February 19th, 2015

News:

Israeli military lawyer Maj. Gen. Efroni says he is not concerned about a possible investigation by the ICC. (AP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

The Italian parliament is preparing to discuss the recognition of the State of Palestine with a series of motions that will be presented this week. (PNN/Times of Israel/Ynet)

Hamas says the Quartet is linking Gaza aid and reconstruction to the acceptance of the two-state solution. (Ha’aretz)

A UN official expresses “alarm” at reports of Hamas efforts to re-arm.  (Times of Israel)

Palestinian boycott activists demand that the PA not ratify an agreement to buy natural gas from Israel that was signed more than a year ago. (Ha’aretz)

Extremist Jewish settlers uproot 500 newly planted olive trees in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

Israeli forces open fire at Palestinian farmers near the Gaza border. (Ma’an)

The State Department issues a travel warning for Jerusalem. (Times of Israel)

Palestinian Christians stage a candlelit march in occupied East Jerusalem to mourn Egyptian Copts killed by ISIS. (AFP)

Israel’s Supreme Court overturns a committee decision to disqualify Arab MK Zoabi and far-right Jewish activist Marzel from running in upcoming elections. (JTA)

The US accuses Israel of distorting its position in the Iran nuclear talks through selective leaks. (Reuters/AP/JTA/Ha’aretz)

DM Ya’alon says Israel’s security relationship with India is “out in the open” after years of being kept under wraps. (Reuters/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Pres. Sisi warns Egypt will strike back at any militant threats to its security. (Reuters)

Qatar recalls its ambassador from Egypt, in a dispute over Egyptian airstrikes on ISIS targets in Libya. (Reuters/The National)

Turkish media says ISIS extremists are plotting to attack diplomatic missions in Ankara and Istanbul. (Reuters/Jerusalem Post)

Pres. Obama says US must embrace Muslims in the fight against extremism. (AP/New York Times/The National)

ISIS is in danger of losing its main supply route connecting Syria to Iraq. (Washington Post)

Libya’s FM Al Dairi demands that the UNSC lift an arms embargo so his country can fight ISIS. (The National)

The New York Times profiles Islam Yaken, a young Egyptian who joined ISIS in Syria. (New York Times)

The Pentagon says it has identified 1,200 Syrian opposition fighters for potential participation in a US military-led program to help train and equip them to battle ISIS. (Reuters)

Syrian rebels capture 32 soldiers near the city of Aleppo. (AP/New York Times)

Persecution defines life for Yemen’s remaining Jews. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Adnan Abu Amer says Iran is reportedly insisting on the resignation of Hamas’ leader Meshaal in exchange for the resumption of relations. (Al-Monitor)

Shlomi Eldar says Israel still refuses to run water to the Palestinian city Rawabi. (Al-Monitor)

Michael Cohen and Matthew Duss say the US should make clear its preference for a new Israeli government committed to talks with the Palestinians. (New York Times)

Nahum Barnea says PM Netanyahu should be given a failing grade for not knowing how to lead and not for the way his household is being run. (Ynet)

Ari Shavit says Netanyahu must be replaced to restore Israel’s dignity. (Ha’aretz)

Yonit Levi says Economy Minister Bennett is an “upgraded version” of Netanyahu. (Ha’aretz)

Roger Cohen says by calling for Jews to leave Europe, Netanyahu is urging a course that diminishes both Jewishness and the liberal world order.  (New York Times)

Michael Young says Lebanon’s most pressing danger is the presence of some 1.5 million Syrian refugees in the country. (Daily Star)

The National says words alone will not stop the expansion of the Houthis. (The National)

H.A. Hellyer asks if the West should have intervened in Libya in 2011. (The National)

Joyce Karam says Libya faces partition if a political solution is not quickly developed. (Al Arabiya)

February 18th

News:

An increasing number of desperate young Palestinians have been caught trying to cross into Israel from Gaza since last summer’s war. (New York Times)

Palestinian official Shaath says financial and political problems within the PA could lead to violence if not addressed. (Ma’an)

Hamas leader Abu Marzouq says Quartet Envoy Blair visited Gaza to notify the group of a new set of “preconditions” for reconstruction. (Ma’an)

Hamas is reportedly seeking to fight Israel from Lebanon. (Ha’aretz)

A series of cyber attacks against Israel appear to be coming from Gaza. (AFP)

Palestinian land in occupied East Jerusalem is expropriated by Israel and used as a landfill. (Ha’aretz)

Extremist Jewish settlers uproot 500 newly planted olive trees in Hebron. (Ma’an)

An Israeli girl who was critically injured in a car accident caused by Palestinian rock throwers two years ago dies. (New York Times/JTA/Times of Israel)

The Media Line asks if the Palestinian boycott against products manufactured by six leading Israeli companies is feasible. (The Media Line)

Hamas prevents Arabic fiction award finalist Atef Abu Saif from leaving Gaza. (Al-Monitor)

Opposition Leader Herzog says if he is elected he will not negotiate with Hamas. (Ynet)

Some political candidates in Israel are seeking to revive debates with opponents. (New York Times)

DM Ya’alon visits India to boost arms sales. (Reuters)

EU officials confirm Israel is not fully briefed on Iran-P5+1 talks. (Times of Israel)

A poll indicates nearly two thirds of Americans say PM Netanyahu’s speech to Congress is a “bad move.” (Ha’aretz)

Pres. Sisi’s crackdown on dissent is leaving little space for critics, comics or cartoonists. (Reuters)

UN Envoy to Syria de Mistura announces a possible truce in Aleppo.  (New York Times)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says battles in and around Aleppo have killed at least 70 pro-government fighters and more than 80 insurgents. (Reuters)

Jordan’s fight against ISIS is a high risk balancing act. (The National)

Al-Qaeda linked Islamist militants attack a checkpoint in Tunisia, killing four police officers. (Reuters/AP)

Italy calls for urgent international action to halt Libya's slide into chaos and says it is ready to help monitor a ceasefire and train local armed forces. (Reuters/AP)

Pres. Obama’s view of the US role in the Arab world is challenged by a number of crises. (AP)

At the counter extremism summit Obama aims to broaden the global approach to countering terrorism. (AP)

Ayatollah Khamenei says Iran might respond to international pressure by cutting back on gas exports. (Reuters/Jerusalem Post)

Commentary:

Ben Caspit says Netanyahu’s speech to Congress could tip the electoral scale in his favor. (Al-Monitor)

Peter Beinart says Elie Wiesel keeps apologizing for a government that betrays his ideals. (Ha’aretz)

George Hishmeh says American supporters of Israel and the Israeli public remain seriously divided over the “arrogant and unyielding stance” of Netanyahu ahead of the elections. (Gulf News)

Hussein Ibish says the West has underestimated the recruiting appeal of ISIS’ “theater of cruelty.” (New York Times)

Yousef Al Otaiba says ISIS cannot be defeated on the battlefield alone. (Politico)

The Washington Post says Egypt’s response to the beheadings in Libya is “wrong.”  (Washington Post)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says military intervention will not solve Yemen’s problems. (Asharq al-Awsat) 

Manuel Almeida looks at the “feebleness” of the UN resolution on Yemen. (Al Arabiya)

Michael Young says the solution for Syria after the civil war is bigger than Pres. Assad and might include a federation of states. (The National)

Thomas Friedman says Turkey’s drift away from democracy is part of a much larger trend around the world.  (New York Times)

February 17th

News:

The PA says there is no ISIS presence in Palestine. (Ma’an/Jerusalem Post) 

Palestinian officials call PM Netanyahu’s plan to visit the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron a "time bomb." (Ma’an)

Pres. Rivlin says Palestinian citizens of Israel are an inseparable part of the country. (Times of Israel)

Economy Minister Bennett says Palestinians need to forget about statehood. (AP/Times of Israel)

The World Health Organization says patients in Gaza struggle with access restrictions. (PNN)

Israeli occupation forces break into a Palestinian home in East Jerusalem to question two young boys. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces uproot dozens of olive trees in the West Bank. (Ma’an) 

Palestinian officials ask to be involved in the FBI inquiry into the shootings of three Muslims in Chapel Hill. (JTA)

The head of Israel's election commission says he will limit any pre-election boost Netanyahu may get from speech to the US Congress. (Reuters/JTA)

Amb. Dermer says Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Iran is worth risking ties with the Obama administration. (Ha’aretz)

Egyptian airstrikes kill six gunmen in Sinai. (Ma’an)

Pres. Sisi calls for a UN resolution mandating international intervention in Libya. (Reuters/AP)

Egyptian officials say Egypt and Jordan are united against ISIS brutality. (Jordan Times)

Facing grim economic prospects at home, desperate young Egyptians are seeking jobs in a perilous Libya. (Reuters)

AP looks at ISIS’ reach into North Africa. (AP)

Iraqi Shiite militias are rushing to defend oil-rich Kirkuk from ISIS. (AP

Hezbollah leader Nasrallah acknowledges his group is battling ISIS in Iraq. (Washington Post/The National)

The Syrian army captures several villages north of Aleppo from insurgents. (Reuters)

A White House summit this week on countering violent extremism will not focus exclusively on threats from ISIS. (AP)

The US is intensifying its effort to counter ISIS’ message. (New York Times)

Bahrain launches a criminal investigation into the country’s largest opposition group. (Reuters)

Ayatollah Khamenei criticizes the film "American Sniper," saying the movie encourages violence against Muslims. (AP)

Commentary:

Ha’aretz says Israel must connect the new Palestinian city of Rawabi to the national water grid. (Ha’aretz)

Nahum Barnea says there is no way to explain why Israel is preventing Rawabi from receiving water. (Ynet)

Walid Jawad says their Jewish compatriots not knowing much about the Palestinian citizens of Israel is an “unforgiven political travesty.” (Al Arabiya)

Rasha Abu Jalal says the families of accused Palestinian spies in Gaza suffer marginalization and shame. (Al-Monitor)

Alona Ferber looks at six times in the past when the US-Israel relationship supposedly hit “rock bottom.” (Ha’aretz)

Ha’aretz interviews former Amb. Oren. (Ha’aretz)

Graeme Wood looks at what ISIS really wants. (The Atlantic)

The National says Libya needs global help to stop ISIS. (The National)

The Daily Star says the response to the horrific mass murder of Egyptian Copts by ISIS in Libya and the attacks in Denmark must come at an international scale. (Daily Star)

The Jordan Times says the beheadings in Libya are yet another demonstration of the cruelty and barbarism of ISIS. (Jordan Times)

Abdallah Schleifer says as Egypt fires at ISIS in Libya, the US still wants to “talk it out.” (Al Arabiya)

Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa says ISIS ideology must be combated and defeated. (Al Arabiya)

Mustafa Akyol says it’s time to rediscover the John Lockes of Islam. (New York Times)

Tariq Alhomayed says Iran faces an uphill battle in Yemen. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Raymond Tanter looks at Washington’s “third option” against a nuclear Iran. (Foreign Policy)

February 16th

News:

Quartet Peace Envoy Blair says any peace deal must lead to improved living conditionsfor Palestinians. (Reuters/AP/AFP/Ha’aretz)

DM Ya’alon accuses the PA of bailing out on a plan to ease the Gaza blockade. (Times of Israel)

Former US Special Envoy Indyk says if the new Israeli government opposes a Palestinian state, Israel faces the prospect of a UNSC resolution designed to “lay out the principles of a two state solution.” (Jerusalem Post)

Fatah and Hamas warn PM Netanyahu that a visit to Hebron will raise tensions. (Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

In Gaza, a Fatah official’s car is torched and gunmen open fire on another Fatah official. (Ma’an)

Egyptian border guards discover a smuggling tunnel from Gaza which ran at least 2.5 kilometers underground. (Ma’an/Times of Israel)

Israeli forces raid the "Jerusalem Gate" protest camp near Abu Dis. (Ma’an/PNN)

Palestinian rappers threaten legal action against Likud party for using their song. (AFP/Ha’aretz)

Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot assumes the position of the 21st chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Ynet)

Speaker Boehner says he kept PM Netanyahu’s forthcoming Congressional speech a secret to stop the White House from interfering. (AP/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Netanyahu calls for massive immigration of European Jews to Israel following a deadly shooting near Copenhagen's main synagogue. (AP/New York Times/PNN/Ynet)

Former Pres. Peres says Jews should immigrate to Israel out of desire, not fear. (JTA/Times of Israel)

World leaders condemn the Denmark attack as an assault on freedom of speech. (AP)

ISIS releases a video that shows the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya andPres. Sisi warns his country will respond. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

Pope Francis and the White House both decry the beheadings. (Reuters/AP)

Egyptian warplanes stage a second wave of airstrikes against ISIS positions in Libya. (AP/Washington Post/New York Times/The National)

The UAE says it backs a strong Egyptian response to the Libya beheadings. (AFP) 

ISIS is establishing militant affiliates in Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt and Libya. (New York Times)

Westerners are joining an Iraqi Christian militia called Dwekh Nawsha to fight against ISIS. (Reuters) 

Human Rights Watch says Shiite militias allied with Iraqi security forces have escalated a campaign of abuse against Sunni residents. (AP)

Sunni lawmakers will boycott the Iraqi parliament over abuses committed by Shiite militias. (New York Times/Washington Post)

The UNSC demands Houthi withdrawal from government institutions and an end to the violence in Yemen. (Reuters/The National)

Jordan jails a Muslim Brotherhood leader for criticizing the UAE. (New York Times/The National/Jordan Times)

Chinese FM Yi pushes for an Iranian nuclear deal. (Reuters)

The US is reportedly limiting the information it shares with Israel on Iranian nuclear talks. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Iran bans a conservative weekly newspaper for criticizing government concessions in P5+1 talks. (Reuters/The National)

Commentary:

Uri Savir says Palestinians are preparing a “diplomatic Intifada.” (Al-Monitor)

Adnan Abu Amer asks if Hamas is planning a strike on Israel from Lebanon's refugee camps. (Al-Monitor)

Ha’aretz says Israel’s right-wing leaders must stop cultivating anti-left and anti-Arab propaganda. (Ha’aretz)

Moshe Arens says the strategic relationship between the US and Israel has weathered rough spells before, and it will survive the current discord. (Ha’aretz)

Faisal Al Yafai asks why Europe is exporting jihadis to the Middle East. (The National)

Roger Cohen says history will not judge Pres. Obama kindly for having failed to foster the great liberation movement that rose up in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria and elsewhere. (New York Times)

Gilles Kepel says in Copenhagen and Paris, a new wave of terrorists is trying to outdo its predecessors but is just as likely to fail. (New York Times)

Taylor Luck says rehabilitating citizens who fought for extremist groups like ISIL would be a smarter strategy than hardline responses. (The National)

Theodore Karasik says ISIS is opening a second, major front in Libya that seeks to engulf all of northern Africa and threaten Europe.(Al Arabiya)

The National says the GCC’s response to regional extremism must be coordinated, long term and flexible. (The National)

The Jordan Times says Yemen is a failed state. (Jordan Times)

The Daily Star says Lebanon must elect a president and keep itself out of the larger regional conflagration. (Daily Star)

Raghida Dergham looks at probable outcomes of nuclear negotiations with Iran. (Al Arabiya)

February 13th

News:

An IDF security assessment says the PA could collapse at any moment. (Jerusalem Post)

Pres. Abbas is visiting Belgium to rally support for Palestinian statehood. (Jerusalem Post)

Israel releases 14-year old Palestinian schoolgirl Malak al-Khatib after a two month prison term. (Ma’an/Times of Israel)

Israeli forces open fire at Palestinian homes and farmers in southern Gaza. (Ma’an/PNN)

Jordan’s Amb. to Israel Obeidat visits the al-Aqsa Mosque. (Ma’an)

DM Ya’alon is pushing for a water hookup in order to open the new Palestinian city of Rawabi. (Jerusalem Post)

Israel’s Supreme Court upholds a lower court decision in the civil case of US peace activist Rachel Corrie. (Ha’aretz/AFP)

ISIS says it is holding a Palestinian citizen of Israel it claimsis an Israeli spy. (JTA/Times of Israel/Ynet)

A bomb blast hits a Turkish checkpoint near the Syrian border, injuring three people. (Reuters/AP)

UN Envoy de Mistura says Pres. Assad must be part of the solution for easing violence in Syria. (Reuters)

ISIS extremists take control of large parts of the Iraqi town of al-Baghdadi, threatening an air base where US Marines are training Iraqi troops. (Reuters)

Italy and Germany announce the temporary closure of their embassies in Yemen. (AP)

An American official says US intelligence was surprised by the collapse of the US-backed government in Yemen. (AP)

Pres. Hollande says Egypt will order 24 Rafale fighter jets, a naval frigate and related military equipment. (Reuters/AP)

Pres. Erdogan criticizes Pres. Obama for his silence over Chapel Hill shooting. (AP)

Two Saudi women are freed after 73 days in jail for driving. (New York Times/The National)

Commentary:

Aaron David Miller says Obama is pursuing regime change in Israel. (Foreign Policy)

Avi Issacharoff look at the "inside story" of the negotiations between former Pres. Peres and Abbas that almost led to a framework agreement in 2011. (Times of Israel)

Yuli Tamir says FM Lieberman's peace plan is a subversive and dangerous scheme. (Ha’aretz)

Hazem Balousha says Hamas and former Palestinian official Dahlan share enmity toward Abbas. (Al-Monitor)

Eva Illouz says PM Netanyahu has made fear blatantly define his political discourse. (Ha’aretz)

George Hishmeh says Netanyahu’s recent actions are likely to cripple his attempt to regain his country’s premiership. (Jordan Times)

Ben Caspit says Lieberman and Economy Minister Bennett are battling for the defense portfolio. (Al-Monitor) 

Steven Klein says Hezbollah gave Israel a text-book lesson in retaliation without escalation.(Ha’aretz)

Majid Rafizadeh says Ayatollah Khamenei and Obama are in agreement. (Al Arabiya)

February 12th

News:

The UN warns of another potential conflict in Gaza, urging Israel to lift its blockade and Palestinian political parties to end in-fighting. (AFP)

Palestinian Finance Minister Bishara says Israel's freeze on Palestinian tax revenues is costing the PA 70 percent of its budget. (Ma’an)

Pres. Abbas and former Pres. Peres reportedly were on the verge of signing a peace agreement in 2011. (Ma’an/Times of Israel)

A 14-year-old Palestinian schoolgirl jailed by Israel will be released from prison custody on Friday. (Ma’an)

A Fatah official says a PLO delegation will head to Gaza soon in order to work on the reconstruction crisis. (Ma’an)

An EU official denies there will be new sanctions against Israel. (JTA)

Israel’s Interior Ministry unlawfully transferred $16 million to settlements. (Ha’aretz) 

Israel says it has intercepted a boat carrying weapons-making materials en route to Gaza from Sinai. (AP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

The former head of the Gaza inquiry, William Schabas, says he faced pressure and threats. (New York Times)

Israel disqualifies controversial Arab MK Hanin Zoabi from running in upcoming election. (AP/PNN/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

A poll indicates Americans disapprove of PM Netanyahu’s invitation, but want Pres. Obama to meet with him anyway. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Former Sec. Albright accuses Netanyahu of interfering in American internal affairs. (Ha’aretz)

An Egyptian court orders the release of two Al Jazeera journalists. (AP/Reuters/New York Times/The National)

An Egyptian prosecutor imposes a media gag order on the case of the death of a female protester killed during a peaceful demonstration. (AP)

An ISIS magazine claims to interview Hayat Boumediene who was involved in the Paris attacks. (Washington Post)

The US-led anti-ISIS coalition has 60 minutes to save a pilot behind enemy lines. (The National/Jordan Times)

Al-Qaeda-linked fighters seize an army base in Yemen after the UN warns that the country is on the brink of civil war. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

King Salman is changing and shaping Saudi Arabia’s contours of power. (Reuters)

The EU is expected to reimpose sanctions on an Iranian oil tanker firm. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Gershon Baskin says Israeli candidates must present their parties vision regarding the future of relations with the Palestinians. (Jerusalem Post)

Ari Shavit says with Obama and Netanyahu “lost,” opposition leader Herzog must lead. (Ha’aretz)

Akiva Eldar asks what it means to be a modern Zionist. (Al-Monitor)

Haviv Rettig Gur profiles former Amb. Oren. (Times of Israel)

Brian Schaefer says Jon Stewart made it okay to be ambivalent about Israel. (Ha’aretz)

Joyce Karam says militias are “winning the Arab Spring.” (Al Arabiya)

Michael Young says Arab countries have made the campaign against ISIS a priority, undermining the primacy of the struggle against the Syrian dicatorship. (Daily Star)

Hussein Shobokshi compares Pres. Assad to Saddam Hussein. (Asharq al-Awsat)

David Ignatius says the Kurds need weapons now because the fight in northern Iraq is not finished. (Washington Post)

The New York Times says Obama’s war authorization should trigger debate about the goals and scope of the military intervention against ISIS. (New York Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed asks if Assad would still commit the crime of assassinating former Lebanese PM Hariri if he were to go back in time. (Al Arabiya)

Alan Philps says Russia is forging new alliances in the Middle East in order to diversify its foreign policy. (The National)

Roger Cohen warns not to expect more from a nuclear deal with Iran than is reasonable. (New York Times)

 

February 11th

News:

Pres. Abbas says he will work to revive peace talks with Israel. (AP)

Abbas inaugurates the new Palestinian embassy in Sweden. (Ma’an/Times of Israel/Reuters)

The upcoming Israeli election is not demonstrating much interest in the Palestinian issue. (AP)

The EU is reportedly preparing new sanctions against settlements which are to be enacted following the Israeli election. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Israel earmarks 500 acres of private Palestinian land for annexation in Hebron. (Ma’an)

Egypt has reportedly killed a Hamas commander in Sinai. (Times of Israel)

Israeli forces raid the Abu Dis protest camp for the fifth time. (Ma’an/PNN)

PA security forces are continuing to arrest wanted fugitives currently hiding in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus. (Ma’an)

PM Netanyahu says it is his duty to give his upcoming speech to Congress. (New York Times/Times of Israel)

Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy and Congressional Black Caucus members will skip Netanyahu’s speech. (AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

A poll indicates Israelis are seeing a deterioration in ties with the US under Netanyahu. (Ha’aretz)

An Israeli film gives voice to soldiers’ self-doubts after the 1967 war. (Reuters)

An American official says the number of foreign fighters traveling to join ISIS or rival militant groups in Syria is continuing to grow. (Reuters/The National)

ISIS, which had held Kayla Mueller captive since August 2013, sends her parents at least three photographs of her corpse as proof of death. (New York Times)

Thousands of Yemenis protest against the Houthi takeover after the US, Britain and France close their embassies over security fears. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National)

Reuters looks at how the Houthis were able to drive Yemen into a political vacuum. (Reuters)

The Washington Post profiles a key player in Yemen’s political crisis, former Pres. Saleh. (Washington Post)

A group of Al-Qaeda supporters in Yemen pledge allegiance to ISIS. (Reuters)

Pres. Putin says Russia will help Egypt build its first nuclear power plant. (AP)

Commentary:

Yossi Mekelberg says by now Palestinians in Gaza have little trust in anyone, not even UNWRA. (Al Arabiya)

Danny Yatom says the Arab and Israeli peace initiatives are the only way forward. (Ynet)

Peter Beinart says Netanyahu’s is destroying the traditional American Jewish establishment and building a new one in its place. (Ha’aretz)

Ben Sales looks at V15’s “ground game” to unseat Netanyahu in the next election. (JTA)

Salman Masalha says Israel’s Palestinian citizens and liberals are not great leftists. (Ha’aretz)

Osama Al Sharif says King Abdullah’s call for an Arab-Muslim coalition to fight extremism must be acknowledged by leaders, clerics and academics. (Jordan Times)

Rami Khouri says the collapse of Yemen is an example of the structural weaknesses that plague many countries in the Arab world. (Daily Star)

Michael Young asks if a P5+1 deal would lead to America’s acceptance of a dominant role for Iran in the Middle East. (The National)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says poor education is “the mother of all problems” in the region. (Al Arabiya)

 

February 10th

News:

Pres. Abbas will meet with Swedish PM Lofven today. (Reuters/AFP/Jerusalem Post)

The PA will ban the entry of products by six major Israeli companies. (Ma’an/PNN/JTA/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Rivlin launches a project to help integrate Palestinian citizens of Israel into the workforce. (JTA)

Five Fatah members from occupied East Jerusalem are indicted on terrorism charges. (JTA/Times of Israel)

Israeli forces demolish the home of a Palestinian family in Lod. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces demolish a home in occupied East Jerusalem, displacing 14 Palestinians. (Ma’an)

Suicide rates are on the rise in Gaza. (Al-Monitor)

Two smugglers are killed in a exchange of fire on the Israeli-Egyptian border. (Ha’aretz/Ma’an/Times of Israel)

Israeli officials are reportedly considering changing the format of PM Netanyahu’s speech before Congress. (Reuters/Ha’aretz)

Pres. Obama and Netanyahu clash from afar over the Congressional speech. (New York Times/PNN)

Obama will send his new ISIS war powers request to Congress. (AP)

The UAE resumes airstrikes against ISIS. (New York Times/Washington Post/The National)

Pres. Assad says third parties, including Iraq, are conveying information to Damascus about the US-led campaign against ISIS. (Reuters/The National)

The EU launches a program to disrupt networks of “jihadis” going to the Middle East. (AP)

Pres. Putin meets with Pres. Sisi as Russia seeks to boost its ties with Egypt. (AFP)

Islamist militants set off five bombs in Alexandria following which 15 suspected extremists are killed by air raids in Sinai. (Reuters)

Egypt suspends its major soccer league following the recent stadium tragedy. (Reuters/New York Times)

Sisi calls Arab Gulf leaders to assure them that audio recordings that purportedly show him and a top aide mocking them are fake. (AP)

Jordan and Bahrain agree to cooperate in air defence. (Jordan Times)

Obama says its time for Iran to decide if it wants a nuclear deal with the P5+1. (Reuters/AP/JTA)

Commentary:

Amos Harel says a weak and desperate Hamas is trying to rebuild itself. (Ha’aretz)

Neri Zilber says Gaza reconstruction is stalled because of the Fatah-Hamas deadlock. (WINEP)

Nadav Tamir says Europe is not hostile to Israel. (Ha’aretz)

Shmuel Rosner says Netanyahu should abandon his speech before Congress. (New York Times)

Hassan Hassan says as long as the foreign intervention in Syria lacks focus, the fight against ISIS will continue to be futile. (The National)

Zvi Bar’el says the US-led coalition is fighting ISIS with no clear goal. (Ha’aretz)

Tariq Alhomayed says Arabs boots on the ground are needed to defeat ISIS. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Diana Moukalled urges a boycott of ISIS videos. (Asharq al-Awsat)

James Traub says the US can do very little to alter the course of events in the Middle East right now. (Foreign Policy)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Egypt’s stability is vital to the security of the entire Arab world. (Al Arabiya)

Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor says the GCC was slow to realize how dangerous the situation in Yemen has become. (Al Arabiya)

Ryan Crocker, Robert Ford, James Jeffrey and Ronald Neumann say the US needs to keep its ambassador in Yemen. (The Hill)

David Ignatius says the US must proceed with caution on Iranian diplomacy. (Washington Post)

The Washington Post says Jason Rezaian is being used as a human pawn by the Iranian regime. (Washington Post)

February 9th

News:

Pres. Abbas orders the formation of a committee to oversee initiatives aimed at the ICC. (AFP)

The Middle East Quartet calls for the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. (JTA/Ynet) 

Pres. Putin says both Israel and the Palestinians need to make concessions to each other. (Jerusalem Post)

Fatah official al-Ahmed will meet with Hamas official Abu Marzouq in Cairo. (Ma’an)

The PA will pay civil servants a portion of January’s salary. (Ma’an)

The Israeli military completes the demolition of a Gaza tunnel discovered duringlast summer’s war. (JTA/Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Israel is preparing major expansions in four West Bank settlements. (Ha’aretz)

Israel publishes tenders for 580 new hotel rooms in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

Israeli forces open fire on a march east of Gaza City to protest delays of reconstruction. (Ma’an) 

The inability to travel freely between Gaza and the occupied West Bank affects thousands of Palestinians. (New York Times)

An extremist Jewish settler is sentenced to three years in prison for a “price tag” attack. (JTA/Times of Israel)

PM Netanyahu says he will go to Congress like he went to Paris and “speak for all Jews.” (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Israeli parties are seeking to obtain the ethnic-Russian vote in the upcoming elections. (Reuters)

Netanyahu accuses the publisher of the influential newspaper Yediot Ahronot of carrying out a smear campaign against him. (AP)

Jordan says its airstrikes are targeting ISIS leadership in Syria. (Washington Post/Jordan Times)

A squadron of UAE airforce F-16 fighter jets arrive in Jordan. (Jordan Times)

Gen. Allen says Iraqi troops will launch an extensive ground offensive against ISIS  “in the weeks ahead.” (The National/ABC News)

Sec. Kerry says the US-led coalition is “on the road” to defeat ISIS. (Politico)

An Iraqi commander, Hadi al-Amiri, defends Shi'ite paramilitary groups from accusations of mass executions and burning homes. (Reuters)

The end of Baghdad’s curfew brings hope and fear to its residents. (New York Times)

25 people are killed outside an Egyptian soccer stadium when security forces triedto block fans. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National)

Egypt sets a retrial date for two jailed Al Jazeera journalists. (Reuters/New York Times)

An Egyptian tycoon and former Mubarak ally Ahmed Ezz is seeking to run again for parliament. (New York Times)

Ayatollah Khamenei says he could accept a compromise in nuclear talks. (Reuters)

FM Zarif says he hopes charges against Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaianwill be cleared. (Washington Post)

Commentary:

Felice Friedson interviews Palestinian professor Mohammed Dajani. (The Media Line)

Ha’aretz says Netanyahu must call off his speech to Congress. (Ha’aretz)

Ben-Dror Yemeni says Netanyahu must not go to Washington. (Ynet) 

David Horovitz asks who to believe on Iran: Pres. Obama or Netanyahu. (Times of Israel)

Amos Harel says the ISIS threat is bringing Jordan and Egypt closer to Israel. (Ha’aretz)

Elise Labott and Jeremy Diamond say the crucial security relationship between Jordan and Israel is gaining new meaning after the brutal execution of a Jordanian pilot. (CNN)

Eyad Abu Shakra says Israeli occupation and the Iranian expansion in the region have played a major role in increasing religious and sectarian extremism. (Al Arabiya)

Hisham Melhem says moderate Muslims in the Arab world are “intellectually homeless.” (Al Arabiya)

Rami Khouri says Jordan’s public opinion, political leadership and regional and international dynamics today offer insights into the current condition of the Arab world. (Daily Star)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says ISIS sees Jordan as the best candidate for its next target. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Amer Al Sabaileh says Jordan must address the ideas, tools and the environment that allows ideologies such as that of ISIS to grow. (Jordan Times)

Faisal Al Yafai says, while the West is consumed by ISIS, Pres. Assad continues to slaughter Syrians. (The National)

Jamie Dettmer says ISIS extremists are facing their own internal “reign of terror.” (Daily Beast)

Tariq Alhomayed says extremists are targeting Egypt to create the impression of complete chaos. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Hussein Ibish says Yemen faces a perfect trifecta of fatal maladies – civil war, terrorism and secession - and faces national disintegration. (The National)

David Rothkopf says Obama’s new national security strategy is many things but a strategy isn’t one of them. (Foreign Policy)

The Daily Star says Iran is making tiny concessions on its nuclear program while reaping huge benefits elsewhere. (Daily Star)

Peter Manseau says Islam is an indelible part of America’s culture. (New York Times)

February 6th

News:

A Palestinian official says $12 million in aid donations will be distributed to Palestinians displaced by last summer’s Gaza war. (Ma’an)

The UAE is funneling funds to Gaza through former Palestinian official Dahlan. (Times of Israel)

UN Middle East Envoy Serry warns Israel is on a dangerous path to a one-state reality. (Ynet) 

Pres. Rivlin calls for the building of a new city to accommodate Israel’s growing Arab minority. (JTA)

An EU official defends its funding for “unlicensed” construction of hundreds of buildings for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. (JTA/Jerusalem Post)

Israeli occupation forces shoot and injure a Palestinian man in Hebron after he attempted to grab a soldier’s gun. (Ma’an)

Hamas says the PA was responsible for pointing Israel toward nearly a third of its Gaza targets in the conflict last summer. (Times of Israel)

A joint Arab list hopes to win 15 seats in the upcoming Israeli election. (The Media Line)

An Israeli official suggests that PM Netanyahu had been misled into thinking an invitation to address Congress was fully supported by the Democrats. (Reuters/Jerusalem Post)

A Jewish American leader Malcom Hoenlein says American funding should be kept out of Israeli elections. (JTA)

Thousands of Jordanians rally in Amman, urging King Abdullah to step up airstrikesagainst ISIS. (Reuters/Jordan Times)

A prominent Jihadi preacher criticizes ISIS after being released from more than three months in detention in Jordan. (AP/New York Times/The National)

Syrian Kurds celebrate after pushing ISIS out of Kobani. (Reuters)

Syrian air force strikes kill 82 in an opposition-held district outside of Damascus. (Reuters)

Recent ISIS setbacks in Syria suggest the group is under strain but far from collapse in the Syrian part of its self-declared caliphate. (Reuters)

ISIS extremists publish a manifesto for women living under their rule, including marriage for girls at age nine. (The Telegraph)

A report says the EU must agree on intercepting Skype conversations to help stop the flow of European citizens returning from Syria. (Reuters)

The Houthis say they will release a “constitutional declaration” in Yemen. (AP)

Commentary:

Adnan Abu Amer says Hamas is reaching out to the new Saudi leadership in an effort to reestablish ties. (Al-Monitor)

Amos Harel says Israel must ensure tension with Hezbollah and Hamas doesn't escalate. (Ha’aretz)

Raphael Ahren asks if Netanyahu should cancel his speech to Congress. (Times of Israel)

The New York Times says the video of the murder of the Jordanian pilot has succeeded in fostering rage and revulsion against ISIS throughout the Arab world. (New York Times)

Abdallah Schleifer says the father of the murdered pilot and thousands of other Jordanians are powerfully demanding that Jordan “annihilate ISIS.” (Al Arabiya)

The Jordan Times defends the decision to execute the two terrorists. (Jordan Times)

Fareed Zakaria says the international community must deny ISIS the overreaction it wants. (Washington Post)

Charles Krauthammer says ISIS is seeking to destabilize Jordan by drawing it deeply into the conflict. (Washington Post)

Salman Aldossary says the story of ISIS is one of a group that has shown limitless immorality, sadism and brutality in its dealings with everybody. (Asharq al-Awsat)

The Washington Post says the emerging Iranian nuclear deal raises major concerns. (Washington Post)

Eric Yoffie says the Republicans will be no tougher on Iran than Pres. Obama. (Ha’aretz)


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