers have consistently thwarted Israeli law to establish settlements in the occupied West Bank greatly complicating two-state solution prospects (10.) In BitterLemons (Israel/Palestine) former Palestinian minister of planning Ghassan Khatib identifies Israeli actions on the ground that undermine prospects for a successful fall meeting (12.) In Haaretz (Israel), Aluf Benn analyzes how two parties in Israeli PM Olmert's coalition could determine the extent of flexibility in his negotiations with the Palestinians (14.) A Ynet News/Yedioth (Israel) opinion by Israeli Geneva Initiative director-general Gadi Baltiansky addresses the consequences of the current Israeli and Palestinian leaderships in reaching a peace settlement (15.)

Inter Press Service examines a letter sent to President Bush by eight top former U.S. policy-makers identifying success at the fall Mideast meeting as being the setting of the contours of a final peace agreement and the participation of Arab states (1.) The Forward analyzes the evolution of Israeli statements regarding occupied East Jerusalem in the lead up to the fall meeting and the role of the U.S. in that evolution (3.) Israel Policy Forum presents the full report of a study group it commissioned to produce a guide for a successful fall meeting (5.) The Associated Press looks at comments by the Palestinian lead negotiator on the issue of land swaps with Israel as part of a final peace settlement (6.) The Guardian (UK) reports on statements made by Palestinian president Abbas regarding the amount of occupied territory Palestinians expect to be returned to them in order to establish a Palestinian state (8.) A Gulf News (UAE) opinion by George Hishmeh highlights the importance of an active U.S. role during and after the fall Mideast meeting in offsetting he weakness of the Israeli, Palestinian and U.S. leaderships (10.) Israel's influential Reut Institute think tank examines recent trends in the international community in favor of a 'one state' solution (13.)

In Salon.com, former Israeli UN speechwriter Gregory Levey warns that the growing alliance between Likud leader Netanyahu and Israeli-Russian billionaire Gaydamak could result in an erosion of Israeli democracy and right-wing policies promoting wider regional Mideast war (2.) The New York Times examines how the recent Israeli strike against Syria has brought to the surface the differences in the U.S. administration between the more hawkish elements favoring military action and the more pragmatic favoring diplomatic solutions (3.) The Guardian (UK) reports on the recent seziure of Palestinian land around Jerusalem by the Israeli army in order to apparently build more settlements (6.) In the BBC (UK) Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen examines the many challenges facing the fall Mideast meeting, primary among them the consequences of excluding Hamas (8.) A Daily Star (Lebanon) opinion by Rami Khouri argues that for the fall Mideast meeting to meet any standards of success it must address the interests of both Israelis and Palestinians equally (10.) In Miftah (Palestine) Joharah Baker examines the successful process by which Israel is able to transform policies that initially are opposed to internationally to permanent facts on the ground (12.) A Haaretz (Israel) editorial by Amir Oren analyzes how the American leadership is convinced that a far-reaching and significant Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian occupied territories as part of a compromise with moderate Mideast regional forces, is important to achieve (14.) A jerusalem Post (ISrael) opinion by Gershon Baskin urges the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships not to be swayed by hardening public opinion in the lead up to the fall meeting, instead focusing on the main principles of an agreement that he lays out (15.)

The Christian Science Monitor examines how the United States has muted its calls for Mideast reform and democracy in favor of aligning with Sunni allies to confront Iran and its allies (3.) In the International Herald Tribune, former U.S. ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer identifies four parameters by which to judge the success of the fall Mideast meeting (4.) The Jewish Telegraphic Agency looks at how the issue of Jerusalem is shaping up to be the key issue at the fall Mideast meeting (6.) The Times (UK) reports on the statements coming out of the Israeli political leadership regarding returning parts of occupied East Jerusalem to the Palestinians (9.) In Haaretz (Israel) Akiva Eldar examines how the recent expropriation of Palestinian land by the Israeli army ties into new Israeli plans to resume construction in the E1 area close to Jerusalem (10.) Also in Haaretz, Israeli historian and author Tom Segev explains why recent Israeli government statements concerning 'dividing' Jerusalem have hardly caused any controversy (11.)

Reuters explores some of the differences between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators working on producing a joint document in the lead up to the fall Mideast meeting (2.) the Associated Press examines further statements from senior Israeli officials expressing support for returning the Arab parts of occupied East Jerusalem to the Palestinians as part of a final peace deal (4.) A Boston Globe editorial urges ISraeli PM Olmjert to address the substantive issues needed to attract wide Arab attendance at the fall meeting, particularly since the Saudi offer for peace includes normalization for Israel with all the Arab world (5.) In a Star-Telegram opinion, Jewish Voices for Peace communications director Cecilie Surasky provides a personal example to illustrate the tactics used to stifle any dissent in the U.S. of Israeli policies (7.) In the New Republic, former top Mideast negotiator Dennis Ross outlines an achievable outcome for Secretary Rice at the fall Mideast meeting that would transform current realities between Israelis and Palestinians (8.) The Economist (UK) labels as dubious the current Palestinian Authority strategy to strengthen Fatah and weaken Hamas (10.) The Independent (UK) analyzes how two years of internal and external conflict, and deepening poverty.have resulted in a devastating deterioration in educational indicators across the Gaza Strip (11.) An Institute for Palestine Studies (Palestine) policy note by senior fellow Nadia Hijab takes a historical look on how the U.S. has only used its influence to bring about serious shifts in Israeli policy when it has perceived its vital interests to be at stake (13.) A Haaretz (Israel) editorial by Akiva Eldar outlines why the timing is right for Israel to reach a final settlement with the Palestinians and Arabs on the establishment of a Palestinian state (14.)

The Christian Science Monitor looks at how a theatrical production involving a series of monologues called 'Jerusalem Stories' is being performed in both Wast and West Jerusalem in an attempt to get Israelis and Palestinians to empathize with each other (2.) The Forward poses questions concerning the opportunities and challenges associated with the current peace momentum to a group of Israeli, American and Palestinian experts in the field (4.) In Slate, founder Michael Kinsley explores the paradox of how right-wing pro-Israel organizations in the U.S. perpetuate the very anti-Semitic stereotypes they object to by touting their own political influence publicly (6.) In his 'Prospects For Peace' blog, New America and Century Foundation's Daniel Levy reviews the Walt/Mearsheimer book on the Israel lobby and finds that it contributes positively to a rethink about the U.S.-Israeli relationship and that the authors are not driven by prejudice (7.) BBC (UK) examines how the Palestinian economy has 'de-developed' over the past few years due to international sanction and Israel's closure policy (9.) Haaretz (Israel) looks at reports that the fall Mideast meeting joint statement will refer to core issues but in a non-committal and only on those already agree upon (12.) A Haaretz editorial offers six reasons why reaching an agreement at the fall meeting will be more difficult than at Camp David in 2000 (13.)

Reuters reports on expectations by the Palestinian government that formal negotiations to create a Palestinian state could be completed six months after the fall Mideast meeting (2.) The Forward looks at how Fatah and the Palestinian Authority are replacing Hamas-affiliated prayer leaders at mosques across the West Bank (3.) In the New Republic, Carnegie Endowment's John Judis comes to Congressman Jim Moran's defense regarding charges of anti-Semitism leveled against him as a result of comments in an interview he gave (5.) The Independent (UK) reports on the results of a telephone poll of Gazans taken yesterday on the issues of rocket attacks against Israel, Hamas, and a peace agreement with Israel (7.) The Guardian (UK) looks at how Palestinian youth in the West bank are using technology and the internet to overcome the restrictions placed on them by the Israeli occupation and culture (8.) A Jordan Times (editorial) urges the U.S. to use its influence with Israel to make meaningful gestures to the Palestinians in the lead-up to the fall Mideast meeting (10.) A Ynet/Yedioth News (Israel) opinion by settlement expert Dror Etkes addresses the discriminatory policy of the Jewish National Fund when it comes to leasing land to non-Jews (11.)

A detailed special report in the Chicago Tribune examines how new revelations by U.S. Navy veterans and documents suggest that Israel and the U.S. did not tell the full story about the attack on the USS Liberty by Israeli air force and naval forces in 1967 (1.) In the Terrorism.OpenDemocracy blog, Maria Stephan analyzes the significance of the replacement of 'armed resistance' by 'popular struggle' in the Abbas-Fayyad government platform and how such a non-violent struggle might shape up (4.) In Le Monde Diplomatique (France) Mariano Aguirre weighs in on the issue of whether criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic (6.) Miftah (Palestine) editorial addresses the issue of Palestinian prisoner by Israel (9.) A Haaretz (Israel) editorial labels the de facto separation between Israelis and Palestinians more akin to 'political apartheid' than to occupation, allowing Israelis to ignore the situation and its indefinite continuation (10.) Also in Haaretz, Shmuel Rosner identifies the real issue of the fall meeting as being that of a timetable for agreement on final status issues and their implementation (12.)

The American Prospect features an open letter by Israeli author and journalist Gershom Gorenberg to U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on her recent statements regarding the political future of Jerusalem (1.) The Jewish Telegraphic Agency examines the debate within Israeli policy-making circles of how to deal with Hamas in the lead-up to the Fall Mideast meeting (4.) The Guardian (UK) reports on a letter sent to Secretary of State Rice from former U.S. diplomats warning of the failure of the Fall Mideast meeting if the groundwork for success is not laid and offering policy suggestions (6.) An Independent (UK) editorial suggests two steps Israel could take as bold gestures to demonstrate good faith in getting peace talks restarted (8.) A Haaretz (Israel) opinion by Amira Hass castigates Israelis for not exercising their democratic rights in opposing the many facets of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands (10.) A Daily Star (Lebanon) opinion by the Carnegie Endowment's Michele Dunne identifies three flaws in the new 'anti-elections' thinking about Mideast democracy (11.)

Reuters looks at the issue of Israel's cutting financial links with Palestinian banks in the Gaza Strip to prevent money being transferred to organizations affialiated with Hamas (2.) A Daily Star (Lebanon) editorial is critical of Hamas allowing Palestinian rocket fire out of Gaza as undermining the Palestinian cause of liberation (5.) A Middle East Times (Pan Arab) opinion by Sherwood Ross looks at the issue of the influence of the pro-Israel lobby based on the Walt/Mearshiemer book and the James Petras book on that issue (7.)