News:

Pres. Abbas appears to be opting for rhetoric because he seem to lack other options on relations with Israel. (AP)

Chief Palestinian Negotiator Erekat says if a proposed UNSC resolution fails, Palestine will apply for membership in 522 international organizations and statutes. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces demolish three Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

Jewish extremist settlers construct two new wildcat outposts in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an/PNN)

Hamas says Gaza ceasefire talks will resume in Cairo next week. (AFP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

DM Ya’alon says Israel will not allow Gaza reconstruction if Hamas rebuilds tunnels. (Jerusalem Post)

The UN says Israel must uphold human rights law in its treatment of Palestinians. (Jerusalem Post)

Palestine’s UN Amb. Mansour sends a letter of complaint to the UNSC accusing a Jewish settler of killing a Palestinian schoolgirl.  (Times of Israel)

The US denies that the FBI withheld information on a missing Israeli soldier in the recent Gaza war. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Israeli occupation forces detain, handcuff and blindfold a disabled Palestinian child. (Times of Israel/PNN)

A mortar fired from Syria lands in the Golan Heights. (Ha’aretz/JTA)

Britain says it will send drones to fly surveillance missions in Syria. (Reuters/AP)

The US and Turkey are giving Syrian Kurds a boost in their fight against ISIS. (Washington Post)

ISIS is reportedly winning territory from Syrian government forces in the eastern city of Deir al-Zor. (Reuters)

The EU imposes sanctions on 12 Syrian government ministers, two senior officers and a UAE company, accused of helping to supply oil to Syria. (Reuters)

Pres. Rouhani promises Iran will stand by Iraq in the fight against ISIS. (AP)

Caritas says Iraqi refugees in Lebanon face a daily struggle to survive. (Reuters)

Pope Francis will visit Turkey. (Reuters)

PM Mehleb says Egypt has no plans for direct participation in the war against ISIS.  (Ynet)

King Abdullah of Jordan says the Middle East is threatened by both Jewish and Muslim extremists. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jordan Times)

Moody’s says Egypt’s political and security situation has stabilized, raising the country’s outlook from “negative to stable.” (AP)

Libya’s elected parliament declares a formal alliance with Gen. Haftar. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Ha’aretz says “Judaizing” occupied East Jerusalem could torpedo peace. (Ha’aretz)

Elhanan Miller asks if the PA could survive without the Israeli military. (Times of Israel)

Al-Monitor interviews Mustafa Barghouti. (Al-Monitor)

Akiva Eldar says PM Netanyahu mistakenly believes that a Republican Congress would pressure Pres. Obama to change his policy. (Al-Monitor)

Hassan Barari agrees with Sec. Kerry’s linkage between the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and extremism in the region. (Jordan Times)

Michael Weiss and Faysal Itani look at why pundits like Zakaria and Gelb are wrong about Syria. (Politico)

Diana Moukalled says the world is failing the Syrian people. (Al Arabiya)

Yusuf Sayman says Turkey is not abandoning the Syrian Kurds. (Foreign Policy)

The National says Tunisians should trust the power of the ballot box. (The National)

The IFES previews Tunisia’s upcoming parliamentary elections. (International Foundation for Electoral Systems)

H.A. Hellyer says the international community must help Libya become free, united and pluralistic. (Al Arabiya)

Vali Nasr says voting cycles in the US and Iran leave only a small window of opportunity for a nuclear deal. (New York Times)