News:

Pres. Obama will meet with Pres. Abbas to discuss peace talks. (AP/New York Times/AFP/Ha’aretz/The National)

Sec. Kerry urges Abbas to make “tough decisions” on peace. (Reuters/AFP) 

Pres. Peres says Abbas is a true partner for peace. (Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

DM Ya’alon says a peace agreement with Palestinians is unreachable unless they recognize Israel as a “Jewish state.” (Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Hamas prevents supporters of Fatah from holding a demonstration in Gaza in solidarity with Abbas. (New York Times/Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces raid a Jerusalem neighborhood, detaining eight Palestinians. (Ma’an)

Extremist settlers uproot 55 olive trees in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces remove a Palestinian flag from a Hebron roof. (Ha’aretz)

Gaza’s power plant resumes operations after Israel allows fuel deliveries into the Gaza strip. (Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Lebanon sends its army to the Syrian border as rebels flee Syria. (AP)

The Syrian army reportedly ousts rebels from the key city of Yabroud. (AP/Reuters/New York Times)

The Syrian opposition is reportedly willing to trade land in Golan for Israeli military support. (Ha’aretz)

Pres. Mansour says the Egyptian general public opposes the inclusion of the Muslim Brotherhood in the political process. (AP)

Gunmen kill six Egyptian soldiers at an army checkpoint in Cairo. (AP/The National)

US delivers Hellfire missiles and munitions to Iraq. (AP)

US Naval forces seize control of a rogue Libyan oil tanker. (BBC)

Commentary:

Aaron David Miller says Abbas and PM Netanyahu face five huge hurdles on peace with Israel. (CNN)

Jackson Diehl says Obama’s double standards could doom peace talks. (Washington Post)

Robert Satloff says by refusing to recognize Israel as a “Jewish state,” Abbas is denying something even Yasser Arafat was willing to accept. (Foreign Policy)

Ha’aretz says Kerry is right that Netanyahu’s “Jewish state” demand is “unnecessary.” (Ha’aretz)

Shlomo Ben-Ami says giving up on a “united Jerusalem” is the only way to secure the city’s eternal status. (Jordan Times)

Elliott Abrams and Uri Sadot say the significance of Israeli settlement activity depends on whether they are building inside or outside the major blocs. (Washington Post)

Jeff Barak says Labor Party leader Herzog is Israel’s man for the future. (Jerusalem Post)

Ami Gluska asks if there could be an Arab-Israeli president. (Ha’aretz)

Moshe Arens says the Iron Dome system will never be able to provide 100 percent protection. (Ha’aretz)

Hussein Ibish says, despite liberal foreign policy aspirations, force still trumps diplomacy. (The National)

H.A. Hellyer says the international community must choose whether to let Syria suffer for generations. (Al Arabiya)

Ahmed Jarba says the Syrian people will not give up on their dreams of freedom and dignity. (Al Arabiya)

Abdul Rahman al Rashed says the fall of Yabrud exemplifies Iran’s success in leading the war in Syria. (Al Arabiya)

Rami Khouri says Syria is a mirror in which the Arab world sees itself. (Daily Star)

The Daily Star asks why the Lebanese people are not jolted into action by the failure of their political system. (Daily Star)

David Hearst says there is now open diplomatic warfare between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. (Huffington Post)

Mustafa Hashem says Egyptian youth are growing more disillusioned. (Daily Star)

Haider Saeed and Majid Rafizadeh debate if Iraq can escape Iran’s sphere of influence. (Asharq al Awsat)

News:

Sec. Kerry says Israel’s insistence on demanding the Palestinians recognize Israel as a “Jewish state” is a mistake. (PNN/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Pres. Abbas says the Palestinians were not asked to extend the peace talks. (Xinhua)

PM Cameron announces British investments in Palestinian businesses. (Jerusalem Post)

A poll indicates that Israelis consider peace with the Arab world more important than recognition as a “Jewish state.”(Ha’aretz)

Gaza rockets persist despite the truce with Israel. (Reuters/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/The National)

Egypt reportedly “intentionally” bypassed Hamas and negotiated directly with Islamic Jihad on the Gaza ceasefire. (Ma’an)

A three-year-old Palestinian child dies due to the closure of the Rafah crossing. (Ma’an)

Gaza is hit by the worst economic crisis since Hamas seized power. (AP)

Peace Now releases a satirical video of politicians and activists dressed up as “right wingers.” (Ha’aretz)

Bethlehem activists give Abbas money to help the Palestinian refugees in Yarmouk. (Ma’an)

“BDS” activists will release a smartphone app to help people boycott Israel. (Ha’aretz/Ynet)

FM al-Moallem is rushed to a Lebanese hospital. (AP)

The new Syrian presidential election law would exclude most opposition leaders. (Reuters)

UN Envoy Brahimi says an election in Syria will not help the peace talks. (Reuters/New York Times)

Former Gen. Shafik calls promise of free elections in Egypt a “farce.” (New York Times)

Egypt summons European envoys over human rights criticisms. (Xinhua)

An international meeting in Baghdad vows to fight terrorism. (Xinhua)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish argues Israel’s “Jewish state”’ demand turns the clock back before the PLO’s 1993 recognition of Israel. (Ha’aretz)

Amos Harel asks if Israel will invade Gaza again. (Foreign Policy)

The Jerusalem Post says Hamas’s weakness presents unique opportunities for Israel. (Jerusalem Post)

The National says water has a key role in peace and stability in the Middle East. (The National)

Elliott Abrams and Uri Sadot say "the critical figure to monitor is the number of Israeli houses built outside such blocs in areas intended for the future state of Palestine." (Washington Post)

Ha’aretz says Israel’s real leader and navigator is Economy Minister Bennett. (Ha’aretz)

Joseph Nye says Pres. Obama faces a moral dilemma in Syria: prudence or indifference. (Daily Star)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed asks why people are praising Jabhat Al-Nusra for releasing kidnaped nuns in Syria. (Al Arabiya)

David Ignatius says the US needs an alternate strategy for strengthening Syrian moderates. (Washington Post)

John Glaser says the Syrian and Ukrainian conflicts are not related. (Daily Star)

Alan Philps says the crisis in Crimea is bound to affect the Middle East. (The National)

Alaa Al Aswany says, for the first time, Egyptians are seeing their leader ridiculed on television while still in power. (New York Times)

The Christian Science Monitor says Turkey’s protests represent a spontaneous uprising for individual freedoms and honest government. (Christian Science Monitor)

News:

The Gaza-Israel escalation threatens the current cease-fire. (AP/Reuters/Washington Post/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Abbas calls on Israel to halt the escalation in Gaza. (AFP/Ynet)

FM Lieberman says Israel should retake Gaza. (Xinhua)

Islamic Jihad issues a warning video in Hebrew, urging Israelis to leave the country. (Ha’aretz)

Israel closes the Gaza crossing in response to the rocket attacks. (Xinhua)

A Palestinian official says Egypt is attempting to broker a truce between Israel and Gaza. (Jerusalem Post)

The EU warns of “serious consequences” for Middle East security if Gaza’s problems are not addressed. (AFP)

PM Cameron calls for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. (Xinhua)

Cameron will meet with Abbas in the occupied West Bank to discuss peace talks. (Times of Israel)

Israel passes a law requiring a national referendum to approve any further withdrawal from occupied East Jerusalem. (AP/JTA)

Sec. Kerry says mistrust between Israel and Palestine is higher than ever. (PNN/Jerusalem Post)

Israel may halt prisoner release if peace talks fail with the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

Israeli occupation forces order a Palestinian resident in Hebron to remove a Palestinian flag from his house. (Ha’aretz)

Gunmen attack an army bus in Cairo, killing one soldier. (AP/Reuters)

The UAE summons the Iraqi Ambassador over charges of Gulf funding of terrorism. (Reuters/Xinhua)

PM Maliki warns that violence from the Syrian war could spillover into the West. (AP)

Commentary:

Aaron David Miller says Amb. Samuel Lewis was a man of uncommon judgement. (The Jewish Daily Forward)

Eyad Abu Shakra responds to Pres. Obama’s interview with Jeffrey Goldberg about the Middle East. (Asharq al Awsat)

Ha’aretz says Israel keeps its Arab citizens in municipal “ghettos,” rife with poverty and neglect. (Ha’aretz)

Peter Beinart says Kerry’s peace initiative should worry liberal Zionists. (Ha’aretz)

Yossi Klein says Israel avoids “looking into the mirror” to see the 2 million Palestinians in its midst. (Ha’aretz)

The Jerusalem Post says Israel and Jordan need to put the killing of a Jordanian judge behind them.(Jerusalem Post)

The Jordan Times says it is contrary to international law to kidnap nuns in Syria. (Jordan Times)

Andrew Harper says Jordan continues to set a regional example by continuing to accept refugees. (Jordan Times)

The Daily Star says some in the international community are happy with a “shortsighted” calculus of success in Syria. (Daily Star)

Michael Jansen says a devastated Syria divided among jihadist “emirs” is in no one’s interests.  (Jordan Times)

Saleh Muhammad says the Syrian Kurds need greater Western support. (Daily Star)

Michael Young says Lebanon’s vacuum should push all sides to compromise. (The National)

Abdallah Schleifer says the Egyptian army is involved in construction projects that are for the benefit of the general public. (Al Arabiya)

Michael Hanna says the Egyptian state has fragmented during the past three years. (Foreign Policy)

Jeffrey Goldberg says Qatar’s policies have managed to make him sympathetic to  Saudi Arabia.  (Bloomberg)

News:

PM Cameron will address the Knesset about how Israel and the Palestinians can benefit from peace. (Ha’aretz)

Israelis and Palestinians are disputing the next prisoner release. (Jerusalem Post)

PM Netanyahu expresses regret over the killing of a Jordanian judge. (AP/AFP/JTA)

PM Ensour says Israel is responsible for killing the judge. (Xinhua/Jordan Times)

Former US Ambassador to Israel Samuel Lewis passes away. (JTA/Times of Israel)

Palestinian shepherds are bitter at the rise of Israeli home demolitions. (Reuters)

Israeli occupation forces detain 13 Palestinians in the West Bank. (Ma’an)

Three Palestinians are killed in a house explosion in Gaza. (Xinhua)

A Norwegian cruise line drops Tunisia from its itinerary for refusing disembarkation of Israeli passengers. (JTA)

Pres. Assad visits displaced Syrians outside of Damascus.  (AP/Reuters)

UNRWA denies that an iconic photo of Palestinian refugees in Yarmouk was faked. (New York Times)

A conference on Syria convenes in Tehran. (Xinhua)

Saudi Arabia will reportedly close down the offices of Al Jazeera. (Jerusalem Post)

Egypt detains thousands amid a crackdown on dissent. (Washington Post)

Pres. Rouhani will visit Oman in his first official trip to the Arab world. (AP/The National)

PM Zeidan is ousted by the Libyan parliament. (AP/Reuters)

The diplomatic rift within the GCC reportedly has no effect on a meeting of Gulf central bank governors. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Ephraim Sneh says if the Israelis and Palestinians are committed to peace, they can overcome the “four insurmountable issues.” (New York Times)

Zeev Maoz says Sec. Kerry’s peace initiative poses grave dangers to Israeli politicians. (Daily Star)

Seth Lipsky asks if the US is really an honest broker in the peace process. (Ha’aretz)

Donniel Hartman says the question of a “Jewish state” is Israel’s problem and not a Palestinian one. (Times of Israel)

Yossi Mekelberg says the alleged weapons shipment to Gaza is being used by Netanyahu to discredit Iran. (Al Arabiya)

The Jordan Times says Israel’s killing of a Jordanian judge is “indefensible.” (Jordan Times)

Jonathan Stevenson says Pres. Obama should work with Iran to solve the conflict in Syria. (New York Times)

Susannah George says opposition leader Jamal Maalouf is the most effective opponent to Syria’s radical Islamists. (Foreign Policy)

Ali Ibrahim praises Gen. Sisi’s realistic approach to Egypt’s economic crisis. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Mohammed Habash says sectarian forces in the Middle East show no sign of retreat. (The National)

Rami Khouri says Libya and Yemen are threatened by state disintegration. (Daily Star)

News:

Fatah endorses Pres. Abbas’ refusal to recognize Israel as a “Jewish state.” (AFP)

PM Netanyahu says Palestinian intransigence reduces prospects for peace. (Jerusalem Post)

A poll indicates that two thirds of Jewish Israelis do not trust Sec. Kerry on security. (Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

PM Cameron will make his first visit to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. (AP)

Israeli soldiers kill a Jordanian judge at the Allenby crossing under disputed circumstances. (Jordan Times/AFP/Ha’aretz)

An Israeli airstrike kills three alleged Gaza militants. (AP/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Five Palestinians are injured in clashes with Israeli occupation forces in Ramallah. (Ma’an)

Israel approves a change to the electoral law that raises the ballet threshold for Knesset seats. (Reuters/Ha’aretz)

Jewish “price tag” extremists vandalize 19 cars in an Israeli Arab town. (Ha’aretz/JTA)

Israel watches warily as Hezbollah gains battle skills in Syria. (New York Times)

The UN says 2.8 million Syrian children are out of school. (AP)

An Egyptian court orders the release on bail of a right-hand man to former Pres. Mubarak. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says the main impact of Israel’s “Jewish state” demand is to negate the Palestinian recognition of Israel in 1993. (Now)

Khaled Diab says the Al Aqsa Mosque/Temple Mount is once again triggering a crisis between Muslims and Jews. (Ha’aretz)

Moshe Arens asks why Israel should leave “Judea and Samaria.” (Ha’aretz)

The Jordan Times says the Jordanian government should be proactive in dealing with the Syrian refugee crisis. (Jordan Times)

The Daily Star says the international community has double standards when it comes to Syria. (Daily Star)

H.A. Hellyer says banning the Muslim Brotherhood won’t make it go away. (Al Arabiya)

Hassan Barari says antagonizing Qatar is not in the best interests of Jordan. (Jordan Times)

Diana Moukalled says the Iraqi draft law strips some women of their rights and legalizes the marriage of nine-year-old girls. (Al Arabiya)

Khairallah Khairallah says the US has no right to be surprised by anything that happens in Iraq. (Al Arabiya)

Doyle McManus asks if Pres. Obama’s “downsizing” of US foreign policy has gone too far. (Los Angeles Times)

News:

Pres. Abbas says he will not recognize Israel as a “Jewish State.” (AP)

Sec. Kerry meets with King Abdullah of Jordan to discuss peace talks. (AP/Reuters/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Obama may be playing “bad cop” against Kerry’s “good cop” with PM Netanyahu. (New York Times)

The EU reassures Israel over relations despite its opposition to West Bank settlements. (The Jerusalem Post)

The Vatican denies reports that the Pope will cancel his visit to the “Holy Land” in May. (The Jerusalem Post)

The US House of Representatives passes a bill declaring Israel to be a “major strategic partner." (The Jerusalem Post/JTA)

Israeli forces detain four Palestinians in raids across occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

A PA official says Israel refuses to let Palestinian refugees from Syria relocate to the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

An Israeli-Palestinian business coalition urges for peace. (Times of Israel)

The PA will invite international companies to bid for petroleum exploration in the occupied West Bank. (Xinhua)

50,000 Palestinian residents of Jerusalem have been without water for the past three days. (Ha’aretz)

Syrian activists say at least 17 rebels have been killed in Yabroud. (AP)

Saudi Arabia designates the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. (Reuters)

Following several Gulf States, Egypt withdraws its Ambassador from Qatar. (New York Times)

PM Erdogan threatens to ban Facebook and YouTube in Turkey. (Reuters/AFP)

A senior Iranian official says the nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 are “substantive and useful.” (Reuters)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says the tragedy at Yarmouk underscores the urgent need for Palestinian statehood. (Foreign Affairs)

Ha’aretz says recognizing Israel is enough to ask of Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

Ori Nir asks when Jewish Americans will become a force for peace. (Ha’aretz)

Oren Kessler says the current Palestinian leadership has no incentive to make a deal with Israel.  (Foreign Policy)

Aaron Miller says Israel’s seizure of an Iranian cargo ship carrying weapons should be a “wake-up call.” (Foreign Policy)

Ahmad Majdoubeh says the Obama administration’s assertive diplomacy in the Middle East is right and should be given the chance to succeed. (Jordan Times)

Abdullah Hamidaddin says the current diplomatic confrontation between Qatar and three Gulf States is not the real crisis the GCC is facing. (Al Arabiya)

The Daily Star says Qatar now risks isolation in the Arab world. (Daily Star)

Bakir Oweida says Muslims are facing the threat of a growing “ISIS tumor.”  (Asharq al-Awsat)

Gareth Smyth says the long-standing argument between Iran and Israel results from ideology rather than national interests. (Daily Star)

Bassem Youssef says the Egyptian “discovery” of an AIDS cure is a manifestation of extreme ignorance. (Al Arabiya)

News:

In a speech at AIPAC, PM Netanyahu demands Pres. Abbas recognize Israel as a “Jewish state.”(Reuters/New York Times/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Obama will ask Abbas to accept a framework agreement and extend peace talks.(Ha’aretz/Ynet)

The PA accuses Netanyahu of wasting time and “thwarting US peace efforts.” (Times of Israel/JTA)

A UN report says 300,000 Palestinians live in Area C of the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz)

Israel tightens control over key areas in the occupied West Bank. (AP)

Former Israeli and Palestinian negotiators plea for a two-state solution at Tel Aviv University. (Ynet)

Israeli naval forces raid a ship and seize rockets from Iran allegedly destined for Gaza.(AP/Reuters/Ha’aretz)

FM Lieberman accuses Arab MKs of representing the positions of Hamas. (Ha’aretz/JTA)

Hamas says Egypt is no longer impartial in resolving its political split with Fatah. (Ma’an)

Gaza public employees demand Hamas to pay them full salaries. (AP)

Israeli occupation forces impose a curfew on two villages in the West Bank. (Ma’an)

Palestinian farmers detain an Israeli settler after they caught him uprooting olive trees in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an/PNN)

11 Arab Israeli MKs threaten to resign from the Knesset if a electoral “reform” bill is passed. (Jerusalem Post)

The Israeli army fires at militants along the Syrian border. (AP/New York Times)

Syria accuses Israel of targeting its forces. (AP)

The UN says all world powers are responsible for failing to stop the war crimes in Syria. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain recall their ambassadors from Qatar. (AP/Reuters/The National)

Lebanon’s political crisis sinks the nation into more debt. (AP)

Western powers pressure Iran to reveal all its nuclear research. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Barak Ravid says settlers should be concerned by Netanyahu’s AIPAC speech. (Ha’aretz)

Ron Ben-Yishai says Netanyahu’s AIPAC speech was weak, predictable and conventional. (Ynet)

Aaron Miller says Obama will not and cannot pressure Netanyahu on peace. (Foreign Policy)

Ha’aretz says the current Israeli government has no intention of reaching an agreement with the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

The Daily Star says Hamas has failed the Palestinian people. (Daily Star)

Yossi Mekelberg says the Knesset debate about imposing Israeli sovereignty on Muslim holy places should be a “wakeup call” for all moderates to unite. (Al Arabiya)

Zvi Bar’el says Israel has “no city square” in which to protest. (Ha’aretz)

Jay Michaelson outline five reasons why their critics should talk to BDS supporters. (Jewish Daily Forward)

Tal Harris says unlike in Ukraine, Gaza’s people can only do so much to overturn the status quo. (Jerusalem Post)

Theodore Karasik says GCC countries see Qatar as returning to its “old tricks” and pursuing policies outside of the GCC framework. (Al Arabiya)

Gulf News says the death of an Emirati police officer and his Bahraini colleagues underlines the GCC’s commitment to defeat terrorism. (Gulf News)

Rami Khouri says art and culture should define the Middle East not killings and violence. (Daily Star)

The Jordan Times says Jordan and Morocco can teach each other about the path to democracy. (Jordan Times)

Ali Ibrahim says the crisis in Ukraine has become the global priority while the Middle East “retreats to the periphery.” (Asharq al Awsat)

News:

Pres. Obama says “tough choices” are nearing in the peace talks. (AP/AFP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

PM Netanyahu “pushes back” against Obama’s diplomacy. (Reuters/New York Times)

Pres. Abbas meets with Israeli politician Gal-On to discuss the future of the peace talks. (Xinhua/Ma’an/Ynet)

In a speech before AIPAC, Sec. Kerry says the peace process requires “tough choices for the two parties.” (Ha’aretz/PNN/Ynet/JTA)

International Relations Minister Steinitz says freezing settlement construction to extend peace talks is “not an option.”(Jerusalem Post)

Abbas says he will not extend peace talks without a settlement freeze and further prisoner releases. (AFP)

Israeli settlement construction more than doubled in 2013 compared to 2012. (AP/AFP/Ha’aretz)

An Israeli airstrike kills two Palestinian men in Gaza. (New York Times/Xinhua)

An Egyptian court bans all activities of Hamas in Egypt. (Reuters/AFP/The National)

The Knesset debates a bill that could threaten Arab representation in the body. (Ha’aretz)

Israeli Arab MKs will educate airport officials on “humiliation” in security checks.(Ha’aretz)

The OPCW says Syria has relinquished about a third of its chemical weapons. (Reuters)

The Syrian forces advance on a rebel-held town near Lebanon.(AP)

International powers will give Lebanon’s military an economic boost. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia calls on all foreign fighters to leave Syria. (AP)

Gen. Sisi gives a new sign indicating he may run for Egypt’s president. (AP/Reuters)

An Egyptian corruption investigator accuses officials of retaliation. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says Israel’s “PR problem” is actually a reaction to its indefensible policies. (Now)

Daniel Abraham asks what trust has to do with peace. (Jerusalem Post)

The Daily Star says the Palestinians must understand that the US is not concerned with their struggle to achieve statehood. (Daily Star)

Shimon Shiffer says as long as settlement construction increases, one can understand why the Palestinians are refusing to join the “Middle East peace dance.” (Ynet)

Henry Siegman says its time for the UN Security Council to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

Ha’aretz says Israel should stop force-feeding hunger striking prisoners. (Ha’aretz)

The New York Times says the EU is worried about the “long-term security threat” posed by European combatants returning from Syria. (New York Times)

Lorie Graham says the UN Security Council has an obligation to take “bolder action” in Syria. (Los Angeles Times)

Abdul Rahman al-Rashed says Obama’s decision not to invade Syria was wise but he should have supported the rebels. (Al Arabiya)

Hassan Hassan says the teachings of Abu Musab Al Suri could spark the rise of a more formidable generation of jihadists. (The National)

Diana Moukalled says the world has succeeded in making the death of Syrians “easy, cheap, and meaningless.” (Asharq al-Awsat)

Mona Alami says Jordanian jihadist fighters have come to play an important role in the Syrian conflict. (Daily Star)

Brooklyn Middleton says as Hezbollah becomes more entangled in the Syrian war, Israel becomes increasingly ready to strike back. (Al Arabiya)