News:

Pres. Abbas submits applications for Palestine to join 15 international conventions and agencies.(Reuters/New York Times/Ha’aretz)

Israeli Ministers warn of punitive action if the PLO pursues efforts to join international agencies. (AFP/Times of Israel)

Sec. Kerry vows to push peace talks forward but cancels his visit to Ramallah.(AP/PNN/Ha’aretz/The National)

US officials say Kerry feels he has “gone as far as he can” for Middle East peace.(Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

A Palestinian official says they do not want Kerry’s initiative to fail. (AP)

The Arab League calls for an emergency meeting on April 9th to discuss Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. (AFP)

Veteran Palestinian prisoners support Abbas’ applications. (Ma’an)

Israel publishes tenders for 708 settlement units in occupied East Jerusalem. (Xinhua/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Obama faces stiff opposition to freeing convicted spy Pollard. (Jerusalem Post/Reuters/Times of Israel)

The ex-wife of convicted spy Pollard urges the Israeli government to secure his release. (AP)

Hamas rejects the extension of the peace talks. (Ma’an/Jerusalem Post)

Israeli occupation forces detain 10 Palestinians in overnight West Bank raids. (Ma’an)

Extremist Jewish settlers assault Palestinian worshipers after they stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque. (PNN)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the death toll in the Syrian conflict has exceeded 150,000. (AP/The National)

An Egyptian police officer is killed in a bombing outside Cairo University. (Reuters/AP)

Parliamentary election campaigns start in Iraq. (AP/AFP)

Commentary:

Osama Al Sharif says Abbas will probably accept an extension to the peace talks. (Jordan Times)

Bassem Khoury says the PLO’s unanimous vote to resume efforts at international recognition means roles have changed. (Ha’aretz)

Yossi Mekelberg says Israel has to bear more of the responsibility for the failure of the peace talks. (Al Arabiya)

The New York Times says releasing convicted spy Pollard is a bad idea. (New York Times)

The Washington Post says the US should refrain from releasing Pollard. (Washington Post)

The Los Angeles Times says the US should not try to salvage the peace talks by releasing Pollard. (Los Angeles Times)

The Jewish Daily Forward says pardoning Pollard is “unwise.” (Jewish Daily Forward)

Aaron David MIller says releasing Pollard will not save the peace process. (Time)

Dennis Ross says Pollard’s release seems to be justified. (Time)

Peter Feaver asks if releasing a convicted spy will help the US secure Middle East peace. (Foreign Policy)

Ruth Marcus says the US should free Pollard. (Washington Post)

Anshel Pfeffer says if Pollard is released Israel should not accord him a hero’s welcome. (Ha’aretz)

Matthew Kalman says yesterday’s appeal by Abbas’ to international bodies to recognize the state of Palestine is a “masterstroke.” (Ha’aretz)

Rami Khouri says Israel is facing a backlash in the US. (The Daily Star)

Khaled Diab says ending the Gaza blockade is both the “principled and pragmatic” thing to do. (The National)

Eyal Benvenisti says FM Lieberman’s plan to transfer Arab areas to a future Palestinian state violates Israel’s basic obligation as a democratic state. (Ha’aretz)

Michael Young says Russia has kept Pres. Assad in power and now it’s stuck with him. (The National)

Manuel Almeida says the Assad regime is discrediting international law by exploiting every opportunity to use it in its favor. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Jonathan Schanzer and Emanuele Ottolenghi say PM Erdogan should be worried about how corruption allegations will damage Turkey’s standing in the West. (Foreign Policy)