NEWS:

The outgoing ambassador to Israel of South Africa calls its treatment of Palestinians, "a replication of apartheid." (AP/Times of Israel)

Under significant political and financial pressure, Hamas leaders are in Ankara for talks with PM Erdoğan. (Today's Zaman/Xinhua)

Sec. Kerry will visit the region again next week for more peace efforts. (Xinhua)

Pres. Abbas says Palestinians very much want Kerry's efforts to succeed. (Jerusalem Post)

The Israeli military says the PA is taking steps in the West Bank to try to promote an atmosphere for successful talks. (Reuters/Jerusalem Post)

The Israeli military warns of unrest in the occupied West Bank should negotiations fail. (Ha'aretz)

Israel arrests three Palestinian men in connection with the killing of a Jewish settlerIn 2011. (Jerusalem Post)

Quartet envoy Blair warns that the window of opportunity for peace may be closing soon. (Xinhua)

PM Netanyahu vows to deal harshly with ‘un-Jewish’ Abu Ghosh Jewish vigilante "price tag" attackers. (Times of Israel)

The Israeli government is sending distinctly mixed signals on interest in peace with the Palestinians. (Washington Post)

Repudiating comments from his cabinet colleagues, Netanyahu insists his government seeks a "demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the Jewish state."(Reuters)

Dignitaries and celebrities gather to celebrate Pres. Peres' 90th birthday. (New York Times/AP)

The Knesset launches a legislative caucus to teach MKs about the US system of government. (The Media Line)

Several rockets are launched in the direction of southern Israel from Gaza. (Xinhua)

Israel's housing minister repeats his assertions, contradicted by several NGOs, that a settlement housing freeze has been in place since the beginning of the year. (AFP)

Three Arab singers are denied entry into the West Bank by Israel. (Ma'an)

Two Palestinian writers in Gaza are denied visas to visit the UK for a literary fest. (The Guardian)

A new report shows Palestinian citizens of Israel face extensive barriers to higher education. (Ha'aretz)

An independent, secular Palestinian TV station has been struggling to stay on-air in the occupied West Bank. (Bloomberg)

COMMENTARY:

Rachel Shabi says the Israeli government's obsession with settlement expansion is by far the biggest threat to peace. (The Guardian)

The PLO issues a fact sheet entitled "The Israeli Government’s Unbreakable Commitment to the Israeli Settlement Enterprise." (PLO  

Negotiations Affairs Department)

Anne Penketh says Iran's nuclear program remains the main foreign policy priority for Israel. (The National)

Avi Shilon says a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians is still possible. (Ha'aretz)

Aaron David Miller interviews Peres. (Foreign Policy)

Ha'aretz says Netanyahu needs to stop blaming the Palestinians and start working to break the impasse. (Ha'aretz)

Elyakim Haetzni says Netanyahu depends on a dormant, dysfunctional peace process that is designed to fail in order to stay in power. (YNet)

Chemi Shalev says numerous American leaders, including Pres. Obama, former President Clinton and Kerry, among others, all have the same message Israel: you don't understand how important peace is for you. (Ha'aretz)

Nathan Guttman says right-wing pro-Israel Jewish groups are asking if they're being targeted by the IRS. (The Forward)

Mairav Zonszein looks at unusual statements by the American Jewish Committee critical of Israeli government leaders' comments. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Alec Ross says introducing 3G mobile phone networking in the occupied West Bank could genuinely help the peace process. (Foreign Policy)

Adnan Abu Amer says there's no real sign of improvement in ties between Hamas and Hezbollah. (Al Monitor)

NEWS:

Six more Palestinians are killed at a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria. (Ma'an)

The UN appeals for aid for Palestinian refugees in Syria. (AFP)

Israeli business leaders tell PM Netanyahu stalled peace efforts and continued occupation will"ruin Israel's economy." (Ha'aretz)

Former Pres. Clinton says Israel must make peace in order to survive. (AP)

In trying to revive peace talks, Sec. Kerry is stymied by a profoundly divided Israeli government. (New York Times)

Palestinians demand "clarification" of Israeli Economy and Trade Minister Bennett's statement ruling out the possibility of a Palestinian state. (Xinhua)

Palestinian officials say recent statements contradicting a two-state solution by numerous Israeli officials show Israel has no interest in peace. (PNN)

Netanyahu insists Israel is still committed to a two-state solution. (Jerusalem Post)

Israeli journalists meet with Palestinian leaders in Ramallah. (Al Monitor)

Palestinian citizens of Israel say a proposed new law greatly extending preferential treatment for military veterans is blatant discrimination. (The Media Line)

A Palestinian NGO claims Israel has a plan to expand Jerusalem by confiscating 5.5 acres of adjacent Palestinian land. (Ma'an)

Israeli police search for suspected Jewish extremist vandals who attacked an Arab town in Jerusalem, vandalizing at least 28 cars. (AP/Xinhua)

Israelis debate whether to call such "price tag" attacks "terrorism." (Christian Science Monitor)

Israeli settlers threaten to occupy a Palestinian village in the northern occupied West Bank. (Ma'an)

Hamas calls on Hezbollah to withdraw all its troops from Syria, even as the groups try to decrease tensions. (Xinhua/Al Monitor)

Many Israelis doubt the ability of the new Iranian president to change his country's policies. (Xinhua)

Seeking a larger role in the region, China is hosting a Middle East peace conference. (AP)

Islamist students vow to fight a PA crackdown on their activities in in the occupied West Bank. (Times of Israel)

Unemployment is promoting drug addiction in Gaza. (Al Monitor)

COMMENTARY:

Raphael Ahren asks why Israel is so afraid of the Arab Peace Initiative. (Times of Israel)

Ha'aretz says a new law being considered by the Knesset would greatly increase discrimination against Arabs and others in Israel, and intensify apartheid-like qualities of the state. (Ha'aretz)

David Newman says the proposed new law is definitely discriminatory, and some form of national service for all might be the answer. (Jerusalem Post)

Amos Harel says the election of Iran's new reformist president delays Israel's military options by at least a year. (Ha'aretz)

AP interviews Pres. Peres, who has just turned 90. (AP)

The Washington Post also interviews Pres. Peres. (The Washington Post)

Reuters also interviews Pres. Peres, who backs plans to arm Syrian rebels. (Reuters)

Pierre Klochendler looks at life in the Golan Heights in the shadow of the Syrian war. (Xinhua)

Uzi Baram says lack of honesty and credibility has become a virtual norm among Israeli politicians. (Ha'aretz)

Franco Rizzi says new PM Hamdallah has a history of working for intercultural dialogue. (Jerusalem Post)

Jim Torczyner says Pres. Abbas made a wise choice in appointing Hamdallah. (Jerusalem Post)

Akiva Eldar thinks the Israeli public is veering towards the left. (Al Monitor)

Elie Ferzli says Hamas fears renewed violence in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon due to tensions with Hezbollah. (Al Monitor)

Reuters looks at whether or not Israel has enacted any kind of "de facto settlement freeze" this year. (Reuters)

NEWS:

Yet another senior Israeli leader, Naftali Bennett, rules out the possibility of there ever being a Palestinian state. (Ha'aretz/AP)

EU foreign policy chief Ashton is visiting Israel, and is expected to say Israel's obsession with settlements is undermining peace efforts. (Jerusalem Post)

Israel and the PA agree on reviving economic cooperation, after finance ministers consult. (Xinhua/Ma'an)

The PA is putting on hold plans to try to register the ancient farming terraces of Battir, in the occupied West Bank, as a UNESCO world heritage site. (Ma'an)

Hamas is reportedly deploying a 600 member force to suppress rocket attacks against Israel. (Times of Israel)

Hamas says it hopes to maintain financial support from, and stable relations with, Iran under its new leadership. (Ma'an)

Hamas and Hezbollah play down their rift over Syria following talks in Lebanon. (The Daily Star)

Two Palestinian children face an unclear fate in Israeli detention. (Xinhua)

The UN says Palestinian refugee camps in Syria have become"theaters of war." (Ma'an)

Palestinians flee war-torn Syria only to encounter severe poverty in Gaza. (Xinhua)

Gaza's fuel shortage intensifies as Egypt tightens border restrictions. (Xinhua)

PM Hamdallah says the new PA cabinet will make Jerusalem a priority. (Ma'an)

A Palestinian delegation heads to Beijing to take part in a Chinese-sponsored peace conference. (Xinhua)

Eight Palestinian prisoners begin a hunger strike against solitary confinement. (Xinhua)

Israel passes new laws regarding extremist "price tag" Jewish vigilantes. (Xinhua)

A 75-year-old Palestinian woman says she was assaulted by Jewish settlers in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma'an)

Troops from Fiji will replace Austrian peacekeepers who left the Golan Heights. (YNet)

Gaza's Gypsies face racism on a daily basis. (Al Monitor)

A Palestinian soccer player who has found refuge in Scotland believes the game can be a key to peace. (The Herald)

Organ transplants bring Israelis and Palestinians closer. (Al Monitor)

COMMENTARY:

Daniel Barenboim says Israel has forgotten its moral courage and Jewish traditions by its occupation policies. (Ha'aretz)

Former IDF soldier Gil Hilel says, for occupation forces, there are no Palestinian civilians, only potential terrorists. (The Independent)

The Forward says Jewish-American leaders are ignoring Sec. Kerry's call for them to prod Israel on peace. (The Forward)

The Boston Globe says Kerry's economic investment plan is welcome, but no substitute for peace. (Boston Globe)

J.J. Goldberg says PM Netanyahu is deeply torn on the question of peace with the Palestinians. (The Forward)

Emily Hauser says Israeli leaders are ignoring the Arab Peace Initiative because most of them aren't interested in a two-state solution. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Ben Caspit says Netanyahu sounds like the Prophet Jeremiah, warning of constant doom. (Al Monitor)

German Amb. Michaelis says German and EU labeling of settlement products is simple fact and honesty to consumers. (Jerusalem Post)

Nathan Guttman says Samantha Power's commitment to Israel's security is well-established. (The Forward)

The BBC looks at the past six years of Hamas-Fatah division. (BBC)

Aluf Benn looks at a new book about David Ben-Gurion. (Ha'aretz)

Oudeh Basharat says it's time Jewish Israelis realize that it's in their interests for conditions for Arab citizens to improve. (Ha'aretz)

Mazal Mualem says Israel's Foreign Ministry feels completely shut out of policymaking. (Al Monitor)

NEWS:

Israel is seeking massive low-interest US bridge loans of billions of dollars for a Pentagon-proposed package of V-22 Ospreys, F-15 radars and precision-strike weaponry. (Defense News)

American lawmakers are proposing to triple US aid for Israeli missile defense programs. (Jerusalem Post)

The State Department calls Israel's new settlement projects "unhelpful," but says it remains hopeful about the prospects for new negotiations. (Times of Israel/KUNA)

Israel's right-wing housing minister claims there has been a de facto "settlement freeze" in occupied East Jerusalem since the beginning of the year, and says settler complaints should be targeted at the PM's office. (Xinhua/Jerusalem Post)

FM Al-Malki denounces comments from Deputy DM Danon that "there will never be a Palestinian state." (Ma'an)

A senior Palestinian official says PM Netanyahu "is not an extremist," but that he must freeze settlement activity before negotiations resume. (Times of Israel)

UK Minister for the Middle East, Alistair Burt, says "a Palestinian state without Gaza is inconceivable." (PNN)

Report suggests Sweden may cut aid to Palestinians, given the lack of progress on negotiations with Israel. (PNN)

Israeli police say Jewish extremists have torched two Palestinian cars in an Arab neighborhood of Jerusalem, and vandalized a Christian cemetery in Jaffa. (AP/Xinhua)

Thousands of Bedouins protest Israeli plans for their eviction from the southern Negev desert. (Xinhua)

The Israeli military denies allegations soldiers forced a Muslim Palestinian to drink wine at gunpoint. (Ma'an)

The Israeli military says it has discovered two tunnels under its West Bank separation barrier (Ma'an)

Palestinian lawyers say they will stage a one-day strike to protest an alleged assault on one of their members by anti-drug police in Bethlehem. (Ma'an)

Former Palestinian women prisoners in Israeli jails recount their experiences. (Al Monitor)

Some Israeli parents object to their children visiting an amusement park accused of "apartheid" policies against Palestinians. (Ha'aretz)

The West Bank’s only ballet school offers a refuge for Palestinian kids. (PRI)

Palestinian refugee elders in Lebanon keep traditions alive by various means including hosting traditional weddings. (VOA)

COMMENTARY:

Abdulmajeed Swelem says former PM Fayyad was, and will continue to be, a "warrior" for Palestine. (Al Ayam, translated by ATFP)

David Makovsky says Europe should get tough with the Palestinians, and the US get tough with Israel, for the sake of peace. (New York Times)

The Jerusalem Post says there is a troubling incoherence in the Israeli governments conflicting comments about policy towards a two-state solution. (Jerusalem Post)

Akiva Eldar also says the Israeli government needs to decide once and for all if it's for a two-state solution or not. (Al Monitor)

Uri Dromi also says Israel needs clarity regarding its position on Palestinian statehood. (Miami Herald)

Lorenzo Kamel points out that the alternative to a two-state solution is more conflict, not a one-state solution of any kind. (Al Monitor)

Matthew Kalman lists seven ways he thinks Netanyahu is destroying Israeli diplomacy. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Daniel Levy says it's ridiculous to call European labeling of Israeli settlement products "anti-Semitic." (Ha'aretz)

Mira Sucharov says Jewish youths need to learn that ending the reoccupation and allowing a Palestinian state is a win-win scenario. (Ha'aretz)

Ha'aretz says Israel must close the huge gaps in standard of living between Jewish and Arab citizens. (Ha'aretz)

Salman Masalha says Islamic movements are dangerous for Palestinian citizens of Israel, just like Jewish extremism is for Jewish Israelis, and Israel should simply ban all religious parties. (Ha'aretz)

Oded Even-Or says both Israeli and Palestinian groups train youngsters for violence. (YNet)

David Weinberg says Jewish refugees from Arab states need justice too. (Jerusalem Post)

Jeanette Horowitz says even though Boulder decided not to become a sister city with Nablus, real progress was made in the process. (JTA)

Mohammed Suliman describes the difficulties of crossing from Gaza to Egypt. (Al Monitor)

Ha'aretz interviews Mohammed Dajani, who is convinced his moderate movement will ultimately become a dominant Palestinian political force, but not in his lifetime. (Ha'aretz)

NEWS:

Israel says it's going forward with plans for 1,000 new settler housing units in the occupied West Bank. (AP/Xinhua/AFP)

Deputy DM Danon says there will never be a Palestinian state, and Palestinians must be governed by Jordan. (Ma'an)

Another Likud party MK says Palestinians are "not ready for a state," and Israel should seek an interim, rather than a final status, agreement. (Jerusalem Post)

Likud MK Levin becomes the head of the annexationist, "greater Israel," caucus in the Knesset. (Times of Israel)

PM Netanyahu calls for renewed peace talks "immediately." (AP/Times of Israel)

Palestinian officials say their only "precondition" is that talks be based on the 1967 borders. (YNet)

Palestinian officials say they fear extremists in the Israeli government will make progress on peace impossible, and say they can't guarantee there won't be another intifada. (Jerusalem Post/YNet)

A Yesh Atid party MK warns that the occupation will turn Israel into another South Africa. (YNet)

The PA strongly objects to Israeli construction plans at Jerusalem holy sites. (Jerusalem Post)

Israelis and Palestinians have radically different perspectives on the notorious Tarqumiya crossing, used mainly by Palestinian workers going to jobs in Israel. (Ha'aretz)

The UN says it is urgently seeking new peacekeeping forces for the Golan Heights. (New York Times)

Netanyahu opens a new educational pavilion at Auschwitz, and says Iran threatens a second Holocaust. (AP)

Israeli police say suspected Jewish extremists have desecrated a Christian cemetery in Tel Aviv. (AP/AFP)

Israeli police arrest Jewish teenagers suspected of attacking an Arab taxi driver. (Xinhua)

Israel denies press reports it sold weapons to Pakistan. (Xinhua)

A Palestinian man is indicted for the murder of an Israeli settler. (Times of Israel)

Hamas says it intends to execute two Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel. (Jerusalem Post)

Singer Mohammad Assaf thanks his fans in Palestine for supporting him in the final stages of the Arab Idol TV singing competition. (Ma'an)

The Palestinian consumer price index rises very slightly over the past month. (PNN)

Jordanian and Israeli medical students complete their first joint emergency medicine training program. (YNet)

Some Gaza farmers want to increase exports to Israel. (Jerusalem Post)

Couples continue to be frustrated by thelack of civil marriage in Israel. (The Media Line)

Israel’s Mossad chief Pardo meets the head of Turkish intelligence. (Hürriyet)

The campaign for Palestinian civil rights in Lebanon finds itself in limbo. (Daily Star)

COMMENTARY:

Ari Shavit says Israel's new settlement surge threatens the two-state solution, a Jewish and democratic state, and "the Zionist dream." (Ha'aretz)

Mazal Mualem interviews former Meretz leader Oron, who worries about "the collapse of the Zionist enterprise." (Al Monitor)

Gershon Baskin says the main challenge facing peace at the moment is the depth of despair and dearth of optimism. (Jerusalem Post)

Roy Isacowitz says Israeli leaders should learn empathy, courage and compromise from Nelson Mandela. (Ha'aretz)

Dalia Hatuqa says the appointment of PM Hamdallah will change little. (The National)

Ha'aretz says Israel cannot continue without an actual Foreign Minister. (Ha'aretz)

Alex Fishman says Israel should avoid military actions given the volatility of the Middle East. (YNet)

Lily Galili looks at how Russian immigrants to Israel view the conflict with the Palestinians. (Al Monitor)

Jacob Heilbrunn insists the US-Israeli relationship is in flux, and hopes Sec. Kerry's efforts succeed despite all the obstacles. (The National Interest)

AP interviews the new Palestinian economics minister Mohammad Mustafa, who says the outlook is bleak. (AP)

Hani Almadhoun looks at the Mohammad Assaf cultural phenomenon among Palestinians. (Huffington Post)

NEWS:

PM Netanyahu distances himself from a joint statement with Poland that endorses "a two-state solution" and says "unilateral steps by either party are counterproductive." (Ha'aretz/Times of Israel)

Meretz MK Gal-On says Netanyahu's backtracking on the statement with Poland shows he's no partner for peace. (Jerusalem Post)

UK officials warn Israel faces increased international isolation if new US peace efforts fail. (Jerusalem Post)

Netanyahu forbids Likud ministers from attending the launch of a Knesset pro-settlement caucus. (Ha'aretz)

For years Britain has refused to provide Israel with some military equipment, on the grounds it might add to "internal repression" and damage regional stability. (Ha'aretz)

The new Palestinian cabinet discusses the deepening PA financial crisis. (Xinhua/Jerusalem Post)

A "temporary" ban on Palestinians living in Israel with their spouses enters its 10th year. (AP)

The UN human rights investigator for the Palestinian territories, Richard Falk, rebuffs calls for him to resign over criticism of Israel's abuse of Palestinians "on a massive scale." (Reuters/BBC)

Palestinians claim Israeli occupation forces made a Muslim Palestinian drink wine at gunpoint. (Ma'an)

Austrian UN peacekeepers begin their pullout from the Golan Heights, although the UN asked them for more time to prepare. (AP/Reuters)

The Israeli military says, with arms from Iran being withheld, Hamas is looking for new sources of weapons. (Times of Israel)

PA and Egyptian officials discuss Hamas' alleged involvement in prison breaks during the Egyptian uprising in 2011. (Ma'an)

Sec. Hagel and DM Yaalon will meet this week. (JTA)

The City Council of Boulder, Colorado, rejects a proposal to become a sister city with Nablus. (JTA)

COMMENTARY:

Ali Ayyad says, as with many other Palestinians, Israel is using its 1950 Absentee Property Law to steal his land. (Ha'aretz)

Shlomo Sand says he remains committed to a two-state solution despite allegations to the contrary. (Ha'aretz)

Bradley Burston says the end of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state might be nearer even than Leon Wieseltier fears. (Ha'aretz)

Shimon Shiffer says Tzipi Livni will eventually realize she can't be the fig leaf for the current Israeli government's pretense of wanting a two-state solution. (YNet)

Brent Sasley says Livni's threat to leave the government is misguided and empty. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Brent Sasley also says Israel's "kitchen cabinet" style internal negotiations lead to foreign-policy blunders. (The Atlantic)

Asmaa al-Ghoul says Hamas is struggling to balance its ideology with the practical realities of governance. (Al Monitor)

Elhanan Miller says Israel's peace with Egypt and Jordan is growing even colder. (Times of Israel)

Gil Troy says Samantha Power’s nomination for UN Amb. is another indication of the Obama Administration's new "tough love" approach to Israel. (Jerusalem Post)

Stuart Reigeluth says Israel is too committed to war to accept a promising new chance for peace. (Gulf News)

Timon Dias says the EU doesn't understand it's actually the Palestinians who don't want peace. (Jerusalem Post)

Abeer Ayyoub says Israeli travel restrictions keep Palestinian couples apart. (Al Monitor)

NEWS:

Israel is moving decisively to strengthen its hold on occupied East Jerusalem, including confiscated private Palestinian property. (Christian Science Monitor)

PM Netanyahu insists Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank will continue in spite of peace efforts, but Israel must be intelligent about it. (Xinhua/Ha'aretz)

Netanyahu says Palestinians are posing "insurmountable preconditions" for peace negotiations. (AFP)

A new poll suggests 85% of Israelis oppose releasing Palestinian prisoners as part of peace efforts. (Jerusalem Post)

FM Judeh is visiting Jordanian prisoners held by Israel. (Jordan Times)

The PA says its fiscal crisis is only worsening. (Ma'an)

Jordan's King Abdallah reiterates his support for Palestinians and role as custodian of Jerusalem holy places. (Jordan Times)

A British report says Israel is selling weapons to many countries, including Arab and Muslim ones. (Ha'aretz)

A Palestinian worker is shot by an Israeli settler amid a wave of arrests. (Xinhua)

A new study shows Palestinian children are deeply traumatized when their homes are demolished by Israel. (Al Monitor)

With Israel increasingly surrounding itself with walls and fences, some worry about increased isolation. (Washington Post)

Israel signs a free trade agreement with Columbia. (Xinhua)

The President of Columbia also visits Pres. Abbas in Ramallah. (PNN)

An Israeli court indicts a man accused of killing a woman in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma'an)

In a rare legal victory, Palestinian citizens of Israel regain confiscated land. (The National)

Hamas insists it has never "interfered with Egypt's security." (Ma'an)

Israel distributes 10,000 gas masks to Arab citizens. (YNet)

Israeli are no longer visiting a once popular resort in southern Sinai. (Times of Israel)

Israeli Amb. Oren praises US UN Amb. nominee Power as "caring deeply about Israel's security needs." (JTA)

South Africa's Jews and Muslims, once united against apartheid, are now split on Israel and the Palestinians. (The Forward)

Members of Congress and other politicians are again talking about stripping the presidential waiver from the Jerusalem Embassy Law. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

COMMENTARY:

Leon Wieseltier says without a peace agreement with the Palestinians Israel won't long remain a Jewish state and that the universal abandonment of Salam Fayyad was "a historical scandal of the first magnitude.” (AP)

Swedish minister Gunilla Carlsson says Israeli and Palestinian leaders must take bold moves for peace immediately. (Ma'an)

Sefi Rachlevsky says Israel can expect a painful wake-up call on its unsustainable settlement policy. (Ha'aretz)

David Horovitz asks why Netanyahu has promoted Danny Danon and others he knows are outspoken opponents of Palestinian statehood. (Times of Israel)

J.J. Goldberg says Netanyahu is being outmaneuvered by colleagues to his right. (The Forward)

Carlo Strenger appeals to Abbas to help save the two-state solution. (Ha'aretz)

Benjamin Pogrund says if Israel were really interested in peace it would test Arab commitment to the API. (Ha'aretz)

Akiva Eldar says a peacekeeping force in the occupied Golan Heights is no substitute for actual piece. (Al Monitor)

Nathan Guttman says Israel is benefiting from the Syrian war as Hamas and Hezbollah suffers setbacks. (The Forward)

Gal Beckerman says Israel's continued obsession with the Mohammed al-Dura affair shows its unwillingness to confront its own dark side. (The Forward)

Shlomi Eldar says, by supporting Syrian rebels, Hamas is jeopardizing its weapons supply from Iran. (Al Monitor)

Peter Berkowitz says Israel's image isn't actually fraying in the United States. (The National Interest)

NEWS:

Official Israeli figures show another significant spike in settlement activity. (AP)

Palestinian officials accuse Israeli companies of forging property documents to facilitate settlement building. (Xinhua)

Israeli occupation authorities order the destruction of eight Palestinian properties in the flashpoint East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan. (Ma'an)

Palestinian officials say Pres. Abbas will meet Sec. Kerry early this week, but Kerry's trip may be postponed. (Ma'an/PNN)

Labour Party leader Yacimovich tells PM Netanyahu she'd be willing to join his coalition in support of serious peace efforts. (Jerusalem Post)

Senior Israeli officials disavow Deputy DM Danon's recent repudiation of a two-state solution. (Irish Times/YNet/Times of Israel)

Former FM Lieberman joins those claiming there has been a "de facto settlement freeze" in occupied East Jerusalem since the beginning of the year. (Ha'aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti says current US peace efforts are "unfair" because they are "biased towards Israel." (Xinhua)

Israeli and Palestinian leaders continue to blame each other for lack of progress on peace. (The National)

Israel bars Fatah official Jibril Rajoub from entering Israel. (Times of Israel)

A Knesset panel pushes forward with a controversial new, sweeping and very broad "anti-terror" law. (Xinhua)

Palestinian farmers near Israel's Gaza "buffer zone" face continuous dangers to both their lives and crops from occupation forces. (New York Times)

Israeli forces shoot and injure a Palestinian farmer in southern Gaza. (Ma'an)

Palestinians clash with Israeli settlers at "Joseph's tomb." (Ma'an)

Four Palestinians receive life in prison for the 2010 murder of an Israeli police officer. (Jerusalem Post)

The PA economy minister walks out of a BDS meeting, and security forces are accused of beating an activist who criticized him. (Jerusalem Post)

Palestinians in Hebron launch the first protest against the new government of PM Hamdallah. (Jerusalem Post)

The head of the Palestinian public employees union welcomes the PA cabinet reshuffle. (Ma'an)

Israel is trying to stay out of the Syrian war despite heavy fighting near the occupied Golan Heights. (Reuters)

The frontier between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights is seen as increasingly unstable. (Xinhua)

Israel's military exports jumped by 20% in 2012. (Xinhua)

Israel is making cyber security recruitment and training a priority as early as 10th grade. (Christian Science Monitor)

Israel ranks low among countries in providing aid to poor nations. (Los Angeles Times)

Experts squabble over whether mass graves in Jaffa originate from the 1948 war or World War I. (Ha'aretz)

COMMENTARY:

J.J. Goldberg says Israeli security officials believe Netanyahu's policies are preventing serious negotiations with the Palestinians, and that the political and security establishments are deeply at odds over policy towards the Palestinians. (The Forward)

Khaled Abu Toameh says some Palestinian leaders are spreading extreme rhetoric that compromises peace with Israel. (Gatestone)

Ben Caspit says the US still believes Netanyahu is not the main obstacle to peace. (Al Monitor)

Nathan Jeffay says discrimination at an Israeli amusement park is just the tip of the iceberg, and discrimination against Arabs is rampant there. (The Forward)

Eitan Haber says Israel is losing American support as US interests in the Middle East are evolving. (YNet)

Amira Hass looks at Hamdallah's record in building An-Najah University. (Ha'aretz)

Yossi Sarid says the Jewish National Fund has outlived its usefulness. (Ha'aretz)

Romana Michelon looks at the prospects of a third intifada for EU policy. (FRIDE) 

Itamar Rabinovich says, from an Israeli point of view, that without significant US intervention the war in Syria is likely to become a regional one. (Hoover)

Amira Hass says Palestinian officials need to learn the media wants information, not familiar clichés. (Ha'aretz)

Barry Rubin calls Kerry's peace efforts "embarrassing." (Jerusalem Post)

Dani Dayan ardently defends Israel's settlement project. (The Guardian)

Uri Avnery calls the 1967 war "a Greek tragedy." (Jerusalem Post)

Michael Bar-Zohar calls 1967 "the war no one wanted." (Jerusalem Post)

Daniella Cheslow looks at the struggle over the West Bank village of Batir with its ancient terraces, now threatened by Israel's separation barrier. (Tablet)

NEWS:

Rami Hamdallah, a political newcomer, is sworn-in as new PA Prime Minister. (New York Times/AP/LA Times)

UNSG Ban welcomes Hamdallah's appointment. (UN)

Pres. Abbas appoints Shukri Bishara, a banker, as the new PA finance minister. (Bloomberg)

Abbas says he has received no indication from Hamas about possible elections. (Ma'an)

Israel's deputy defense minister vows this government would block any two-state solution. (Times of Israel)

Sec. Kerry will return to the Middle East next week for further peace efforts. (Reuters)

The EU says settlements are leading to Israel's further international isolation. (JTA)

Israel says it hopes to reengage with the UNHRC. (Jerusalem Post)

As fighting in Syria rages near the occupied Golan Heights, Israel considers its options. (New York Times/AP)

Israel is rushing to complete its latest large barrier, this time along the lines between Syria and the occupied Golan Heights. (Washington Post)

Israel establishes a military unit to document IDF activities. (Xinhua)

The Israeli military says Palestinian militants are increasing efforts to abduct Israelis. (JTA)

Israel claims Gaza militants are building underground rocket launch tunnels. (YNet)

The UN says it plans to aid Palestinian victims of Israeli settler violence. (Ha'aretz)

Israeli forces detain two Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Gaza. (Ma'an)

The International Labour Organization says Palestinian economic growth will remain frozen if Israeli restrictions stay in place. (PNN)

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) issues surveys on existing building and quality of industrial production in Palestine. (PNN)

Some Jewish-American groups seem lukewarm on Pres. Obama's appointment of Samantha Power as UN ambassador, but are not as hostile as some predicted. (Jerusalem Post)

Power wins key Jewish-American support. (The Forward)

Gaza merchants claim a honey mixture treats erectile dysfunction, male infertility and other ailments. (Al Monitor)

Five church schools in Gaza face closure after Hamas' enforced educational gender segregation and ban on coeducational institutions. (Catholic Herald)

COMMENTARY:

Diana Atallah says Palestinians don't expect much from their new prime minister. (The Media Line)

Eric Yoffie says Jewish Americans must heed Kerry's appeal and pressure PM Netanyahu on peace. (Ha'aretz)

Ron Kampeas says new national security advisor Rice will be dealing a great deal with Israeli-related issues. (JTA)

Ilene Prusher says Israel's "Absentee Property Law" is immoral and an obstacle to peace. (Ha'aretz)

Gideon Levyand Alex Levac look at the plight of a Bethlehem man living under Israeli occupation. (Ha'aretz)

Leonard Fein says it's good that UN ambassador nominee Power has been a strong human rights advocate, even if that makes some supporters of Israel nervous. (The Forward)

Shlomi Eldar says Israel's experiences in Gaza since 1967 should teach it some humility. (Al Monitor)

NEWS:

Hamas' military wing denies Arab press reports it endorsed continued strong ties to Iran and Hezbollah. (Times of Israel)

Israel is planning to build a new road in the occupied West Bank connected to thesensitive E1 project. (AFP/Ha'aretz)

An Israeli newspaper reports that the EU has told Israel if settlement construction continues, they may support Palestinian international legal efforts against it. (PNN)

The European Council of Ministers urges Israel to halt settlement construction and make gestures towards the Palestinians. (Jerusalem Post)

PM Netanyahu's cool response to the reiterated and improved Arab Peace Initiative raises doubts about his enthusiasm for an agreement. (AP)

Netanyahu calls on Pres. Abbas to "give peace a chance," and insists he is paying attention to the Arab Peace Initiative.  (Xinhua/Bloomberg)

The PA asks Israel to release 120 Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture. (Jerusalem Post)

Pres. Obama's nomination of Samantha Power for UN ambassador stirs controversy in Israel. (New York Times/YNet)

Palestinians mark the 46th anniversary of the 1967 war. (Xinhua)

As all his predecessors have always done, Obama again extends the presidential waiver on the proposed US Jerusalem Embassy to Israel. (Jerusalem Post)

Abbas reiterates there can be no peace agreement without Jerusalem serving as the Palestinian capital. (Jerusalem Post)

As the global demand for drones increases, Israel leads the market. (AP)

Israel seals off an area adjacent to the DMZ between Syria and the occupied Golan Heights as heavy fighting rages nearby. (Xinhua/Ha'aretz/Reuters)

Israeli occupation forces detain a prisoner's rights advocate in Nablus and a Hamas activist in Ramallah. (Ma'an)

Outgoing PM Fayyad signs an agreement with the Palestinian doctors' union. (Ma'an)

Many Gaza factions denounce the appointment of PM-designate Hamdallah. (Al Monitor)

Israel claims international labeling of settlement products would hurt the Palestinian economy. (Al Monitor)

Israel and the Vatican seem set to sign an agreement on several contentious properties. (Times of Israel)

A former US attorney is moving to the West Bank to help promote the rule of law in the Palestinian justice system. (Times of Israel)

COMMENTARY:

Haggai Matar says all Israelis are responsible for, and profit from, the occupation. (Ha'aretz)

Trudy Rubin says former PM Olmert's plan for peace is the most realistic. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Carlo Strenger says a key to Sec. Kerry's success could be getting Arab states to promote, and Israelis to understand, the Arab Peace Initiative. (Ha'aretz)

Elisheva Goldberg says it is Netanyahu who won't "give peace a chance." (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Gershon Baskin agrees with Kerry that the window of opportunity for peace is short. (Jerusalem Post)

Aaron David Miller says Obama probably won't succeed in solving any long-standing conflicts, including the Israeli-Palestinian one. (Foreign Policy)

Chemi Shalev says Jewish-American groups will welcome the Susan Rice appointment but question that of Power. (Ha'aretz)

Alan Dershowitz thinks Power will be a fine UN ambassador. (Jerusalem Post)

The Jerusalem Post thinks the US should not have welcomed the appointment of Hamdallah. (Jerusalem Post)

Ha'aretz says it's outrageous Israel is increasing military funding to an NGO that promotes settlement of occupied East Jerusalem. (Ha'aretz)

Abra Cohen samples Palestinian culinary delights in the occupied West Bank. (The Forward)

Asmaa al-Ghoul says Hamas is continuing to experience a sharp decline in its relations with Hezbollah over Syria. (Al Monitor)