News:
Sec. Kerry asks Pres. Abbas to
extend peace talks with Israel for an additional nine months. (Xinhua)
US Amb. to Israel Shapiro says framework agreement will include Palestinian recognition of Israel as a
“Jewish state.” (The Times of Israel)
A group of Israelis plans to
lobby the Knesset to declare the country a “Jewish state” by law. (AP)
Israel debates a bill that would
ban NGOs that deny Israel’s “Jewish character.” (Ha’aretz)
A Palestinian official denies Israeli reports about a joint Palestinian-Israeli committee to solve
environmental problems. (Xinhua)
Commentary:
Ha’aretz says the Israeli government must stop kowtowing to the settlers. (Ha’aretz)
George Hishmeh calls on Pres. Obama and Netanyahu to revisit their policies in the Middle East. (The Jordan Times)
Yossi Sarid says “yes to a boycott” of the Israeli settlements. (Ha’aretz)
Uri Savir says Israel must make every possible effort to help Kerry. (The Jerusalem Post)
Michael Gerson says a Somalia-like future for Syria would be an uncontainable regional and global threat. (The Washington Post)
Fouad Ajami says it would be a moral stain to see Pres. Assad’s reign outlasting that of Obama. (The Wall Street Journal)
J.J. Goldberg says the new escalation of American involvement in Syria is due to the stalemate in Geneva. (The Jewish Daily Forward)
The Gulf News says Lebanon’s “fragile peace” is in danger. (The Gulf News)
Ahmad Majdoubeh says there are no quick solutions to the problems in the Middle East, and democracy takes time. (The Jordan Times)
PM Maliki says Iraq is using all the political, economic, and military tools at its disposal in its effort to defeat al-Qaeda. (Foreign Policy)
Sami Moubayed says Iran might be behind Sadr’s decision of early retirement from Iraqi politics. (The Gulf News)
George Weidenfeld says Europe should help foster peace in the Middle East as an “unbiased mediator.” (Project Syndicate)
Anne-Marie Slaughter says Germany and other EU countries must step up as the US steps down from its role as a “global policeman.” (Project Syndicate)