News:

Three more Palestinian refugees are killed in the Syrian conflict. (Ma'an)

A Palestinian man is killed by Israeli artillery shells fired into northern Gaza. (Xinhua)

The Israeli military says Palestinians shot recently near the Gaza border entered a "forbidden zone."(Jerusalem Post)

PM Netanyahu meets for hours with VP Biden and Sec. Kerry. (Jerusalem Post)

Arab media reports quote Western diplomats saying Israel's approach has meant peace talks have reached "a dead end." (Jerusalem Post)

The Middle East Quartet unveils its economic plan for Palestine. (AFP)

Pres. Peres says poverty is more dangerous than terror in the Middle East. (Times of Israel)

Israeli occupation forces arrest 11 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank Tuesday night. (Ma'an)

Egyptian authorities say they will open the Gaza crossing for pilgrims and humanitarian reasons untilFriday. (Ma'an)

Gaza smuggling tunnels lie idle under a heavy Egyptian crackdown. (AP)

Jordan sends a formal complaint to the UN about Israel's "violations" in occupied East Jerusalem. (PNN/Jordan Times)

Test results on the remains of the late Pres. Arafat are being delayed because of a dispute between the PA and his widow. (Xinhua)

The Ma'an news agency suspends work in Gaza and seeks damages from Hamas. (Ma'an)

The visit of Israeli fashion designers to a West Bank town sparks controversy among Palestinians. (Xinhua)

The PA legalizes online dating. (Jerusalem Post)

A bureaucratic typo dubbing a Palestinian man a terrorist has deeply complicated his life. (Times of Israel)

Netanyahu denounces Pres. Rouhani. (New York Times)

DM Ya'alon says Western engagement with Iran is based on "wishful thinking." (Times of Israel)

The prospect of any Israeli attack against Iranian targets appears off the table for the meanwhile,despite tough rhetoric. (AP/AFP)

Almost 1000 people have been killed in Iraq in the past month. (New York Times)

Israeli builders in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights come under fire from across the frontier. (Xinhua)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish previews the Oct. 29 ATFP 10th Anniversary Gala. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

HRH Prince El-Hassan Bin Talal says Israel should move from exceptionalism to regional partnership. (Ha'aretz)

Jonathan Cook says the situation for Hamas and Gaza is desperate and unsustainable. (The National)

Husam Itani says Hezbollah acts as an occupying force in areas under its control. (Al Hayat)

Rami Khouri says US-Israeli relations have reached a critical stage, testing its resilience. (The Daily Star)

Amira Hass doubts the domestic American political system is capable of putting significant pressure on Israel. (Ha'aretz)

The New York Times says Pres. Obama should not let Netanyahu sabotage diplomacy with Iran. (New York Times)

The Jerusalem Post says Obama and Netanyahu have found a working relationship for the meanwhile. (Jerusalem Post)

Amos Harel says, deep down, Netanyahu knows it's time for diplomacy with Iran. (Ha'aretz)

Ron Kampeas says Netanyahu subtly left open the door for diplomacy with Iran. (JTA)

Ariella Ringel-Hoffman says Israel should consciously embrace the change in Iranian rhetoric. (YNet)

Yehezkel Dror says Netanyahu should appeal directly to the Arab and Islamic worlds. (Ha'aretz)

Jason Hamacher says the Syria he knows is now in ruins. (Washington Post)

Hassan Hassan says Islamists are winning in Syria, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. (Foreign Policy)

Shlomi Eldar says both Israelis and Palestinians have false narratives about the second intifada. (Al Monitor)

Al Hayat interviews Fatah leader Jibril Rajoub on national reconciliation and other issues. (Al Hayat/Al Monitor)

Alan Elsner says it's time to move beyond lip service and really achieve a two-state solution. (Huffington Post)

Patrick Martin says Palestinians have little to show for last year's UN status upgrade. (Globe and Mail)

Hugh Naylor interviews Raja Shehadeh about his work documenting life under Israeli occupation. (The National)

News:

Pres. Abbas vows not to withdraw from peace talks with Israel. (Xinhua)

Pres. Obama urges PM Netanyahu to speed up peace talks with the Palestinians. (Ha'aretz)

VP Biden tells the J Street conference regional instability presents opportunities for peace. (JTA)

Obama and Netanyahu express unity on Iran and other issues. (New York Times)

Netanyahu urges the continuation of sanctions against Iran. (Los Angeles Times)

Iran's FM calls Netanyahu "a liar." (AP)

Iranians are caught between dueling narratives about their overtures to the United States. (New York Times)

Gulf states are carefully watching the development of Iran-related issues. (The Media Line)

Palestinians say Israeli soldiers killed a man near the Gaza border area. (AP/Xinhua)

Israel's military confirms the man it killed was unarmed. (Ha'aretz)

Palestinians are going to petition Israel's High Court to reclaim Jordan Valley land from settlers. (Ha'aretz)

Israeli police say there has been a surge of "price tag" hate crime vandalism in Jerusalem. (Xinhua)

GDP at constant prices in Palestine increased during the 2nd quarter of 2013 compared to last year's parallel quarter. (PNN)

Following a month-long student strike over tuition hikes, Birzeit University will commence classes. (PNN)


Commentary:

Barak Ravid says, despite deep differences, Netanyahu got what he wanted from Obama. (Ha'aretz)

Hassan Barari says Iranian reconciliation with the West and its neighbors will take more than just a moderate leader. (Jordan Times)

Peter Galbraith says Obama may prove a triple-winner on Iran, Syria and Russia. (The Daily Star)

Ha'aretz urges Netanyahu to stop "sowing fear" diplomatically. (Ha'aretz)

Hagai Segal says Netanyahu has no choice but to be a "constant nagger" about the threat of Iran. (YNet)

Kevin Connolly questions whether Israel will be able to keep the West skeptical about Iran. (BBC)

Alon Pinkas says Netanyahu is making a big mistake by turning Iran into "Israel's issue." (Ha'aretz)

Doyle McManus asks how long Iran's charm offensive can be effective. (Los Angeles Times)

Russell Sticklor suggests ways of dealing with what he thinks is an upcoming Middle East region-wide water crisis. (Christian Science Monitor)

Amira Hass says the Middle East Quartet needs to push Israel to lift restrictions on Palestinians. (Ha'aretz)

Paul Gross says the US is indispensable to the Middle East. (Jerusalem Post)

David Newman says right-wing extremist groups are hijacking Zionism. (Jerusalem Post)

Neve Gordon says Israelis and Palestinians could consider "consociational government" as another model to the traditional two-state solution. (Los Angeles Times)

Shmuel Rosner complains European diplomats keep provoking Israeli soldiers in the occupied territories. (Al Monitor)

Naela Khalil explains how a Hamas leader is embroiled in a scandal over an "honor killing" in the West Bank. (Al Monitor)

Anna Lekas Miller says Congress should not be facilitating Israeli discrimination against Americans. (The Nation)

Sandy Tolan remembers Edward Said. (PNN)

News:

Diplomats say Israeli-Palestinian talks are stuck over the issue of boundaries. (Xinhua)

Israel is reportedly increasing the pace of the demolition of Palestinian homes. (Christian Science Monitor)

The PA says it will not permit another intifada in the occupied West Bank, as violent protests mark the anniversary of the second intifada. (PNN/Los Angeles Times)

Grenada and Haiti become the latest countries to recognize the State of Palestine. (Ma'an)

President Obama and PM Netanyahu will meet on Monday. (AP)

Israel and other American allies in the Middle East view Iranian diplomatic overtures with suspicion. (New York Times/AP/Xinhua)

Israel reportedly arrests an Iranian nuclear spy. (New York Times/Reuters)

Netanyahu says he's going to "tell the truth" about Iran. (Los Angeles Times)

Pres. Peres says "all options" are open on Iran, and criticizes Netanyahu's "scornful" approach. (AP/Xinhua)

Five Egyptian policemen are killed by extremists in Sinai. (Ma'an)

Four Jewish extremists are arrested for allegedly smashing Christian gravestones in Jerusalem. (Xinhua/AFP)

Israel's Navy will soon receive three "next-generation fast patrol boats." (Xinhua/YNet)

Israel declares a demolished village in the Jordan Valley a "closed military area." (Ma'an)

Likud MK Hanegbi says Jerusalem is negotiable, but the right of return for Palestinian refugees is not. (Ha'aretz)

Israel's Holocaust museum is naming an Egyptian physician as its first Arab "righteous Gentile."(YNet)

National Security Advisor Rice says sanctions against Iran won't be lifted until it "proves" it doesn't have a nuclear weapons program. (AP/Times of Israel)

J Street launches a $1 million campaign for Jewish Americans to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

PBS looks at Rawabi, the first "planned Palestinian city" in the occupied West Bank. (PBS)

Arab Idol winner Mohammed Assaf performs at the Hague. (AFP)


Commentary:

El Hassan bin Talal says Israel can be a partner in the birth of a new Middle East. (The Daily Star)

Shlomi Eldar says only an interim agreement between Israel and the PLO is achievable at present. (Al Monitor)

Ariela Ringel-Hoffman says there is no alternative to peace negotiations. (YNet)

Amos Harel outlines what he thinks Israel has learned from the Kenya mall terrorist attack. (Ha'aretz)

Raphael Ahren says Netanyahu's mission in Washington will be to set parameters for US-Iranian negotiations. (Times of Israel)

The Jerusalem Post says "trust but verify" should be the standard for dealing with Iran's nuclear program. (Jerusalem Post)

Chemi Shalev says Iran's duplicity on Holocaust denial suggests it is not being honest about its nuclear program. (Ha'aretz)

Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed asks if we are seeing a "new Obama" dealing with Iran. (Asharq Al- Awsat)

Orly Azoulay says Obama knows what he's doing when it comes to Iran. (YNet)

Aaron David Miller says Obama is not going to sell out Israel in a nuclear deal with Iran. (Foreign Policy)

Niv Horesh says Israel should build stronger relations with China. (Ha'aretz)

Susan Hattis Rolef says Danny Danon's bellicose, annexationist rhetoric only does harm to Israel. (Jerusalem Post)

Lisa Goldman looks at a Palestinian play that was performed in Arabic in New York. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Mojtaba Mousavi says a collapse in US-Iranian negotiations would strengthen hardliners in Tehran. (Al Monitor)

Gitit Ginat says the new film "Bethlehem" is credible but too soft on the Israeli side. (Al Monitor)

Sophie Cousins looks at the "cruel exile" awaiting Palestinian refugees fleeing Syria. (Al Jazeera)

News:

The UN releases the full text of Pres. Abbas' address to the UNGA this year. (UN)

Abbas criticizes Israeli policies, but says Palestinians are committed to peace with Israel in the next nine months. (Washington Post/AP)

Abbas insists any agreement must be permanent, not interim. (AFP/Ha'aretz)

An Israeli cabinet minister denounces Abbas' speech. (Times of Israel)

Egypt launches a major military campaign in Sinai just south of the crossing with Gaza. (Ma'an)

Hamas detains members of a Fatah-related armed group. (Ma'an)

Human Rights Watch urges Israel to stop displacing its Bedouin citizens. (YNet)

Palestinians say Israeli destruction of groves has resulted in a 60% deficit in olive production this year. (PNN)

The permanent members of the UN Security Council agree on a resolution on Syria's chemical weapons. (New York Times/Reuters)

Israel's Home Defense Minister urges an intensification of sanctions on Iran. (Jerusalem Post)

Ha'aretz profiles a planned large Israeli settlement in the occupied Golan Heights that never really got going. (Ha'aretz)

Self-described "Christian Zionists" are particularly interested in visiting and supporting Israeli settlements. (Christian Science Monitor)

UNSG Ban urges support as the UN agency aiding Palestinians faces "unprecedented" challenges. (UN)

Gaza students are among the most effected by the closing of the Egyptian border. (Al Monitor)

Israel and China establish a joint research center. (Al Monitor)


Commentary:

George Hishmeh says the US should be held to its commitment to a two-state solution. (Jordan Times)

Al-Sayed Amin Shalabi says the US will make sure Israeli-Palestinian talks are a success, one way or another. (Al-Ahram Weekly)

The Jerusalem Post condemns Pres. Obama for making Israeli-Palestinian peace a centerpiece of his policy. (Jerusalem Post)

Shimon Koffler Fogel says if Israelis and Palestinians are going to get it right this time, they must learn the lessons of Oslo. (Toronto Star)

Rebecca Shimoni Stoil looks at the way Israelis and Palestinians sit at the UN. (Times of Israel)

Roger Cohen says the US and Iran should seize a rare opportunity for diplomatic progress. (New York Times)

The New York Times sees the UN agreement on Syria as a sign of limited progress. (New York Times)

Ari Shavit says PM Netanyahu should push for a total suspension of uranium enrichment by Iran. (Ha'aretz)

Mazal Mualem says Netanyahu seems incapable of adapting his position towards Iran. (Al Monitor)

Shlomi Eldar says Israel needs to put Pres. Rouhani to the test. (Al Monitor)

Lior Akerman says Israel's internal security is largely successful at thwarting planned attacks. (Jerusalem Post)

Avi Issacharoff says "lone wolf" killers in the occupied territories present an impossible challenge to Israeli security. (Times of Israel)

J.J. Goldberg says the recent "lone wolf" killings of two Israeli soldiers were isolated incidents. (The Forward)

Stephen Holden and  Susan King separately review "Out in the Dark," a new film about a gay relationship between an Israeli and a Palestinian. (New York Times/Los Angeles Times)

Hicham Yezza remembers Edward Said on the 10th anniversary of his death. (Open Democracy)

News:

Sec. Kerry says Israelis and Palestinians agreed to intensify talks aimed at a final status agreement. (AP)

100 prominent Jewish Americans call on Pres. Abbas to push for peace in his UN speech. (Ha'aretz)

Egypt allows "no leniency" to those who would violate its borders, implicitly Hamas. (Ma’an)

Hamas leaders promise not to cause any problems for Egypt, but calls the remarks a "dangerous escalation." (Xinhua/Ahram Online)

A Hamas court sentences a man to death for murdering his wife in Gaza. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces detain six Palestinians in Hebron. (Ma’an)

Israel says it plans unspecified easing of restrictions on Palestinians. (AFP)

Aid requirements for Syrian refugees are cutting into those for Palestinians in a competition for support. (AP)

Iran tries to raise the issue of Israel's nuclear arsenal. (AP)

PM Netanyahu slams Pres. Rouhani's UN speech. (Xinhua)

Israel's warnings about Iran and Rouhani are apparently being ignored internationally. (Christian Science Monitor)

Turkey says Israel hasn't met all the conditions for normalizing relations following the deadly flotilla incident. (AP)

Western diplomats say the UN is nearing a consensus on a Syria resolution. (New York Times)

Egypt's FM calls relations with the US "unsettled." (AP)

Reuters looks at Hezbollah's role in the Syrian conflict. (Reuters)

Hezbollah denies receiving chemical weapons from Syria. (Asharq Al-Awsat)


Commentary:

Shahdi Alkashif observes a murder trial in Gaza firsthand. (BBC)

Jihad el-Khazen says a continuation to the occupation will lead to another intifada or horrible terrorism. (Al Hayat)

George Hishmeh says Obama's UN speech dealt another blow to Israel. (Gulf News)

Naela Khalil asks if armed elements within Fatah are making a comeback. (Al Monitor)

Mitch Ginsberg looks at a new movie about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, "Bethlehem." (Times of Israel)

David Ignatius says Rouhani is seeking a nuclear deal within three months. (Washington Post)

Lally Weymouth interviews Russian FM Lavrov on Syria and other matters. (Washington Post)

Edward Haley lists four reasons why critics of Pres. Obama's Syria policies are wrong. (Christian Science Monitor)

Chemi Shalev says Obama and Rouhani presented complementary perspectives at the UN. (Ha'aretz)

News:

At this year's UN meeting, Pres. Abbas is honoring his commitment not to pursue further multilateral efforts. (AP)

Abbas condemns the killing of Israelis and calls on Israel to condemn the killing of Palestinians. (Times of Israel/PNN/Jerusalem Post)

Abbas says he is still hopeful peace is possible. (Ma'an)

Abbas meets with Jewish-American leaders. (The Forward)

The UNHRC is due to discuss conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories during the UN meeting. (Jerusalem Post)

Palestinian and Israeli negotiators are bickering, but talks continue nonetheless. (Jerusalem Post)

Israel may be preparing to offer the Palestinians a package of financial incentives. (Financial Times)

A new poll shows Palestinians are pessimistic about the prospects for peace with Israel. (Los Angeles Times)

The PA ambassador to Egypt says the crossing with Gaza is closed because of the security situation in Sinai. (Ma'an)

Iran may be starting to increase its level of support for Hamas again. (Times of Israel)

The World Bank grants $10 Million in direct assistance to Palestinian families in need. (PNN)

Israeli occupation forces and Palestinians clash in Hebron. (Ma'an/Los Angeles Times)

Amnesty International calls on the PA to end "a pattern of abuse" against demonstrators. (Ma'an)

Israel has threatened to take action against a French diplomat following a scuffle in the occupied Palestinian territories. (BBC)

People of Arab descent and others face long detention at Israeli airports. (Ha'aretz)

Israel dispatches experts to advise on resolving the Kenya mall attack crisis. (AP)

An Egyptian court orders the disbanding of the Muslim Brotherhood and the seizure of its assets. (New York Times/Washington Post)

Iran says UN nuclear talks signal the beginning of a new era with the West. (AP)

FIFA is continuing to try to mediate between the Israeli and Palestinian soccer federations. (Reuters)

Palestinians are planning to launch a new online radio network. (The Media Line)

Sec. Kerry thanks the UAE Foreign Minister for his support. (The National)

Jordan's King Abdallah meets world leaders in New York. (Jordan Times)

A rift within Fatah in Lebanon threatens the organization's unity there. (The Daily Star)


Commentary:

Asmaa al-Ghoul says now only Abbas can rescue Hamas. (Al Monitor)

Joel Strauss warns that a weakened Hamas may become more violent. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Gershom Gorenberg compares the Syrian refugee crisis with the Palestinian Nakba of 1948. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Barak Ravid says PM Netanyahu's response to the death of Israeli soldiers by promoting more West Bank settlement is a return to bad habits. (Ha'aretz)

Ha'aretz says Netanyahu's response looks like an official government "price tag" gesture. (Ha'aretz)

David Schenker asks what would happen if insurgents in Sinai close down the Suez Canal. (Los Angeles Times)

Hussein Ibish says a US-Iran nuclear deal suddenly seems possible, but it will only buy the parties more time. (NOW)

Rami Khouri agrees US-Iranian negotiations could produce a win-win scenario. (The Daily Star)

Nechama Duek says Israel is strong enough to withstand a US-Iran nuclear deal. (YNet)

Nahum Barnea says Israel's life is made more difficult by the fact that Pres. Putin is more loyal to his allies than Pres. Obama. (YNet)

Raphael Ahren says Israel is likely to find itself isolated on the question of Iran this year at the UN. (Times of Israel)

Joschka Fischer says Syria faces a "Balkan tragedy" if the chemical weapons negotiations fail. (Gulf News)

Moshe Elad says Hamas is under Egyptian blockade and internal political pressure. (Ha'aretz)
 

News:

Pres. Abbas is due to meet Pres. Obama at the UN tomorrow. (PNN)

Donor nations will also meet on Tuesday to discuss the Palestinian economic crisis. (PNN)

Analysts think Middle East diplomatic breakthroughs are possible at this year's UN meeting. (Jerusalem Post)

US Amb. to the UN Power meets with Jewish-American leaders ahead of the UN meeting. (Jerusalem Post)

PM Netanyahu warns the US that Iranian overtures are a trap. (New York Times)

Israel feels challenged by Pres. Rouhani. (AP)

Israelis mourn two occupation soldiers slain in the West Bank. (New York Times/Xinhua)

DM Ya’alon orders an emergency meeting after the sniper killing of an Israeli occupation soldier andblames the Oslo agreements. (Xinhua/Jerusalem Post)

Netanyahu allows settlers to reoccupy a home in response to the killing, and vows "strengthen" settlement in Hebron. (Xinhua/Washington Post/Ma'an)

The Israeli left and right wings are split on reaction to the killing of Israeli soldiers. (Times of Israel)

Some Israelis call for an end to peace talks with Palestinians following the killing of two Israeli soldiers. (Washington Post)

The PA says Israel's policies are threatening the peace process. (Ma'an)

Hamas officials say Palestinians are on the verge of a third intifada. (YNet)

Jews are pressing for more religious rights in holy places in occupied East Jerusalem. (New York Times)

The UN complains that Israel is obstructing aid to Palestinians in the Jordan Valley. (PNN)

Israeli occupation forces are accused of roughing up European diplomats to prevent the delivery of aid to Palestinians. (The National)

Israel says European accounts of the seizure of aid to Palestinians by Israeli forces are "one-sided."(Xinhua)

Construction in Gaza is increasing after Israel has eased aspects of its blockade. (Xinhua)

Students and staff clash at Birzeit university following tuition hikes. (Ma'an)

Syrian Druze living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights apparently remain loyal to Pres. Assad. (Christian Science Monitor)

Israel's already deep ties to Kenya are strengthened by its involvement in responding to the deadly mall attack by terrorists. (The National/Ha'aretz)

Israeli forces may have been involved in responding to the Kenya mall attack. (YNet/JTA)


Commentary:
 
Willem-Gert Aldershoff and Michel Waelbroeck insist EU settlement guidelines don't victimize Israel or threaten peace. (Ha'aretz)

Amos Harel says Israel believes Hamas won't hesitate to attack it again, despite its growing isolation. (Ha'aretz)

Zvi Mazel says Hamas is found itself increasingly alone and isolated. (Jerusalem Post)

Ha'aretz says deputy DM Danon is a loose cannon harming national interests with reckless statements. (Ha'aretz)

The Jerusalem Post blames the killing of an Israeli soldier on prisoner swaps with the Palestinians. (Jerusalem Post)

Avi Issacharoff says the prison exchange involving Gilad Shalit set the stage for the killing of an Israeli soldier. (Times of Israel)

David Horovitz blames Palestinian incitement for the killings. (Times of Israel)

Douglas Bloomfield says the parties need to quit stalling and get serious about a peace deal. (Jerusalem Post)

Assaf David says the failure of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations could threaten Israel's relations with Jordan. (Tablet)

Julie Pace says Obama will focus on Iran Syria and Israel at the UN. (Times of Israel)

The National says the Kenya mall attack shows the weakness, not the strength of Al Shabab. (The National)

Hussein Ibish looks at the apparent slow-motion development of a fully independent Kurdish state. (The National)

Oded Raanan says Israel sees new and dangerous threats emerging from Syria. (The Daily Star)

Anthony Cordesman says the Syrian conflict is likely to continue for quite a while. (CNN)

Abdullah Iskandar says both the US and Iran need to find a way out of their confrontation. (Al Hayat)

Raghida Dergham says Arab states need a strategy to counter American "backtracking" on Syria and Iran. (Al Hayat)

Hassan Barari says Israel is intimidated by Iran's professions of "heroic flexibility." (Arab News)

Matt Lerner says Palestinian refugees in Lebanon cannot be ignored. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

News:

Palestinian officials condemn Israeli proposals for a 40-year military presence in the Jordan Valley following a peace agreement. (AP)

Palestinian officials say Israeli demands may scupper ongoing peace talks. (AFP)

Palestinian public employees cancel strikes planned for next week. (Ma'an)

The PA will ask for $500 million in international aid in meetings next week. (Xinhua)

Canada pledges C$5 million towards Palestinian economic growth. (Xinhua)

Egypt sentences five Palestinian fishermen to a year in prison for violating its territorial waters and fishing rules. (Ma'an)

Arab states may be again preparing to focus international attention on the question of Israel's nuclear weapons. (Reuters/Times of Israel)

Pres. Peres is planning to visit the Netherlands. (Jerusalem Post)

Iran is reportedly seeking a broad accord with the West on nuclear matters in order to end sanctions. (New York Times)

Mainstream Syrian rebels strongly condemn Al Qaeda. (AP)

Israel's internal security service warned some Palestinians may be joining Al Qaeda. (YNet)

Palestinian refugees fleeing Syria are being denied entry into Lebanon. (IRIN)

The US and its allies are targeting Hezbollah assets in Africa. (Reuters)

Commentary:

The PLO issues a report on "Israel's annexationist policies in the Jordan Valley." (PLO)

Gamil Matar says the new round of Israeli-Palestinian talks doesn't have much to build on. (Al-Ahram Weekly)

Lara Friedman says Israelis and Palestinians should face reality and not indulge in "magical thinking." (APN)

Saud Abu Ramadan says Hamas finds itself stranded in isolated in an economic and political nightmare. (Xinhua)

Avi Issacharoff says Hamas has become so desperate it may lash out against Israel. (Times of Israel)

Linah Alsaafin says Pres. Abbas' high poll numbers better reflect the lack of an alternative than his real popularity. (Al Monitor)

Shlomi Eldar says Israeli dissident artists pay a price for their political views. (Al Monitor)

Ron Pundak says all the parties have their share of the blame for the failure of the Oslo Accords. (Ha'aretz)

J.J. Goldberg says both Israelis and Palestinians feel betrayed by the outcome of the Oslo Accords. (The Forward)

Liat Collins says Oslo may not have worked, but ignoring Palestinians and boycotting Israel achieves nothing. (Jerusalem Post)

Haim Bresheeth says the Oslo accords were a disaster for the Palestinians. (Ahram Online)

Ha'aretz says there must be a thorough investigation into the death of an injured Palestinian worker. (Ha'aretz)

Shlomo Avineri says it's unreasonable to expect Arab states to resemble Western democracies. (Ha'aretz)

Pres. Rouhani appeals for more dialogue with the West. (Washington Post)

Ray Takeyh says Rouhani must be judged by deeds, not words. (Los Angeles Times)

Uri Savir says Pres. Obama has recognized the limitations of American power. (Jerusalem Post)

Alan Phillips says Pres. Assad is likely to survive in power for the meanwhile. (The National)

Michael Young says the real question now is what will come after Assad. (The Daily Star)

Maysoon Zayid praises TV personality and chef Anthony Bourdain's visit to Israel and Palestine. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)
 

News:

Pres. Obama will meet with Pres. Abbas at the UN on Monday. (USA Today)

Hamas prevents Gaza students from crossing into Egypt to get to their universities. (Ma'an)

After a week of closure, Egypt reopens the crossing with Gaza amid warnings of medical emergencies. (Xinhua)

Hamas says Egypt is destroying tunnels in an effort to further isolate Gaza. (AFP)

The closing of an Egyptian cultural center in Gaza by Hamas is another indication of deteriorating relations. (Al Monitor)

Abbas and PM Hamdallah have reportedly agreed on a new PA cabinet, to be sworn in on Thursday. (Xinhua)

The new PA cabinet is reportedly unchanged from the last one. (Ma'an)

A militant in Gaza is wounded in an exchange of fire with Israeli occupation forces. (Xinhua)

Palestinians accuse an Israeli settler running over a Palestinian child in occupied Hebron. (PNN)

A Palestinian teenager is arrested by Israeli occupation authorities in the West Bank for "planning a terror attack." (JTA)

Israeli occupation authorities arrest leaders of the Islamic Movement in East Jerusalem. (Jerusalem Post)

The PA, the EU and the German government are allocating €40 million for a wastewater treatment plant near Nablus. (PNN)

Remnants of a small rocket are found in southern Israel, presumably fired from Gaza. (YNet)

Former Pres. Mubarak claims he "started" the 1973 war. (Times of Israel)

Pres. Rouhani vows that Iran will never develop a nuclear weapon. (Los Angeles Times)

Israel and Azerbaijan strengthen diplomatic relations. (JTA)

Commentary:

Abdullah Iskandar says Hamas has recklessly taken on a confrontation with Egypt. (Al Hayat)

Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed says the Oslo Accords may be dead, but no one has come up with any alternatives. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Eitan Haber says the Oslo agreements were hardly ideal but gave both peoples hope. (YNet)

The Times of Israel interviews Eitan Haber, the late PM Rabin’s closest aide. (Times of Israel)

Charlene Gubash says the Sabra-Shatila massacre is a grim reminder to Palestinian and Syrian refugees in Lebanon. (NBC)

The Daily Star says September is always a somber month for Palestinians. (The Daily Star)

David Ignatius defends Obama's policies on Syria. (Washington Post)

Zvi Bar'el says the crisis over Syria is a throwback to the Cold War. (Ha'aretz)

Sebastian Junger says sometimes being pro-peace requires a willingness to use force. (Washington Post)

George Hishmeh says the confrontation over Syrian chemical weapons is a golden opportunity to rid the region of WMD. (Gulf News)

Khaled al-Dakhil says Washington and Riyadh are divided over Iran's role in Syria. (Al Monitor/Al Hayat)

Akiva Eldar says, like AIPAC, J Street will soon be confronted by the issue of "dual-loyalty." (Al Monitor)

Hassan Hassan looks at the growing conflict between rival Syrian rebel groups. (Foreign Policy)

News:

The IMF urges Israel to ease restrictions on the struggling Palestinian economy. (AFP)

Pres. Abbas meets with US envoy Indyk to discuss peace talks progress. (Jerusalem Post)

The PA reportedly says Israel has agreed to release another 250 Palestinian prisoners. (YNet)

Israel's finance minister Lapid hints at support for an interim agreement with the Palestinians. (Jerusalem Post)

Israeli Bedouins call a pending mass relocation plan "another Nakba." (Christian Science Monitor)

Palestinians demand the removal of 100 Israeli cellular towers in the occupied West Bank. (Times of Israel)

The family of the Jenin man killed by Israeli occupation forces on Tuesday says he was shot "in cold blood." (Ma'an)

A PA meeting designed to form a new cabinet ends without any decision. (Ma'an)

Israel closes the al-Aqsa mosque compound and denies entrance to Muslim worshipers.  (Ma'an)

The PA cabinet condemns Israel's policies towards the al-Aqsa mosque. (PNN)

Hamas says it will make a film about capturing Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and the prisoner swap with Israel. (Xinhua)

Two people are injured in clashes in a major Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. (Xinhua)

The war in Syria has reignited divisions among Palestinians over regional alignments. (Al Monitor)

In his upcoming UN speech, PM Netanyahu will reportedly focus on Iran. (New York Times)

A senior Israeli general says Pres. Assad could survive "for years." (Reuters)

Pres. Obama says it's hard to imagine the Syrian war ending with Assad in power. (Reuters)

Following the US-Russia deal on Syria, pro-Israel groups in Washington suspend lobbying on Syria. (JTA)

PM Netanyahu will visit the White House on September 30. (Xinhua)

Obama reportedly orders the distribution of nonlethal, anti-chemical weapons supplies to Syrian rebels. (Jerusalem Post)

Iran is reportedly increasing its aid to the PFLP to reward its pro-Syria policies. (Al Monitor)


Commentary:

Hussein Ibish and Saliba Sarsar say Israelis and Palestinians need two states, not "blood and magic," to resolve their conflict. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

David Mikics also critiques Ian Lustick's dismissal of a two-state solution. (Tablet)

Suhail Khalilieh thinks the legacy of the Oslo Accords may be better than many Palestinians feel. (Ma'an)

Abdulrahman al-Rashed says the Oslo Accords need to be carefully re-examined. (Al Arabiya)

Gershon Baskin says both sides are aware that a failure to reach an agreement could unleash another round of terrible violence. (Jerusalem Post)

Oudeh Basharat says Palestinians understand the importance and the limitations of the right of return much better than Israelis think. (Ha'aretz)

Zvi Bar'el thinks Iran may be genuinely seeking a new opening to the West. (Ha'aretz)

Avi Shilon says the US-Russian deal on Syria proves the success of Netanyahu's Iran policy. (Ha'aretz)

Ben Caspit says the Israeli right is increasingly worried Netanyahu might be willing to do a deal with the US involving concessions to the Palestinians in exchange for tougher US policies towards Iran. (Al Monitor)

Ariel Ben Solomon says following the US-Russia deal on Syria, Iran will seek a similar arrangement. (Jerusalem Post)

Mitch Ginsberg looks at Israel's stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons. (Times of Israel)

Jonathan Cook says Israel wants to focus on chemical weapons not the war in Syria. (The National)

Rami Khouri thinks a new global order may be being born in the Geneva talks on Syria. (The Daily Star)

Hazem Saghieh says the Syrian regime's pan-Arab rhetoric has been exposed as self-serving bunk. (Al Hayat)

Hussam Itani says Syrian refugees now worry Lebanese more than Palestinians, but attitudes to both undermine the country's "civilized image." (Al Hayat)

Osama Al Sharif says restoring order to Sinai is now Egypt's main security test. (Gulf News)

Anwar Sadat's nephew Esmat al-Sadat says Egypt will keep the peace treaty with Israel even if the country is in "total chaos." (Al Monitor)

Harith Hasan says Saudi Arabia is vying with Iran for influence in Iraq. (Al Monitor)

Jonathan Schanzer looks at the activities of a key Hamas operative in Turkey. (Foreign Policy)