NEWS:
The White House says Israel must recognize changing dynamics in the Middle East. (AP)

Pres. Obama gives a wide-ranging interview on Israeli television. (JTA)

Neither Israelis nor Palestinians seem to be placing much hope in Obama's upcoming visit for reviving peace talks. (Reuters)

Pres. Abbas says he hopes for a resumption of peace talks with Israel this year, but he's not optimistic. (Reuters)

Palestinian negotiators say "goodwill gestures" will not be enough to revive negotiations. (Jerusalem Post)

Hamas expresses anger that Obama will be ignoring the group during his visit. (Xinhua)

Tensions mount in the occupied West Bank as Israelis and Palestinians attack each other. (New York Times)

Occupation forces arrest 10 Palestinians for throwing stones at Israeli cars and causing crashes that injured several, including a baby. (AP)

PM Netanyahu will reportedly sign a deal forming a new government today, but many observers don't expect many policy changes. (AP/CSM)

Egyptian media blame Hamas for the killing of 16 Egyptian soldiers last year, which the group angrily denies. (AP)

The chairman of the magazine that published the story dismisses Hamas threats of a lawsuit. (Ma'an)

The IMF says the Palestinian financial situation is "increasingly perilous." (Reuters)

Obama assures Israelis the US will not allow Iran to possess a nuclear weapon. (Reuters)

The Palestinian Chief Justice says there is no basis whatsoever in Islam for justifying "honor killings." (Ma'an)

The influential Qatar-based Islamist cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi may visit Gaza. (Ha'aretz)

Palestinian sources say the rift between Hamas and Fatah has never been this severe. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Islamic Jihad says it intends to run, for the first time, in any future Palestinian elections. (Al Monitor)

UC San Diego's student government joins other UC student bodies in urging university divestment from companies involved in Israel's occupation. (Los Angeles Times)


COMMENTARY:
ATFP Pres. Ziad Asali puts Obama's upcoming trip to the region in its broader context. (Huffington Post)

Aluf Benn looks at two new books about the political role of Israel's military. (Foreign Affairs)

Uri Blau profiles life, mores and mentalities in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank. (Ha'aretz)

Larry Derfner says slandering Israel's critics as "anti-Semites" is a conscious effort to suppress criticism of its actions. (Ha'aretz)

Uri Savir says Israel's security is linked to Palestinian independence and regional stability. (Jerusalem Post)

French ambassador Christophe Bigot tells Israelis their sense of apparent calm is illusory. (Jerusalem Post)

David Harris says Obama's trip to Israel could be a milestone in bilateral relations. (Ha'aretz)

Jeffrey Goldberg asks why Obama is going to Israel now. (Bloomberg)

The Daily Star hopes Obama's trip will not be an exercise in "political tourism." (The Daily Star)

Lara Friedman critiques Dennis Ross' 14 point peace plan issued last week. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Brent Sasley tries to explain who got what in Israel's new coalition deal. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

The Economist says there is no alternative to a two-state solution and those looking for one are kidding themselves. (The Economist)