NEWS:
 
PLO chief negotiator Erekat says no progress has been made in talks yet. (Ma'an)
 
Pres. Perez praises Sec. Kerry's peace efforts. (AFP) 
 
NSA Rice complains about "unfounded and unacceptable" criticism of Kerry by Israeli officials. (YNet) 
 
Palestinian refugees are fleeing the Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria. (AFP)
 
Palestinian diplomat Nasser al-Kidwa, deputy head of the international team running the Syria peace talks, is dismissed at the demand of the Syrian government. (Reuters)
 
The EU envoy to Israel warns of greater isolation if settlement activities continue. (AP) 
 
An Israeli court orders the state to explain why an extension to the separation barrier is dividing Palestinian towns. (Ha'aretz)
 
Hamas rejects Pres. Abbas' efforts to achieve peace with Israel. (Xinhua) 
 
Hamas redeploys its forces along the border with Israel. (Ma'an)
 
Islamic Jihad threatens to sabotage any peace agreement. (Times of Israel) 
 
Palestinians accuse Israeli settlers of attacking farms. (AP) 
 
Palestinians are planning to centralize their electricity sector. (The Media Line)
 
FIFA says Israel is finally helping to facilitate Palestinian soccer. (Ha'aretz)
 
An Israeli officer is killed near the Gaza border by "friendly fire." (Xinhua) 
 
Middle East scholar Barry Rubin dies at 64. (YNet) 
 
AIPAC's push for new sanctions against Iran appears to be blunted. (New York Times)
 
Kerry reportedly tells Congress US Syria policy is failing. (Daily Beast/Washington Post/Bloomberg) 
 
Russia says Syria is preparing to ship out some of its chemical weapons. (Reuters) 
 
Syrian government forces bomb a mosque, killing five people. (AP) 
 
Video of the arrest of journalists in Egypt is seen as a new threat to the media in that country. (New York Times)

Bombings around Baghdad kill seven people. (AP) 
 
The Iraqi government is giving away millions in food aid. (New York Times) 
 
Two are killed in an attack on a military bus in Yemen. (AP) 
 
Rebels and local tribesmen agree to a cease-fire in northern Yemen. (Reuters) 
 
Seven militants and a policeman are killed in a raid in Tunisia. (Reuters) 
 
A new suicide bombing in Beirut makes Hezbollah and Lebanese security forces seem impotent. (Christian Science Monitor) 
 
Pres. Obama will visit Saudi Arabia next month, where he will face significant diplomaticchallenges. (AP/AFP) 
 
Saudi Arabia makes it illegal for citizens to fight in foreign conflicts. (AP) 
 
Commentary:
 
Ha’aretz rebukes PM Netanyahu for disputing Kerry’s statement on the prospect of intensifying boycotts if peace talks fail. (Ha’aretz)
 
Akiva Eldar says settlers are growing increasingly nervous Netanyahu may plan to evacuate some of them. (Al Monitor) 
 
Caroline Glick calls Kerry’s statement on boycotts “anti-Semitic.”
(The Jerusalem Post)
 
The National says the boycott campaign against Israeli settlements is gaining momentum. (The National) 
 
Shaul Arieli says Netanyahu should agree to Kerry’s plan to further the “realistic goals of Zionism.” (Ha’aretz)
 
Hassan Barari says resigning could be Abbas' only option if he wants to avoid accepting or rejecting Kerry’s plan. (The Jordan Times) 

Elhanan Miller says Abbas is trapped between all kinds of difficult pressures. (Times of Israel) 
 
David Landau says Israel’s left must speak out in support of Kerry’s plan. (Ha’aretz)
 
Shlomo Avineri says settlers must vacate Palestinian land and relocate to the Israeli sovereignty. (The Jerusalem Post)
 
Roger Cohen expresses optimism on the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. (The New York Times)
 
Peter Beaumont says Netanyahu might ultimately agree to Kerry’s plan because of his narrowed room of maneuverability. (The Gulf News)
 
Jonathan Schanzer says the balance of power in the Middle East is getting increasingly difficult to determine. (Foreign Policy) 

Faisal Al Yafai says Pres. Obama is focused on disengaging from the Middle East. (The National) 

Hassan Hassan says the Muslim Brotherhood was never "moderate," even though many Western academics claimed they were. (The National) 

Nervana Mahmoud says Gen. Sisi must focus on stabilizing the country if he becomes the next president. (Al-Monitor) 
 
Mshari Al-Zaydi criticizes former Pres. Morsi for the contempt of court that he showed in his trial. (Asharq Alawsat)
 
Gareth Smyth says Iran’s own reality is a major obstacle to realizing its economic goals. (The Daily Star) 

The Gulf News says Qatar must restrain cleric Qaradawi. (The Gulf News)
 
The Gulf News says the US should consider the interests of the other parties in its deal with Iran. (The Gulf News)
 
The Wall Street Journal says the US should help the “good Arab model” in Tunisia. (The Wall Street Journal)
 
Hussein Ibish asks if Libya's recent soccer victory could help reunite the country. (NOW)

NEWS:
 
Israeli occupation authorities approve 600 new settlement housing units in occupied East Jerusalem. (AP/Ha'aretz/Jerusalem Post)
 
Israeli occupation authorities demolish several Palestinian homes in the West Bank. (Ma’an)
 
Israeli occupation forces injure two in a raid on a Palestinian camp in the West Bank. (Xinhua/Ma’an)
 
A new document exposes divisions and disagreements within Hamas. (YNet)
 
The PA approves a $4 billion annual budget. (Xinhua)
 
Israel rejects a US-Palestinian proposal to revive a committee to monitor incitement. (Ha'aretz)

Jordan is worried about the fallout from Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. (AP/Xinhua)
 
Israel is considering a bill annexing all Jewish settlements in the occupied territories. (Ha'aretz)
 
Israel security chief says Palestinian extremism is born primarily from economic hardship. (Xinhua)
 
Israel arrests a Palestinian man accused of links to Al Qaeda and possessing biological weapons. (Ha'aretz)
 
Israeli authorities say they have thwarted a planned terrorist attack on a wedding by Palestinian extremists. (Jerusalem Post)
 
Three Israeli settlers are indicted for "price tag attacks" against Palestinians. (Ha'aretz)
 
The Red Cross is going to stop providing tents to homeless Palestinians in the Jordan Valley. (YNet)
 
Israel's chief negotiator Livni blasts condemnation of Sec. Kerry by her cabinet colleagues. (AP)
 
Extremist Israeli rabbis say Kerry has "declared war on God."
(Jerusalem Post/Times of Israel)
 
Israelis and Palestinians are feeling increasing pressure from Kerry's initiative. (Xinhua)
 
Jewish-American groups are keeping a low profile on Kerry's initiative. (JTA)
 
Some settlement company CEOs are not losing any sleep over potential boycotts. (JTA)
 
An anti-boycott bill that passed the New York State Senate is stalled in the Assembly. (JTA)
 
Israel's central bank chief is optimistic about the integration of the "Arab sector" into the country's economy. (Ha'aretz)

Syrian unrest is spilling into Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. (Ma’an)
 
Pres. Abbas sponsors the wedding of 100 couples in Gaza. (Xinhua)
 
Gaza farmers are turning to growing herbs for a living. (AP)
 
A UN report details the abuse of children during Syrian war. (New York Times)
 
Syrian forces bomb a mosque, killing 11 people. (AP)
 
Large numbers of Syrian refugees are stuck on the Turkish border. (Reuters)
 
US intelligence chief Clapper says Pres. Assad has strengthened his grip on power. (New York Times)
 
US representative to the Syrian opposition Ford is retiring. (New York Times)
 
Bombings in central Baghdad killed 22 people. (AP)
 
Oil shipments from Iraq to Jordan are halted due to security concerns. (Reuters)
 
Eight are killed in a shootout between Tunisian security forces and extremists. (AP)
 
Libya says all its chemical weapons have been destroyed. (AP)
 
12 are injured in an attack on an elementary school in Libya. (Xinhua)
 
Bahrain increases the penalties for insulting the king. (Reuters)
 
Egypt summons representatives from Qatar and Bosnia due to pro-Morsi statements. (Xinhua)
 
Former Pres. Morsi's trial resumes. (Xinhua)
 
King Abdullah of Jordan embarks on a trip to the US and Mexico. (Xinhua)
 
Kerry has completed a first whirlwind year as Secretary of State. (AP/AFP)

COMMENTARY:
 
Peter Beinart questions the actual commitment of mainstream pro-Israel American groups to a two-state solution. (Ha’aretz)

Thomas Friedman says a third intifada is already underway in the form of nonviolent resistance and boycotts. (The New York Times)

Ali Ibrahim says the ongoing peace talks represent the last chance for the
Palestinians and Israel to end this conflict. (Asharq Alawsat)
 
Carter Eskew says his sources tell him that Obama appreciates Kerry’s drive and initiative. (The Washington Post)
 
David Gardner says the ongoing Israeli settlements are killing any idea of establishing a viable Palestinian state. (The Gulf News)
 
The Gulf News says the Palestinians should rely on a UN force as a buffer between Israel and a future Palestinian state. (The Gulf News)
 
David Horovitz says the newly launched Arabic site of “The Times of Israel” will illuminate “Israel’s democracy.” (The Times of Israel)

Ben Caspit says Israeli security officials recognize “historic” changes in Iran. (Al-Monitor)
 
The Jordan Times says the US should start talking to the Syrian regime to end the war. (The Jordan Times) 

Peter Millett says Assad has to leave power. (The Jordan Times)
 
Madawi Al-Rasheed questions the effectiveness of the new Saudi anti-terror law intended to prevent Saudis from joining the war in Syria and elsewhere. (Al-Monitor)
 
The Washington Post says the US must demand the release of detained journalists in Egypt. (The Washington Post)
 
Wael Nawara says the American “Working Group on Egypt” offered the wrong advice. (Al-Monitor)