News:

Israel withholds tax revenues from the PA for the second month in a row. (JTA/The Media Line/Jerusalem Post)

The PA urges the EU to pressure  Israel to release withheld tax revenues. (Times of Israel)

An unnamed international diplomat says Pres. Abbas may halt security cooperation with Israel unless the state of Palestine is established. (Jerusalem Post)

Nikolay Mladenov, currently UN Iraq envoy, will replace Robert Serry as UN Mideast envoy. (Ha’aretz)

Three Palestinian security officers are injured in armed clashes with gunmen in Balata refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an/Times of Israel)

Hamas leader Zahhar says there will be no new prisoner swap with Israel until all prisoners from the Shalit deal are released. (Ma’an/Jerusalem Post)

Israeli occupation forces raid a Palestinian high school in the West Bank. (Ma’an)

PM Netanyahu rejects the criticism over his upcoming Congress speech and says his duty is to warn about Iran. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Israeli officials fail to calm a furor created by Netanyahu’s planned speech to Congress and quell a “Democratic revolt” that has dozens threatening a boycott. (Politico/Times of Israel/JTA/Ha’aretz)

A bipartisan group of American lawmakers demands that the UN enforce all Security Council resolutions. (JTA)

The UN will appoint a panel to investigate the killing of one of its peacekeepers by Israeli troops near the Israel-Lebanon border. (New York Times/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

Hundreds of Palestinians rally in solidarity with Jordan against ISIS. (Ma’an)

Jordanian fighter jets carry out new airstrikes in Syria, after King Abdullah vows to wage a “harsh war” against ISIS. (AP/Reuters/The National/Jordan Times)

The UN says ISIS is systematically killing, torturing and raping children and families of minority groups in Iraq. (AP)

ISIS has executed three Chinese militants who tried to flee. (Reuters)

Foreign fighters reportedly keep joining ISIS in large numbers despite the American-led bombing campaign. (Daily Beast)

Fox News website posts the unedited ISIS execution video of a Jordanian pilot. (New York Times)

PM al-Abadi says Baghdad’s decade-old curfew will end on Saturday. (Reuters/AP)

Peter Greste, an Al-Jazeera journalist who was detained in Egypt, arrives home in Australia. (Reuters/AP)

One person is killed in an attack on a restaurant north of Cairo. (Reuters)

Al-Qaeda in Yemen says a senior cleric was among four people killed in a recent US drone strike in the country's south. (AP)

American officials have praised the Saudi government for cracking down on terrorism, but suspicions of a past, tacit alliance with Al Qaeda have resurfaced again. (New York Times)

Houthi leaders and former Pres. Saleh reportedly strike a power-sharing deal in Yemen. (Asharq al-Awsat) 

Sec. Kerry will meet FM Zarif in Germany on Saturday. (AP)

Pres. Rouhani accuses the West of distorting Iran’s nuclear policies. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Ha’aretz says Israel is obliged to investigate military conduct during last summer’s Gaza war. (Ha’aretz)

Gideon Levy says getting the head of the UN panel fired won't change the outcome of its probe into possible war crimes committed in Gaza. (Ha’aretz)

Roger Cohen says Israel’s future is on the line in the March 17 elections. (New York Times)

Barnett Rubin says Netanyahu and Speaker Boehner are wrong to think they know what Iran wants. (Washington Post)

The Jordan Times says Jordanians are once again brought together as one by a tragic act of savagery. (Jordan Times)

David Kenner profiles the men who support ISIS in Jordan. (Foreign Policy)

Benjamin Fishman says Jordan can play a leading role in coordinating a more aggressive strategy to counter ISIS’ messages and appeal. (Al Arabiya)

Michael Young says ISIS has a reached a decisive turning point with the murder of the Jordanian pilot. (Daily Star)

Joyce Karam says, by murdering the Jordanian pilot, ISIS has effectively hastened its own demise. (Al Arabiya)

Alan Philps says the horrific burning of a Jordanian pilot by ISIS is testing the cohesion of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. (The National)

Matthew Levitt looks at the search for the late Hezbollah military commander Imad Mughniyeh. (The Hill)

The New York Times asks if anyone will be held accountable for abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison. (New  York Times)

Michael Young says the US should be careful not to emulate traditional British policies in the Middle East. (The National)

Jamal Khashoggi says the Middle East needs Saudi-American-Turkish cooperation. (Al Arabiya)

News:

The UN names American judge Mary McGowan Davis to lead an investigation into the 2014 Gaza conflict. (New York Times/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

The Israeli army is reportedly planning to indict several soldiers who fought in Gaza last summer on charges of looting. (Ha’aretz)

A 14-year-old Palestinian schoolgirl jailed by Israel has become a symbol of Palestinian anger over the arresting of children. (AFP)

Israeli occupation forces detain 11 Palestinian teenagers in the occupied territories. (Ma’an/PNN)

Fatah official Rajoub compares PM Netanyahu to Hitler. (Times of Israel)

Israeli occupation forces raid protest tents set up near Abu Dis in East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

An annual campaign to plant one million trees on land facing possible annexation in the occupied West Bank kicks off in Hebron. (Ma’an)

The White House’s top Middle East official, Phil Gordon, will speak in Israel later this month at a conference on security. JTA)

Many Democrats are considering skipping Netanyahu’s address to Congress. (Ynet/Jerusalem Post)

Jordan executes two Iraqi terrorists in response to an ISIS video showing captured Jordanian pilot Mouath al-Kasaesbeh being burnt alive. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/Washington Post/The National/Jordan Times) 

Pres. Obama and King Abdullah vow not to let up in the fight against ISIS. (AP/AFP) 

The father of the murdered pilot says Jordanians must stand united behind their leadership in the fight against terrorism. (Jordan Times)

Political leaders and Muslim clerics in the Middle East denounce the burning alive of al-Kasaesbeh as “un-Islamic.” (Reuters/AP)

The UNSC says the world should help Jordan in fighting terrorism. (Jordan Times)

The EU criticizes Jordan’s decision to execute two terrorists. (Ha’aretz)

Many in Congress support increased military assistance to Jordan. (AP/JTA)

American officials hope the murder of al-Kasaesbeh will toughen Jordan's resolve in the fight against ISIS. (Reuters)

The UAE, a key-US ally in the fight against ISIS, reportedly suspended airstrikes in December after al-Kasaesbeh was captured. (New York Times/AFP)

A video showing ISIS extremists burning alive al-Kasasbeh raises the question of which images news outlets should use. (New York Times)

Reuters looks at Egypt’s fight against extremists in Sinai. (Reuters)

Saudi oil is seen as a lever to lure Russia away from Pres. Assad. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Asmaa al-Ghoul says in light of physical assaults and abuses in Gaza and the West Bank, some Palestinian journalists engage in self-censorship. (Al-Monitor)

Ali Ibrahim says Hamas is not only a security risk but its existence and actions are a serious impediment to the Palestinian cause. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Ben Caspit says Israel has accepted Hamas rule in Gaza. (Al-Monitor)

Zvi Bar’el asks who is going to save Gaza. (Ha’aretz)

Anders Persson says EU member states have the power to create an international consensus for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Ha’aretz)

Thomas Friedman says Netanyahu’s forthcoming speech before Congress is a “bad mistake.” (New York Times)

Peter Beinart critiques Israel’s “arrogant” Amb. to the US Dermer. (Ha’aretz)

The Jordan Times says Jordan, along with its allies, will wipe out ISIS and its ideology.(Jordan Times)

The National says the brutal killing of the Jordanian pilot must only increase the world’s resolve against ISIS. (The National)

Theodore Karasik says Jordan’s military and special operation forces are likely to be unleashed to track down and eliminate ISIS on Syrian territory. (Al Arabiya)

Sean Naylor and Lara Jakes ask if ISIS’ last hostages can be saved. (Foreign Policy)

Kenneth Pollack says for real peace in Iraq, the US must insist that Shiites and Sunnis share power. (New York Times)

Aki Peritz says the Iraqi government is unwittingly subsidizing ISIS. (New York Times)

David Ignatius looks at King Salman’s decisive leadership changes in Saudi Arabia. (Washington Post)

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum says governments must innovate or become irrelevant. (Asharq al-Awsat)

News:

A UN inquiry into possible war crimes in last summer’s Gaza war will produce its report on time next month despite the resignation of its chairman. (Reuters/New York Times/AFP/PNN/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

PM Netanyahu calls for scrapping the UN commission on Gaza. (AP/Ha’aretz)

Hamas accuses Israel of “exerting pressure” on the head of the commission. (Ma’an)

The PA will reportedly ask the ICC to look into Israel’s settlement construction. (Jerusalem Post)

Saudi Arabia allocates $13.5 million to UNRWA. (Ma’an)

Palestinians protest Pres. Rivlin’s visit to Hebron. (AFP/JTA/Ynet)

Pres. Abbas orders an investigation into the official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah for publishing a caricature depicting the Prophet Mohammed. (Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

The mayor of Bethlehem Vera Baboun hopes Pope Francis will help her prevent Israel from extending its security barrier near the city. (Ha’aretz)

At least eight women are killed and 50 injured in a collision involving a bus who was carrying Bedouin women who had visited the Al-Aqsa mosque and a tractor in the Negev. (JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Ynet/Jerusalem Post)

A poll forecasts Netanyahu’s Likud party may win 25 of parliament's 120 seats in the upcoming election. (Reuters)

An Israeli satirical TV show returns on air just in time for the elections. (Washington Post)

Iraq’s Cabinet approves a draft law creating a national guard. (Reuters)

AP says the cost for fighters leaving ISIS is death or jail. (AP) 

The Pentagon says ISIS extremists are expanding their “international footprint” in ungoverned areas of the Mideast and North Africa.  (Bloomberg)

Iraqi DM al-Obeidi claims ISIS can be defeated “within months.” (CCTV)

Pres. Obama requests $8.8 billion to fund the fight against ISIS in the 2016 budget. (AFP)

Canada’s FM Baird says the release of Al-Jazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy is "imminent." (AP/The National)

By sacking two reformist ministers and authorizing bonuses for employees of large companies, King Salman is already making his mark. (Reuters/The National)

The new Saudi channel Al Arab suspends broadcasting in Bahrain, supposedly for technical reasons, after giving opposition leaders airtime. (New York Times)

King Abdullah of Jordan will be meeting with senior US administration officials in Washington. (Jordan Times)

Commentary:

The Washington Post says all parties, especially Hamas, deserve  blame for Gaza’s “tragic cycle.” (Washington Post)

Khaled Diab says Mizrahi Jews and Palestinian citizens of Israel could form a formidable voting bloc. (Ha’aretz)

Niva Lanir says Netanyahu is playing “dangerous games” in Israel’s back yard. (Ha’aretz)

David Horovitz interviews Israel’s youngest female Labor politician Stav Shaffir. (Times of Israel)

Alise Mofrej describes conditions inside Syria’s jails. (New York Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed wonders if Jordan will still release Iraqi terrorist Sajida Rishawi after the execution of the two Japanese hostages. (Al Arabiya)

Michael Weiss and Michael Pregent say Iran is making it impossible for the US-led coalition to beat ISIS. (Daily Beast)

Hassan Barari looks at Egypt’s Sinai challenge. (Jordan Times)

Bel Trew says no one will save Al Jazeera’s Egyptian journalist Baher Mohamed. (Foreign Policy)

Fethullah Gulen complains that Turkey’s democracy is eroding. (New York Times)

News:

News:

Israel issues new tenders to build 430 settlement housing units in the occupied West Bank. (AP/AFP/PNN/JTA/Ha’aretz)

Former Israeli Amb. Oren criticizes the new settlement tenders. (Ha’aretz)

Pres. Abbas will visit Stockholm next month. (AFP)

The IMF says the Gaza war has pushed the Palestinian economy into a recession. (AFP)

Many US senators pledge not to support assistance to the PA until the Obama administration reviews Palestine’s efforts to the ICC. (JTA)

A delegation of parliamentarians from EU states welcomes Palestine’s efforts to join the ICC. (PNN)

With tensions rising the UN is reviewing its operations in Gaza. (Ha’aretz)

Unknown assailants throw a grenade into the home of a Fatah official in Gaza. (Ma’an)

15,000 young Palestinians graduate from Hamas’ training camps. (Times of Israel/Al-Monitor/Jerusalem Post)

PM Netanyahu is reportedly seeking Democratic support in trying to ease criticism over his coming address to Congress. (New York Times/Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Israel continues to search for Hezbollah tunnels. (New York Times)

Pres. Sisi cuts short his visit to Ethiopia after ISIS's Egyptian wing claims that it killed at least 32 security personnel in Sinai. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

Hamas’ militia imposes “strict security measures” along the border with Egypt. (Ma’an)

ISIS is silent as the deadline for a prisoner swap with Jordan expires. (AP/Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post/The National/Jordan Times)

ISIS kills a senior Kurdish commander in Iraq. (AP)

KRG leader Barzani says the anti-ISIS coalition will not be able to retake Mosul before the fall. (Reuters)

Clashes between Al-Nusra and Western-backed rebels spread from Aleppo province into neighboring Idlib. (Reuters)

King Salman abolishes government bodies, changes ministers, dismisses the chief of intelligence and further consolidates his own authority. (New York Times/Al Arabiya)

Saudi Arabia postpones the flogging of blogger Raif Badawi for a third week in a row. (AFP) 

Commentary:

Zeev Sternhell says even an Israeli centrist government will not end the occupation. (Ha’aretz)

Eugene Robinson says inviting Netanyahu to speak before Congress was a “mistake” by Speaker Boehner. (Washington Post)

Robert Kagan outlines five reasons why Netanyahu should not address Congress. (Washington Post)

Nathan Guttman asks if Amb. Dermer’s Republican ties are “too tight” for Israel’s good. (The Forward)

Jeffrey Goldberg interviews Dermer. (The Atlantic)

Nahum Barnea says Hezbollah’s “revenge” for Israel’s Quneitra strike is not over yet. (Ynet)

Ben Caspit says Hezbollah is opening another front against Israel in the Golan Heights, where it can blame other organizations for possible escalations. (Al-Monitor)

David Brooks says the US should stop trying “to play chess” in the Middle East and simply keep its promises. (New York Times)

The Daily Star says the Russian peace initiative on Syria is a “waste of time.” (Daily Star)

Amir Taheri says Saudi Arabia’s greatest asset is its stability. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Kenneth Roth says Western inattention to human rights abuses in the Middle East has given rise to a culture of violence and impunity. (Foreign Policy)

David Rothkopf says Pres. Obama’s main foreign policy legacy is likely to be seen as empowering Iran. (Foreign Policy)

News:

Israel and Hezbollah signal that their flare-up in fighting across the Israeli-Lebanese border is over. (Reuters/New York Times/JTA/Times of Israel) 

Israel tells the UNSC it will take “all necessary measures” to defend itself against Hezbollah. (Reuters)

Hezbollah faces internal criticism in Lebanon for getting into more conflict with Israel. (Ynet/Daily Star)

Some Palestinian factions express their support for Hezbollah. (Ma’an) 

PM Netanyahu blames Iran for the deadly flare-up along the Israeli-Lebanese border. (AP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

FM Lieberman slams Netanyahu’s decision to “contain” Hezbollah. (Times of Israel)

At the UNSC, Spain blames Israel for the death of one of its peacekeepers. (Times of Israel)

UN Human Rights Chief al-Hussein says Israel and the Palestinians have failed to adequately investigate the last Gaza war. (Reuters) 

UN Envoy for the Middle East Serry says he is "outraged" by the recent assault on UN premises in Gaza. (Ma’an)

An unnamed American official criticizes Israeli Amb. Dermer over PM Netanyahu’s visitto Washington. (New York Times/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Former Pres. Peres criticizes Netanyahu for his upcoming speech before Congress. (Jerusalem Post)

Pres. Rivlin tells the UN the “West has no war with Islam.” (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel) 

Two seven-year-old boys from occupied East Jerusalem identify the alleged Jewish extremists who attempted to kidnap one of them. (Ma’an)

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

A new mobile app offers information from Palestinian universities in the West Bank and Gaza. (The Media Line)

ISIS purportedly sets a new deadline for a prisoner swap with Jordan. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/Jordan Times)

As Iraqi Kurds gain more ground from ISIS, local Sunni Arabs are worried about how they will be treated. (AP)

Survivors say they saw Iraqi forces standing by and watching as Shiite militias executed 72 Sunnis. (Reuters)

Iran’s newly appointed UN Amb. Khoshrou is expected to receive a US visa. (Reuters/New York Times) 

Commentary:

Joyce Karam says with Hezbollah’s expanded role in Syria, Israel is unilaterally changing the 2006 rules of engagement. (Al Arabiya)

Zvi Bar’el says Iran's real interest in Lebanon and Syria is political, not military confrontations with Israel. (Ha’aretz)

The Daily Star says Hezbollah should think of what is best for all of Lebanon, not just itself. (Daily Star) 

Ari Shavit says Israel must hold off the “inevitable third Lebanon war.” (Ha’aretz)

Phillip Smyth says as Hezbollah gains ground in the Golan Heights, Iran is now “knocking on the door of Israel’s quietest border.” (Foreign Policy)

Mitch Ginsburg says Hezbollah’s attack on an Israeli army convoy was carefully chosen as punishment for the Quneitra strike. (Times of Israel)

Bradley Burston says Israeli politics might be changing for the better. (Ha’aretz)

Alan Elsner says Dermer is serving Netanyahu at the expense of all other Israeli citizens. (Ha’aretz)

George Hishmeh says Netanyahu will have to pay for his arrogance. (Gulf News)

Aaron Zelin looks at ISIS’ “political model.” (Washington Post)

Alan Philps says there will be no swift victory over ISIS in Mosul. (The National)

Elias Groll asks if the Jordan pilot captured by ISIS is still alive. (Foreign Policy)

Raed Omari looks at Jordan’s latest hostage crisis. (Al Arabiya)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Saudi foreign policy is unlikely to witness “dramatic changes” on major issues. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Michael Young says Washington’s current policies are ill-adapted to Middle Eastern dynamics. (Daily Star)

News:

A missile fired by Hezbollah strikes an Israeli military convoy, killing two soldiers andinjuring seven. (AP/Reuters/New York Times/Ma’an/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post/The Daily Star) 

A UN peacekeeper is killed in southern Lebanon, as Israel shells areas near the borderafter Hezbollah targeted its vehicles. (AFP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Ynet/Jerusalem Post/The Daily Star)

The Israeli army has begun searching for tunnels that Hezbollah may have dug near the Lebanese border. (Reuters/Ha’aretz/Ynet)

The US has reportedly asked Pres. Abbas to delay his plans to submit another resolution to the UNSC. (PNN/Jerusalem Post) 

Palestinians attack a UN compound in Gaza, following the suspension of an aid program. (AP)

Hamas calls UNRWA’s decision to suspend funding for displaced Gazans "shocking." (Ma’an)

B’tselem says the Israeli military violated international law in dozens of Gaza war strikes. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/The National)

A 14-year old Palestinian girl, sentenced to two months in prison for throwing rocks, has become a cause célèbre. (AP)

A Palestinian human rights group urges authorities to abolish the death penalty. (AFP)

A Fatah leader’s car is torched in Gaza. (Ma’an)

PM Netanyahu’s upcoming speech before Congress is causing a backlash in Israeli elections. (New York Times) 

Jordan says it is willing to swap an Iraqi woman prisoner for the Jordanian pilotcaptured by ISIS. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National/Jordan Times)

An American official says its too soon to announce “mission accomplished” in Kobani. (Reuters)

Iran says Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian will soon face trial. (AP/Washington Post)

Democrats in the Senate say they will not push for a vote on Iran sanctions until after a midway deadline in Iran talks. (JTA/Times of Israel)

Commentary:

Avi Issacharoff asks if Hezbollah is trying to draw Israel into a ground offensive. (Times of Israel)

Ron Ben-Yishai says Israel must think hard about its response to latest Hezbollah attack. (Ynet)

Yossi Mekelberg says Israel, Iran and Hezbollah might not exercise extra caution and may find themselves entangled in a much bigger and bloodier conflict. (Al Arabiya)

Sultan Barakat says it is imperative for the international community, led by Europe, to rebuild Gaza immediately. (The National)

Zvi Bar’el says unity among Arab parties in Israel is in everybody’s interest. (Ha’aretz)

Ben Caspit says the commander of Hamas’ paramilitary Qassam Brigades,  Muhammed al-Deif is still alive. (Al-Monitor)

Adnan Abu Amer says Hamas has begun a “swift rapprochement” with Hezbollah and Iran. (Al-Monitor)

Jeffrey Goldberg looks at “Netanyahu’s disaster.” (The Atlantic)

Ron Kampeas says Netanyahu’s Congress speech is roiling the pro-Israel lobby, Jewish members of Congress and the White House. (JTA)

Yonit Levi and Udi Segal look at what really divides Pres. Obama and Netanyahu. (Ha’aretz)

Peter Beinart says “by blatantly dissing” Obama, Netanyahu is endangering his support among Democrats. (Ha’aretz)

The Forward says Netanyahu’s speech risks alienating many more American Jews whose support he may no longer take for granted. (The Forward)

Michael Young says Hafez Al Assad's efforts to mould Syria into an independent regional power have been discredited by the actions of his son. (The National)

Angelina Jolie recounts her recent experience visiting Syrian and Iraqi refugee camps. (New York Times)

The Jordan Times says the attempt by ISIS to link the fate of a convicted terrorist to the lives of a Jordanian and a Japanese hostage is a “ludicrous ploy.”  (Jordan Times)

Aaron David Miller says Middle Eastern terrorism exists primarily because the Arab world is a “broken, angry, and dysfunctional place.” (Foreign Policy)

Haykal Bafana says the old Yemeni model has been replaced by the new Houthi model, with its simple adage: “violence pays.” (New York Times)

David Ignatius says security assistance does not work in weak states like Yemen. (Washington Post)

Salman Aldossary says the number of points on which Riyadh and Washington see eye to eye far exceed those they differ on. (Asharq al-Awsat)

David Weinberg says King Salman has “troubling ties to radical Islamists.” (Foreign Policy)

The Daily Star says the US must restore Saudi Arabia’s trust in American foreign policy. (Daily Star)

John Duke Anthony remembers the late King Abdullah. (Al Arabiya)

Hussein Ibish looks at how we should define Islamophobia in order to combat bigotry and protect free speech. (NOW)

News:

ICC donors are ignoring Israel's call to cut funding for the court. (Reuters)

Pres. Rivlin urges UNSG Ban to take a stand against the Palestinian effort to join the ICC.(Ynet)

UNRWA says it has had to suspend funding for home repairs in Gaza following lastsummer's war. (Reuters/AFP/PNN/Ha’aretz)

The Middle East Quartet says it’s urgent to improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. (Jerusalem Post)

Rivlin stresses the importance of the strong bond between the US and Israel in a visit to the West Point Military Academy. (Ha’aretz)

Clashes erupt between Palestinians and Israeli occupation forces in the Shufat neighborhood in East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz/Ma’an) 

An Egyptian court overturns an earlier decision to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization. (Ma’an)

Israeli authorities confiscate hundreds of dunams of Palestinian land near Hebron. (Ma’an)

World leaders and Shoah survivors gather at Auschwitz to mark 70 years since liberation. (Times of Israel/Reuters/Jerusalem Post)

An Israeli film fund is seeking to force Palestinian citizens of Israel who are filmmakers to market their movies “ as Israeli.” (Ha’aretz)

Pres. Obama arrives in Saudi Arabia to pay last respects to King Abdullah. (AP/New York Times/The National/Al Arabiya)

Israel says two rockets launched from Syria have struck the Golan Heights. (AP/AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz)  

Kurdish forces battle ISIS outside Kobani. (Reuters/AP/Washington Post)

Japan says it will work with Jordan to secure the release of a journalist held by ISIS. (Reuters/AP/The National)

A 12-year old student is killed in a US drone strike in Yemen. (Reuters)

An Egyptian court upholds jail sentences imposed on three prominent liberal activists. (Reuters)

Many American and Iranian lawmakers seem to be trying to sabotage a potential nuclear deal. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Aeyal Gross looks at how the ICC prosecutor may be able to make progress while avoiding accusations of bias. (Ha’aretz)

Asmaa al-Ghoul says Islamic Jihad is trying to position itself as a mediator to end the dispute between Fatah and Hamas. (Al-Monitor)

Akiva Eldar says Likud  prefers  to fund settlements rather than needy sections of the Israeli population. (Al-Monitor)

Richard Cohen says PM Netanyahu’s recent actions could undermine American support for Israel. (Washington Post)

Raphael Ahren says Netanyahu’s White House-defying speech will backfire. (Times of Israel)

Nahum Barnea says Netanyahu’s upcoming speech before Congress is a “gift to Iran.” (Ynet)

Sefi Rachlevsky says Netanyahu is virtually calling opposition leaders Herzog and Livni “traitors.” (Ha’aretz)

Hassan Hassan says if the US is willing to live with Pres. Assad, it might also be willing to accept jihadists as a fact of life in Syria and Iraq. (The National)

The Daily Star says the Russian initiative on Syria is useless. (Daily Star)

The National says Kobani might prove to be the end of the beginning of the conflict with ISIS. (The National)

The Jordan Times looks at King Abdullah’s “war on terrorism.” (Jordan Times)

Robert Satloff says the Muslims who fought the Holocaust are a model for the battle against extremism. (Daily Star)

Mona Eltahawy looks at Egypt’s “war on atheism.” (New York Times)

News:

Fatah organizes rallies in the West Bank in protest against Israel’s occupation. (Ma’an)

Jewish extremists uproot olive trees near Hebron. (Ma’an)

Israel’s Housing Ministry allocates $215,000 for the expansion of settlements. (Ha’aretz)

Israel is moving to end the months-long crisis with New Zealand. (Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu defends his decision to accept a controversial invitation to address the US Congress on Iran. (AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Speaker Boehner says he informed Pres. Obama of his invitation to Netanyahu. (Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

Meretz leader Gal-On questions the legality of Netanyahu’s trip to Washington. (Times of Israel)

Pres. Rivlin declines an invitation to meet with Obama. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Rivlin addresses African-American leaders in his first visit to the US as president. (JTA/Ha’aretz)

The IDF dismisses unit 8200 reservists who refused to serve in the occupied territories. (Jerusalem Post)

The White House says Obama and King Salman will discuss the turmoil in Yemen and the fight against ISIS in their meeting tomorrow. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia is expanding its regional role as Middle East chaos spreads. (New York Times/Washington Post)

The New York Times profiles Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. (Washington Post)

Pres. Assad is seeking an agreement with the US over airstrikes in Syria. (Reuters/AP)

Kurdish fighters say they have pushed ISIS almost entirely out of the Syrian town of Kobani. (AP/Reuters)

Turkey opens its biggest refugee camp to 35,000 people fleeing fighting in Kobani. (Reuters)

A video allegedly shows the decapitated body of one of the Japanese hostages held by ISIS. (New York Times)

King Abdullah of Jordan says the fight against radicalism and terrorism will be a long-term effort which should be spearheaded by Muslim and Arab countries. (Jordan Times)  

Sec. Kerry tells world leaders in Davos that violent extremism is “not Islamic.” (CBS)

At least 18 people are killed in unrest in Egypt. (New York Times/The National)

Egyptian security officials say the two sons of former Pres. Mubarak have been released from prison. (Reuters/AP)

An Egyptian doctor is convicted over a girl's death in a landmark female genital mutilation case. (Reuters/AP)

Commentary:

Smadar Perry says Israel must finally respond to the Arab Peace Initiative. (Ynet)

Don Futterman says Jewish Americans have chosen Obama over Netanyahu. (Ha’aretz)

Avirama Golan says Economy Minister Bennett is a “hate-mongering extremist.” (Ha’aretz)

Hussein Ibish looks at King Abdullah’s legacy of cautious and gradual reform in Saudi Arabia. (The Forward)

Hussein Ibish says the old regional order was already ending before King Abdullah passed. (The National)

Salman Aldossary look at what Saudi policies will look like in the era of King Salman. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Miguel Angel Moratinos says the Arab Peace Initiative remains King Abullah’s main contribution to peace. (Al Arabiya)

Mohamed Bazzi says the Iranian-Saudi proxy war in the region will only intensify with King Salman. (Politico)

Hisham Melhem says Obama cannot escape “his betrayal” of Syria being part of his legacy. (Al Arabiya)

David Schenker looks at Hezbollah’s “limited options” after the Israeli airstrike in Syria. (WINEP)

Elif Shafak says Pres. Erdogan has chosen a divisive strategy, pursuing hostility over compromise. (New York Times)

Paul Bonicelli says Yemen’s collapse will doom Obama’s foreign policy legacy. (Foreign Policy)

Faisal Al Yafai says allowing the politics of Yemen to be decided in foreign capitals is disastrous. (The National)

Ellie Geranmayeh says opponents of Iranian-Western diplomacy are already sabotaging the process. (New York Times)

Dennis Ross, Eric Edelman and Ray Takeyh say the nuclear deadlock between Iran and the US cannot be broken unless the US fully re-engages in the region. (Politico)

News:

Israel’s four Arab parties have decided to run together in the upcoming elections. (Reuters/Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Pres. Obama and Sec. Kerry will not meet with PM Netanyahu during his trip to Washington in March. (AFP/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Israel approves the construction of 2500 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank. (PNN)

200 Palestinians from Gaza attend Friday’s prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

Egyptian naval forces shoot and injure a Palestinian fisherman. (Ma’an)

A Druze student is attacked by gang of Jewish extremists in Jerusalem after he was overheard speaking Arabic. (Ynet)

DM Ya’alon warns that Israel will make Lebanon and Syria “pay” for any Hezbollah action against Israel. (JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia dies and his brother Salman becomes king. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Foreign Policy/The National/Al Arabiya)

World leaders react to the death of King Abdullah. (AP/JTA/Times of Israel/Jordan Times)

Pres. Abbas declares three days of mourning for King Abdullah. (Ma’an)

King Salman of Saudi Arabia pledges to maintain existing foreign and energy policies. (Reuters/New York Times/AP/Washington Post/The National)

Extremists affiliated with ISIS have posted an online warning about the impending murder of two Japanese hostages. (AP)

Yemen suffers a power vacuum after Pres. Hadi resigns in exasperation following the Houthi coup. (Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post) 

Commentary:

Nahum Barnea says Netanyahu has made a dangerous deal with the Republicans. (Ynet)

Ron Kampeas looks at what Israel may face at the ICC. (JTA)

Shlomi Eldar asks if a united Israeli Arab party can survive the upcoming elections. (Al-Monitor)

The Times of Israel interviews French Amb. to Israel Maisonnave. (Times of Israel)

Theodore Karasik looks at King Abdullah’s legacy for the GCC. (Al Arabiya)

Abdullah Hamidaddin says King Abdullah was the “king of hearts.” (Al Arabiya)

Elizabeth Dickinson looks at the legacy of King Abdullah. (The National)

The Daily Star says King Abdullah will be remembered as a friend of Lebanon and a champion of moderation in a turbulent region. (Daily Star)

Amir Taheri looks at the four key players in the Syrian conflict. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Fareed Zakaria provides a four-part strategy for the West to combat Muslim extremists. (Washington Post)

Charles Krauthammer looks at Iran’s quest to dominate the Arab world. (Washington Post) 

The Washington Post says Obama’s Yemen strategy is crumbling. (Washington Post)