October 14th

News:

UNSG Ban says the destruction in Gaza is “beyond description.”(Reuters/AFP/PNN/Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu urges Ban to prevent the Palestinians from taking unilateral diplomatic measures at the UN. (AFP)

British lawmakers vote in favor of recognizing the State of Palestine. (AP/JTA/Times of Israel/The National) 

The PA welcomes the British Parliament's vote in favor of a Palestinian state. (Jerusalem Post)

UK Amb. to Israel Gould says British public opinion is shifting against Israel. (AP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Israel says vote by the British parliament in favor of recognizing a Palestinian staterisks undermining the prospects for peace. (AFP/JTA/Times of Israel)

A Palestinian official says construction material will enter Gaza today. (Ma’an/PNN/Times of Israel)

Jewish extremist settlers torch a mosque near Nablus. (Ma’an/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Pres. Rivlin condemns “price tag” attack on mosque. (Ynet)

Russia says it will back a UNSC resolution that would set a timetable for the establishment of a Palestinian state. (Times of Israel)

A poll indicates two thirds of Israelis want women involved in peace talks. (Ha’aretz)

Pres. Obama will meet with defense chiefs from more than 20 nations participating in the fight against ISIS. (AP)

The US-led coalition launches several airstrikes on positions of ISIS extremists in northern and eastern Syria. (AP)

Turkish warplanes have struck suspected Kurdish rebel positions in southeastern Turkey. (AP/Reuters/Washington Post)

Many injured Syrian Kurds are dying stranded on the Turkish border. (Reuters)

The KRG says it has provided military assistance to the Syrian Kurdish forces battling ISIS. (Reuters)

Two high ranking Syrian security chiefs are fired after protests by Pres. Assad loyalists. (Reuters)

ISIS seizes its third Iraqi army base in Anbar. (Washington Post)

Reuters looks at how Mosul fell to ISIS from the perspective of an Iraqi general. (Reuters)

Amnesty International says Iraqi Shiites are retaliating against Sunni civilians. (AP)

Commentary:

The National says Palestinians in Gaza need peace. (The National)

The Jordan Times says Palestinians should be granted the right to live in peace and security in their own state. (Jordan Times)

Anshel Pfeffer says the British vote to recognize the state of Palestine is a “symbolic gesture.“ (Ha’aretz)

Raphael Ahren says the British vote makes it increasingly difficult for Israel to argue against such unilateral moves. (Times of Israel)

David Horovitz says Israel’s international standing is undermined by the issue of settlements. (Times of Israel)

Ha’aretz says Pres. Sisi’s speech burst Netanyahu’s and FM Lieberman’s bubble. (Ha’aretz)

Joseph Dana says the fight in Kobani is forcing Turkey to step up its fight against ISIS. (The National)

The Daily Star says the anti-ISIS coalition is “too little too late.” (Daily Star)

Raed Omari looks at the question of implementing a no-fly zone in Syria. (Al Arabiya)

Eugene Robinson says the US-led anti-ISIS coalition is failing. (Washington Post)

Jamal Khashoggi says VP Biden’s apologies are irrelevant. (Al Arabiya)

October 13th

News:
 
International donors pledge $5.4 billion for Gaza reconstruction. (AP/New York Times/AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz)
 
PM Hamdallah urges donor nations to honor their pledges to help rebuild Gaza. (AP/Reuters)
 
The US pledged $212 million in immediate assistance to the people of Gaza. (AP/Washington Post/PNN)
 
Pres. Abbas and Sec. Kerry discuss Gaza reconstruction and peace process in their meeting in Cairo. (Ma’an)
 
FM Fabius says France will host a joint meeting with the Palestinian unity government in Paris at the beginning of 2015. (Times of Israel)
 
UNSG Ban will visit Gaza on Tuesday. (AFP)
 
Abbas will reportedly visit Gaza in the coming weeks. (The Media Line)
 
British lawmakers will hold a non-binding vote on recognizing Palestine. (AFP/Reuters/The National)
 
PM Cameron will abstain from the Palestine recognition vote. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)
 
Israeli police push Palestinian protesters into the Al-Aqsa mosque and lock them inside to clear Jewish visitors at Temple Mount. (JTA/Ha’aretz)
 
Ban condemns “provocations” at Jerusalem’s holy sites. (New York Times/Ma’an/PNN/Times of Israel) 
 
Reuters looks at the possible war crime Israel committed this summer. (Reuters)
 
NSA Rice plays basketball with young Israelis and Palestinians in the White House. (Ha’aretz)
 
The US says Turkey has agreed to let the anti-ISIS coalition use its military bases. (AP/New York Times/The National)
 
Gen. Dempsey says the US used attack helicopters near Baghdad. (AP/Reuters/New York Times)
 
An ISIS suicide bomber detonates a truck laden with explosives near the Syria-Turkey border. (Reuters/AP)
 
FM Al-Faisal says Iran must withdraw its “occupying forces” from Syria. (AFP)
 
ISIS extremists admit to enslaving Yazidi women. (Washington Post/The National)
 
Egyptian police storm two universities to quell anti-government protests by students. (AP)
 
Commentary:
 
Barak Ravid says Pres. Sisi’s message to PM Netanyahu is, the road to Riyadh goes through Ramallah. (Ha’aretz)
 
J.J. Goldberg asks if Israel is abandoning its commitment to a two-state solution. (Jewish Daily Forward)
 
The Daily Star says the US faces “hard choices” on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. (Daily Star) 
 
Elhanan Miller says Israelis living near Gaza want an agreement with the Palestinians. (Times of Israel)
 
Avraham Burg says the Palestinian statehood bid is a necessary step in the only direction that is not violent. (Ha’aretz)
 
Ha’aretz says the right has turned Israel into a “hopeless place.” (Ha’aretz)
 
Hussein Ibish says the US will be forced to declare one of its goals in Syria is regime change. (The National)
 
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed explains why Turkey is silent over Syria. (Al Arabiya)
 
Tariq Alhomayed says the US is losing the race against time to ISIS. (Asharq al-Awsat)
 
Lorenzo Kamel looks at the history behind the modern states of Iraq and Syria. (The National)
 
Amer Al Sabaileh says the plan to fight terrorism only militarily will lead to a long period of chaos and instability in the region. (Jordan Times)
 
Rami Khouri says Americans are asking the right questions about the war against ISIS. (Daily Star)
 
Jake Flanagin says Kurdish women are making strides toward equality in their fight against ISIS. (New York Times)

October 10th

News:
 
Extremist jewish settlers burn and damage olive trees on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)
 
Israeli police restrict the entry of Muslim men to the Al-Aqsa mosque. (JTA/Times of Israel)
 
UNRWA will make its largest ever financial plea to donors for Gaza aid. (Ma’an/AFP)
 
Palestinian Christian leaders urge the EU to recognize the State of Palestine. (PNN/Ha’aretz)
 
Hamas wants to exchange bodies of two Israeli soldiers for Palestinian security detainees. (Ynet/Times of Israel)
 
Israeli Brig. Gen. Padan says this summer’s Gaza war was a heavy blow to Hamas. (Ha’aretz)
 
The US-led coalition is intensifying its aerial bombardment of ISIS positions in the Syrian border town of Kobani. (AP/The National)
 
The UN is concerned about the fate of 500 civilians trapped in Kobani. (AP) 
 
Turkey finds itself in a quandary regarding fighting in Syria. (Reuters/AP/The National)
 
Turkey wants the creation of a buffer zone on the border with Syria. (New York Times)
 
Sec. Hagel says the US wants to use a Turkish air base and have it help train and equip  moderate Syrian opposition forces. (AP)
 
AP looks at how two french girls were lured to “jihad.” (AP)
 
Tunisia’s Ennahda party is ready to form another coalition government with its secular rivals. (Reuters)
 
Jordan and the EU establish a framework for future cooperation in the field of migration and mobility. (Jordan Times)
 
Commentary:
 
Ben Caspit says Pres. Abbas is on the verge of a Security Council majority. (Al-Monitor)
 
Jack Khoury says its time for Fatah and Hamas to rebuild their relationship. (Ha’aretz)
 
Oded Eran and Gidon Bromberg say the acute shortage of drinking water in Gaza poses dire health hazards. (Times of Israel)
 
Alan Philps says everyone but Israel is expected to pay for the reconstruction of Gaza. (The National)
 
The Daily Star says the Obama administration has no coherent strategy on Syria and Iraq. (Daily Star)
 
The National says airstrikes alone cannot stop ISIS. (The National)
 
David Ignatius says limited war is rarely successful. (Washington Post)
 
Sinem Cengiz says Turkey’s inaction in the fight against ISIS is due to complicated geopolitics of the region. (Al Arabiya)
 
Abdallah Schleifer says Pres. Sisi avoided committing armed forces to fighting ISIS because of instability in Libya. (Al Arabiya)
 
Amal Mudallali says the Iranian sphere of influence is expanding into Yemen. (Foreign Policy)

October 9th

News:
 
PM Hamdallah convenes the first new PA government meeting in Gaza. (Reuters/AP/Ma’an/PNN/Ha’aretz)

 
Pres. Abbas says Israel is transforming the conflict into a religious war. (Ma’an)
 
Egypt says 30 foreign ministers and more than 50 delegations will participate in a Cairo conference on rebuilding Gaza. (Ma’an)
 
Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs al-Sheikh says reconstruction materials will enter Gaza next week. (Ma’an)
 
The US says Israel must play a role in rebuilding Gaza. (PNN/Ha’aretz/AFP)
 
Israeli occupation forces seize three acres of farm land near Bethlehem. (PNN)
 
Israel is increasingly targeting Palestinian children and teenagers in crackdowns on protests. (The National)
 
The City Council of Lille is freezing its sister city agreement with Safed to press Israel to end the conflict with the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)
 
The US-led coalition targets positions of ISIS near the Syrian border town of Kobani. (AP/Washington Post)
 
ISIS extremists seize more than a third of Kobani, despite airstrikes. (Reuters/New York Times)
 
The US and its allies are frustrasted by Turkish inaction on Syria. (AP/New York Times)
 
Turkish FM Cavusoglu says a ground operation in Kobani is unrealistic. (Reuters)
 
Pres. Obama says the US will keep making progress against ISIS in Syria and Iraq. (AP)
 
King Abdullah of Jordan meets with Gen. Allen in Amman. (Jordan Times)
 
The US is stepping up its fight to block ISIS volunteers from travelling to Syria and Iraq. (New York Times)
 
UNHCR says more funds are needed for the million of Syrian refugees in Turkey. (Reuters)
 
The UN says Jordan is refusing to let Syrian refugees cross the border. (New York Times)
 
Families are torn apart as more Western girls and women join jihadists in Syria and Iraq. (Reuters)
 
Iran reportedly denies entry to an American member of the IAEA. (Reuters/AP)
 
A suicide bombing in Yemen kills at least 50 people. (AP)
 
Commentary:
 
Hussein Ibish says Hisham Melhem is right about the collapse of Arab societies, but there is a need and basis for hope. (Now)
 
Faisal Al Yafai says frustration and alienation alone cannot explain the allure of jihad. (The National)
 
Asher Schechter imagines what a one-state Israel would look like. (Ha’aretz)
 
The Daily Star says Turkey is manipulating the battle of Kobani as part of a geopolitical struggle. (Daily Star)
 
The New York Times says Turkey’s refusal to fight ISIS is hurting the Kurds. (New York Times)
 
Sinan Ulgen says by refusing to aid the Syrian Kurds, Turkey's leaders are alienating allies and derailing the peace process at home. (New York Times)
 
Michael Young says the US must accept that for three years they neglected Syria and allowed the situation to deteriorate to the point where they have to intervene today.  (Daily Star)
 
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says the US must choose between Iran and the rest of the Arab world in the fight against ISIS. (Al Arabiya)
 
UAE FM bin Zayed says defeating extremism will be a long and complex ideological struggle. (The National)
 
Manal Omar says the US-led coalition should defeat  both ISIS and Pres. Assad. (Foreign Policy)
 
Firas Maksad says the Druze community in Syria is influential because it is equidistant from the dictatorship and extremist opposition groups. (Foreign Affairs)
 
Joyce Karam says VP Biden should apologize to the people of Kobani. (Al Arabiya)
 

Michael Young says Lebanon can serve as a model for the Arab world. (The National)

October 8th

News:
 
Palestinian protesters and Israeli police clash at the Al Aqsa mosque. (AP/Ma’an/PNN/Ha’aretz)
 
PM Netanyahu orders a clampdown on Palestinian protests in Jerusalem. (The National)
 
The EU will reportedly reassess its ties with Israel if there is no movement on peace with the Palestinians. (Times of Israel)
 
FM Lieberman says Sweden’s possible recognition of Palestine does not advance peace. (Times of Israel)
 
Egypt reopens the Rafah crossing. (Ma’an)
 
Gaza’s farming and livestock is destroyed by the recent war with Israel. (Ha’aretz)
 
The State Department is bringing 30 Palestinian and Israeli youth basketballcoaches to the US to foster understanding. (JTA)
 
Israel fires artillery into Lebanon in response to an Hezbollah attack. (AP)
 
Hezbollah says the border attack which wounded two Israeli soldiers was a message that the group remains ready to confront Israel. (Reuters/New York Times/Ha’aretz) 
 
ISIS extremists shoot down an Iraqi military attack helicopter, killing two pilots. (AP/New York Times)
 
Iraqi Sunni tribesmen are joining Shi’ites in the war against ISIS. (The National)
 
Turkish inaction on ISIS is reportedly frustrating the US. (New York Times)
 
US-led airstrikes are pushing ISIS extremists back to the edges of the Kurdish town of Kobani. (Reuters/Washington Post)
 
Several Syrian rights groups call on the international community to save Kobani. (AP)
 
Canada’s parliament authorizes airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq. (AP/Reuters)
 
Investigators in Syria are searching for paper trails that could help build cases for war crime prosecutions. (New York Times)
 
Sec. Kerry is facing mounting domestic American political pressure regarding the P5+1 nuclear talks with Iran. (AP)
 
Commentary:
 
Rami Khouri says the Swedish move to recognize Palestine is both symbolic and substantive. (Daily Star)
 
David Stavrou says Sweden is not against Israel. (Ha’aretz)
 
J.J. Goldberg says Hamas knows it lost this summers war. (Jewish Daily Forward)
 
The Media Line interviews Palestine’s Mission Chief to the US, Maen Areikat. (The Media Line)
 
Ephraim Sneh says the current Israeli government does not want peace if the price is the evacuation of even a few settlements. (Al-Monitor)
 
Osama Al Sharif looks at Pres. Abbas’ diplomatic options. (Jordan Times)
 
Yossi Mekelberg looks at the rift between Pres. Obama and Netanyahu. (Al Arabiya)
 
Ron Kampeas says the US has no clear path back to Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. (JTA)
 
Shmuel Rosner says even though Israel has many enemies it must be open to legitimate criticism. (New York Times)
 
Anshel Pfeffer says Hezbollah’s border attack against Israeli soldiers was a forlorn attempt to redeem itself with the Lebanese public. (Ha’aretz)
 
Fredrick Logevall and Gordon Goldstein ask if the war in Syria will be Obama’s Vietnam. (New York Times)
 
The Washington Post says US-led airstrikes against ISIS are failing. (Washington Post)
 
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Hezbollah drew ISIS and Al-Nusra into Lebanon. (Al Arabiya)
 
Steven Cook says Turkey is still not ready for a war against ISIS. (Foreign Policy)
 
The National says Turkey is playing a “dangerous game” on ISIS. (The National)

October 7th

News:

American officials condemn PM Netanyahu’s “American values” comment. (JTA/Ha’aretz) 

Sec. Kerry will attend Gaza reconstruction talks in Cairo. (Ha’aretz)

The PA approves a proposal for Gaza reconstruction. (Ma’an)

Hamas calls on Palestinians in Gaza to welcome PM Hamdallah and the unity government cabinet to the Strip. (Ma’an)

Families in Gaza weigh the prospect of moving from tents into cramped temporary trailers. (New York Times)

The US Supreme Court will decide whether US passport holders can have “Jerusalem, Israel” listed as their place of birth. (Ha’aretz)

An explosion near the Lebanese border wounds two Israeli soldiers. (AFP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Kurdish anti-ISIS protesters clash with police in Turkey and force their way into the European Parliament. (AP)

Pres. Erdogan says the Syrian border town of Kobani is about to fall to extremists from ISIS. (AP)

The US-led anti-ISIS coalition reportedly struck more targets in Syria. (New York Times/The National)

An American fighter has joined Kurdish forces in the battle against ISIS. (Reuters)

Dutch F-16s carry out their first airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq. (AFP)

The US military has begun using Apache helicopters against ISIS. (Reuters)

The Pentagon has spent up to $1.1 billion on operations against ISIS. (AP)

The US says Arab and European countries have carried out 10 percent of the airstrikes against ISIS. (The National)

ISIS extremists are using water as a weapon in Iraq. (Washington Post)

VP Biden will apologize to Saudi officials over remarks regarding ISIS. (New York Times)

The Egyptian army kills 16 militants from Ansar Beit al-Maqdis in Sinai. (Reuters/Times of Israel)

Pres. Rouhani calls for more academic freedom in Iran’s universities. (AP)

Commentary:

Peter Beinart says without a two-state solution, Americans will question Zionism.  (Ha’aretz)

Raphael Ahren looks at the views of northern European countries on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Times of Israel)

Frederick and Kimberly Kagan say US strategy against ISIS needs more boots on the ground. (Los Angeles Times)

Stephen Blackwell says China can’t avoid playing a role in the containment of ISIS. (The National)

Gopal Ratnam says the substance of Biden’s remarks about ISIS funding match up with what the US intelligence community has known for some time. (Foreign Policy)

Jamal Khashoggi says liberal democracy is the solution for Yemen and other Arab republics. (Al Arabiya)

David Ignatius reviews Leon Panetta’s new book. (Washington Post)

October 6th

News:

The Palestinian unity government will hold its first Cabinet meeting in Gaza this week. (AP/Ma’an/Jerusalem Post)
 
The Palestinian unity government releases its $4 billion reconstruction plan for Gaza. (PNN)
 
PM Netanyahu says White House criticism of Israeli settlements is “un-American.” (AP/JTA/Ha’aretz)
 
Palestinians in Gaza make a rare visit to Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa mosque for Eid al-Adha. (AFP/JTA/The National)
 
Israel’s Foreign Ministry protests to the Swedish government over its decision to recognize the Palestinian state. (Ha’aretz/Ynet/Jerusalem Post)
 
PLO official Ashrawi criticizes Israeli reaction to Sweden’s decision to recognize Palestine as a state. (Ma’an/PNN)
 
An Israeli court says the PA must compensate victims of a terrorist attack in 2001. (Ha’aretz)
 
Extremist jewish settlers uproot dozens of olive trees in the occupied West Bank. (Ynet)
 
Kurdish forces defend a Syrian town from ISIS near the Turkish border. (AP/Reuters/The National)
 
Former Pentagon Chief Panetta says fight against ISIS will be difficult and could last decades due to decisions made by Pres. Obama. (AFP)
 
Hezbollah kills 16 militants from the Al-Nusra Front. (Reuters/New York Times)
 
ISIS’ ammunition is shown to have origins in US and China. (New York Times)
 
VP Biden calls the crown prince of the UAE to clarify that he did not mean to imply that the Gulf ally was supporting al-Qaeda fighters in Syria. (AP/Reuters/Washington Post) 
 
The US is trying to counter ISIS’ efforts to lure alienated young American Muslims. (New York Times)
 
Qatar comes under further attack for allegedly funding extremists. (Washington Post)
 
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah says religious extremism is a perversion which must be eradicated. (Times of Israel)
 
IMF Chief Lagarde will attend Egypt’s investors conference. (AP)
 
Commentary:
 
Hussein Ibish says the US must ensure that Israel does not follow through on the plans for a game-changing new settlement. (The National)
 
Tala Haikal says the anti-ISIS coalition must emphasize rescuing women and girls. (The Hill)
 
Ali Jarbawi looks at Pres. Abbas UNGA speech. (New York Times)
 
Haviv Rettig Gur asks if this is the beginning of the end of the Abbas era. (Times of Israel)
 
Roger Cohen says slaughter in the Middle East cannot be an alibi for Israel to avoid self-scrutiny. (New York Times)
 
The National says “choking” ISIS funding is a vital strategy. (The National)
 
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Biden is echoing the statements of Iran and the Assad regime on ISIS. (Al Arabiya)
 
Tariq Alhomayed says Saudi Arabia and the UAE are acting in the interest of regional stability. (Asharq al-Awsat)
 
Khaled Almaeena says the Muslim world must protect its youth from ISIS and other extremist ideologies. (Al Arabiya)
 
Rami Khouri assesses the fragmentation of Arab states. (Daily Star)
 
Fayez Sara says international aid for the Syrian people is “too little and too late.”(Asharq al-Awsat)

October 3rd

News:
 
Sweden will recognize the State of Palestine. (Reuters) 
 
The British parliament will vote on whether to recognize the State of Palestine on October 13. (Ha’aretz)
 
The EU says new settlement plans in occupied East Jerusalem pose a threat to peace and its relations with Israel. (Reuters/AFP)
 
Sec. Kerry will meet with Pres. Abbas in Cairo later this month. (Ha’aretz)
 
PM Netanyahu says a Palestinian push to try Israeli officials for war crimes at a UN tribunal would end any chance of reaching a peace deal. (JTA)
 
Abbas will ask donor countries for $4 billion for Gaza reconstruction. (AP/AFP)
 
Palestine’s UN Amb. Mansour says if UN does not an impose a deadline to end the occupation, Palestine will join the ICC. (Ha’aretz)
 
Palestinian officials call on the US to pressure Israel. (The Media Line)
 
Israeli police are on high alert to avert possible clashes as Jews and Muslims prepare to observe their major holidays. (AP/AFP/Times of Israel)
 
Workers in all hospitals in Gaza launch a partial strike in protest against failure to pay salaries for the last five months. (Ma’an) 
 
Israeli occupation forces detain six Palestinians, including three children in East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)
 
The Global AgeWatch Index says the occupied West Bank and Gaza is the third worst place to grow old. (Times of Israel) 
 
Ayatollah al-Sistani calls upon PM al-Abadi to create a national security force that doesn't promote sectarianism. (AP)
 
Kurdish fighters defending a Syrian border town warn of a likely massacre by ISIS extremists. (Reuters)
 
Australia authorizes special forces troops to go to Iraq. (Reuters)
 
VP Biden says the US-led coalition against ISIS will face a “long fight.” (Reuters)
 
ISIS presses offensives in Syria and Iraq. (Washington Post)
 
A poll indicates two out of three Americans back US airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. (AP) 
 
Protests erupt in Homs over a bombing that killed dozens of Syrian children in a school. (New York Times)
 
Yazidis in Iraq hope to return to their homes. (AP)
 
King Abdullah of Jordan says Russia is vital in dealing with regional challenges. (Jordan Times)
 
Commentary:
 
Former Palestinian PM Fayyad proposes structural changes to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. (Foreign Affairs)
 
The National says Palestinians need to the win the “PR war” against Israel. (The National)
 
The New York Times says Netanyahu’s commitment to the two-state solution is hard to square with the pursuit of further settlements. (New York Times)
 
Barak Ravid looks at Netanyahu’s recent trip to the US. (Ha’aretz)
 
Ron Kampeas looks at Netanyahu’s relationship with Peace Now. (JTA)
 
Elhanan Miller looks at changes in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan. (Times of Israel)
 
Ami Ayalon says Israel should create a Marshall plan for Gaza. (Al-Monitor)
 
Yossi Sarid says Israel is “killing” Palestinian culture. (Ha’aretz)
 
The New York Times says ISIS stands alone in its deliberate, systematic and public savagery. (New York Times)
 
Colum Lynch says women and children are for sale under ISIS. (Foreign Policy)
 
Alan Philps says Iraq’s army needs leadership. (The National)
 
David Ignatius says foreign nations are treating Syria as a “playground.”(Washington Post)
 
Ahmed al-Attar says the success of the anti-ISIS coalition will rest on the ability to motivate local populations into turning away from ISIS. (The National)

October 2nd

News:
 
Israel approves the construction of 2,500 settlement housing units in occupied East Jerusalem. (AP/AFP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)
 
The White House says Israel’s new settlement activity would “poison the atmosphere” and distance Israel from “even its closest allies.” (JTA/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)
 
The Palestinians may ask the UNSC to set a deadline of November 2016 for an Israeliwithdrawal from all occupied territories. (AP/Reuters/JTA/Times of Israel)
 
PM Netanyahu tells Pres. Obama a new Arab alliance could resuscitate Israel’s peace talks with the Palestinians. (New York Times/Washington Post/AFP/Ha’aretz)
 
Economy Minister Bennett criticizes Netanyahu for his commitment to the 2-state solution. (Ynet)
 
Sec. Kerry is reportedly planning new Israeli-Palestinian peace talks under the auspices of regional Arab powers. (Times of Israel)
 
Netanyahu clashes with UNSG Ban about postponing probe into shelling of UN facilities in Gaza. (Ha’aretz)
 
IDF Chief Gantz says long-term calm in Gaza requires economic incentives. (Times of Israel)
 
The first cabinet meeting of the Palestinian unity government will be held in Gaza afterEid al-Adha. (Ma’an)
 
Israel has agreed to allow Palestinians to export vegetables and fish from Gaza to the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)
 
Egypt will close the Rafah crossing for Eid al-Adha. (Ma’an)
 
Palestinian landlords in Gaza refuse to rent to families targeted by Israel in the recent war. (Al-Monitor)
 
A Palestinian-born candidate, Raed Salah, is running for Berlin mayor. (AP)
 
Turkey’s parliament is considering giving the government power to launch military incursions into Syria and Iraq. (AP/Washington Post) 
 
Kurdish fighters say ISIS is closing in on the town of Kobani along the Syria-Turkey border. (AP/Reuters)
 
A UN report says ISIS extremists are committing “staggering crimes” in Iraq. (Reuters)
 
Egypt seizes a private newspaper to censor an article. (New York Times) \
 
The GCC demands the restoration of government authority in Yemen. (The National)
 
Commentary:
 
The Jordan Times says Netanyahu refuses to see that only peace with the Palestinians can bring about reconciliation with the rest of the Arab world. (Jordan Times)
 
Dana Milbank looks at the recent Obama-Netanyahu meeting. (Washington Post)
 
Ha’aretz asks how can Netanyahu speak of regional peace and at the same time expand Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)
 
Raphael Ahren says Netanyahu would never actually agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state. (Times of Israel)
 
Michael Young says Obama’s reference to his administration’s “underestimation” of the ISIS threat was embarrassing. (The National)
 
Hassan Hassan says the US-led coalition against ISIS risks losing support if it does not clarify its aims. (The National)
 
The National welcomes the alliance between Sunni and Kurds against ISIS on both sides of the Syria-Iraq border. (The National)
 
Roger Cohen says Obama’s war against ISIS makes war with Iran even more unthinkable. (New York Times)
 
Faisal Abbas explains how the world can win the ideological war against ISIS. (Al Arabiya)
 
Nicholas Kristof says extremists like ISIS recognize that their greatest strategic threat comes not from a drone but from a girl with a book. (New York Times)
 
Joyce Karam looks at how losing the Senate could affect Obama’s foreign policy in the Middle East. (Al Arabiya)
 

October 1st

News:
Pres. Obama will meet with PM Netanyahu in Washington. (AP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

An Israeli official says Netanyahu would still meet with Pres. Abbas, despite UNGAspeech. (Times of Israel)

An Israeli official allegedly holds “secret talks” with PM Hamdallah. (Ynet)

Abbas is threatening to reevaluate the PA’s security ties with Israel. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Hamas criticizes Netanyahu’s recent speech at the UNGA. (Xinhua) 

Israel will grant 500 Palestinians from Gaza three-day permits to visit Jerusalem over the Eid al-Adha holiday. (Ma’an)

Displaced Palestinians from Gaza receive 100 mobile homes. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces arrest 21 Palestinians in the West Bank. (Ma’an/PNN)

A survey indicates 24 percent of Jewish-Israeli consumers are boycotting Arab businesses in the wake of the summer’s Gaza conflict. (JTA/Jerusalem Post)

Three Israeli soldiers who fought in the recent Gaza war have committed suicide. (Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Israel’s population authority left Muhammad off the annual “Top 10” list of baby names, even though it was number one. (New York Times)

ISIS says it will expand into southern Syria within days. (The National)

US-led forces launch airstrikes on ISIS extremists who are besieging a Syrian Kurdish town near the Turkish border. (Reuters)

Turkey may send troops into Syria and Iraq and let allies use Turkish bases to fight ISIS. (Reuters/Washington Post)

Syrian Kurds continue their exodus to Turkey. (Washington Post)

PM Abbott says Australian aircraft will join the US-led coalition in air strikes against ISIS in Iraq. (Reuters)  

A Syrian official says 17 people, including 10 children, have been killed in explosions near a school in Homs. (AP)

The UN says at least 1119 Iraqis have been killed in September. (AP) 

Egypt is offering to train pro-government forces battling rival armed groups in Libya. (Reuters)

The Kuwaiti government is fighting dissent by revoking citizenships. (New York Times)

King Abdullah of Jordan will meet with Pres. Putin in Moscow to discuss terrorism. (Jordan Times)

Jordan and the US sign four grant agreements worth $633 million. (Jordan Times)

AP looks at Mecca’s transformation. (AP)

Commentary:

Thomas Friedman says Israel is adopting a strategy of containment toward Gaza. (New York Times)

Rami Khouri says Netanyahu’s UNGA speech signals how out of touch he is with the rest of the world. (Daily Star)

The National says Israel has the primary role in ending the occupation. (The National)

Amira Hass explains why Abbas was distressed at the UNGA. (Ha’aretz)

Peter Beinart says Netanyahu is wrong to conflate the Palestinian issue with “militant Islam.” (Ha’aretz)

Ben Caspit says Netanyahu’s UNGA speech did not identify opportunities or make any historic decisions. (Al-Monitor)

Nathan Brown looks at Netanyahu’s lies about ISIS and Hamas. (Jewish Daily Forward)

Avi Issacharoff says Jordan and Israel enjoy close security and political cooperation. (Times of Israel)

Smadar Perry asks if Egypt will suspend Israeli-Palestinian talks after UNGA accusations. (Ynet)

David Ignatius says unifying the moderate Syrian opposition is the biggest challenge in Syria. (Washington Post)

Andrew Thompson and Jeremy Suri say ISIS extremists are neither new nor unfamiliar to the US. (New York Times)

The Daily Star says FM al-Moallem’s speech at UNGA smacked of “delusion and detachment” from reality. (Daily Star)

Aaron David Miller says the US is facing a conundrum in Syria. (Foreign Policy)

Tariq Alhomayed asks if US intelligence truly underestimated the ISIS threat. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Diana Moukalled says the Lebanese army is committing abuses against Syrian refugees with impunity. (Al Arabiya)

Elizabeth Dickinson looks at  which groups Qatar funds and how that complicates its relationship with the US. (Foreign Policy)

Ziauddin Sardar says Saudi Arabia has bulldozed centuries of beauty and diversity in Mecca. (New York Times)

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