Reuters reports on Secretary of State Rice's criticism of Israeli plans to expand the Har Homa settlement in occupied East Jerusalem (2.) In Middle East Bulletin, ATFP executive director Dajani and advocacy director Omari address the 'how and when' of engagement with Hamas (4.) A Gulf News (UAE) opinion by Damascus university lecturer Marwan Kabalan analyzes Iran's strategy in opposing the Annapolis meeting (8.) A Jordan Times (Jordan) opinion by Rami Khouri suggests that acknowledgment of Israel as a state of the Jewish people can only be a part and consequence of final status negotiations leading to Palestinian statehood (9.) Haaretz (Israel) profiles and interviews Tariq Abbas, son of Palestinian president Abbas (11.)

The Christian Science Monitor examines the results of a poll of the Palestinian public showing a dramatic decline in support for Hamas among the Palestinians with a vast majority, including Gazans, favoring President Abbas' path to peace negotiations with Israel (2.) The Los Angeles Times looks at how the new U.S. intelligence report on Iran's nuclear program plays into Arab concern over Iranian intentions in the region (5.) A Gulf News (UAE) opinion by George Hishmeh weighs the positive results of the Annapolis meeting with some of the negative moments (7.)

The Associated Press reports on Israeli plans to build 300 new homes in an East Jerusalem settlement based on their contention that East Jerusalem is not occupied territory (2.) In the American Prospect, Israeli author and journalist Gershom Gorenberg analyzes Israeli PM Olmert's reluctant and incomplete conversion to a true believer in a complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories (4.) The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports on a new Israeli hardline right-wing fund established to offset the effect of left-wing groups on Israelis (6.) The Telegraph (UK) reports on the discrepancy between successive Israeli governments' pledges to demolish illegal settlement structures with actual demolition (8.) An Asharq Alawsat opinion by Hussein Shobokshi draws hope from the emergence of a Palestinian 'third way' (10.) In Miftah (Palestine) Joharah Baker laments the damage to the Palestinian cause that disunity has done (12.) A Jerusalem Post (Israel) opinion by B'Tselem executive director Jessica Montell is critical of Israel's policy in Gaza resulting in a humanitarian disaster for Palestinian civilians (14.)

Reuters reports on the expanding Palestinian security crackdown in the West Bank (2.) Inter Press Service examines the recent remarks by Israeli PM Olmert linking Israel's future existence with the need for a Palestinian state, in the context of preparing the Israeli public for withdrawing from the occupied Palestinian territories (4.) The Associated Press looks at Israel's refusal to include occupied East Jerusalem in its partial settlement freeze as evidenced by the announcement of new settlement construction there (5.) Der Speigel (Germany) analyzes how converting the current opportunity for Israeli-Palestinian peace may depend as much on the neighboring countries as it does on the protagonists themselves (8.) BBC (UK) Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen senses an opportunity for a negotiated Israeli-Palestinian settlement in 2008 despite the many obstacles to achieving one (9.) A Haaretz (Israel) editorial comes out in support of voluntary settler evacuation through the 'compensation for evacuation' Knesset bill (11.) A Jerusalem Post (Israel) opinion by Gershon Baskin examines the likely repercussions of a failure of the post-Annapolis process (12.) An Arab News (Saudi Arabia) opinion by John Whitbeck urges the Palestinians to capitalize on Israeli PM Olmert's statements regarding the necessity of a two-state solution to Israel's survival by attaching a deadline to pursuit of such a solution (14.)

The New York Times interviews a variety of Mideast experts to get a sense of the level of personal involvement by President Bush in upcoming Israeli-Palestinian peace treaty negotiations (2.) A Washington Post opinion by Jackson Diehl cautions against allowing the Gaza situation to simmer and calls for a Hamas-Israel ceasefire (4.) Christianity Today features the text of a letter sent to President Bush by U.S. evangelical leaders reiterating their previous public support for a two-state solution (5.) A Forward opinion by Leonard Fein stresses that the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains the only option despite the many challenges he lists that it faces (7.) Reuters reports on the impact in Gaza of Israeli fuel supply cuts to the strip (9.) The Economist (UK) analyzes the participation in and results of the Annapolis meeting (10.) A Daily Star (Lebanon) opinion by former Israeli education minister Shulamit Aloni, published in collaboration with Common Ground News Service, argues against the definition of Israel as a 'Jewish state' (13.) A Ynet/Yedioth opinion by Michal Radoshitzky urges that the post-Annapolis period leverage declarations and intentions into progress on the ground and in negotiations (16.)

The New York Times examines the changing attitudes towards Syria by the U.S. in light of Syrian attendance at Annapolis (1.) A Forward editorial draws hope for the future from the Annapolis meeting (3.) Reuters looks at the post-Annapolis challenges facing Palestinian president Abbas in terms of the question of Hamas (5.) The Guardian reports on frank statements by Israeli PM Olmert linking Israel's future survival with the two-state solution (8.) An Economist (UK) editorial is critical of President Bush for not offering more detail of his vision for a Palestinian state at Annapolis (9.) A Daily Star (Lebanon) opinion by Brandeis University visiting senior fellow and Palestinian economist Mohammed Samhouri stresses the importance of movement on the political front in facilitating Palestinian economic and development reform (11.) A Khaleej Times (UAE) opinion by Claude Salhani emphasizes the need for serious U.S. engagement and for both Israelis and Palestinians to compromise if Annapolis will result in success (12.) An Asharq Alawsat (pan Arab) opinion by editor-in-chief Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed argues that current peacemaking efforts hinge on President Bush (13.) A Haaretz (Israel) editorial draws a link between the Israeli settlement project and increasing parallels between Israel and South African apartheid (14.) In a Jerusalem Post (Israel) opinion, Israeli government minister Ami Ayalon sees the significance of Annapolis as being a critical juncture between the diminishing or strengthening of Hamas (16.)

The New York Times provides a wrap-up of the re-launched peace process resulting from the Annapolis meeting (1.) A Boston Globe opinion by ATFP executive director Rafi Dajani identifies the achievements at Annapolis that lay the groundwork towards progress in achieving Israeli-Palestinian peace (3.) The Washington Post examines skeptical Mideast reaction to the Annapolis talks (5.) The Christian Science Monitor looks at how different observers on Israel-Palestine stresses the importance of an active U.S. arbitration role in a future negotiation process (7.) A Forward opinion by New America and Century Foundation senior fellow Daniel Levy urges Israel to reciprocate to the Arab consensus over peace based on an end to the Israeli occupation begun in 1967 (9.) McClatchy newspapers reports on how experience is tempering Israeli and Palestinian public reaction to Annapolis (10.) A Guardian (UK) editorial finds that Annapolis has changed the environment of Arab-Israeli peacemaking in significant ways (12.) A Gulf News (UAE) opinion by George Hishmeh analyzes the Syrian attendance at Annapolis and its impact on the Lebanese presidential election crisis (14.) In a Haaretz (Israel) interview, Israeli PM Olmert equates the demise of the two-state solution with Israel's future existence (16.) Also in Haaretz, an opinion by Aluf Benn looks at why the American role in Arab-Israeli peacemaking as essential (17.)

A New York Times editorial stresses the importance of serious and sustained U.S. involvement if Mideast peace-making has any chance of success (1.) The Washington Post examines how the wide international and Arab participation at the Annapolis meeting and their commitment to support re-launched negotiations is an important achievement (2.) Also in the Post, an opinion by David Ignatius analyzes the text of the joint understanding to flesh out the achievements and failures of the meeting (3.) The CSIS Mideast Program's deputy director Haim Malka suggests some practical post-Annapolis steps to achieve a peace agreement (5.) The Los Angeles Times looks at how hardening public attitudes and weak leaders stand as challenges to peace prospects (6.) A Boston Globe editorial emphasizes the future 'bridging' role of the U.S. in peace negotiations (8.) The Jewish Telegraphic Agency identifies the new U.S. role as the sole arbiter of an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement as the major achievement of Annapolis (11.) BBC (UK) examines how the hard work following the Annapolis meeting has yet to begin (13.) A Daily Star (Lebanon) opinion by Princeton university visiting professor Daoud Kuttab urges that the U.S. develop a 'Plan B' in case post-Annapolis talks fail (15.) An Asharq Alawsat opinion by editor-in-chief Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed looks at how Syria's attendance at Annapolis contributed positively to intra-Mideast relations (16.) Haaretz (Israel) looks at how the Palestinians achieved two of three of their goals for the joint understanding (19.)

The Washington Post examines the challenges facing President Bush as he frames the Annapolis meeting in the context of a battle for the future of the Middle East against extremist forces (2.) An Orlando Sentinel opinion by ATFP executive director Rafi Dajani identifies realistic and achievable objectives for the Annapolis meeting in the context of establishing a Palestinian state (3.) McClatchy Newspapers analyzes the four main issues of Jerusalem, borders, refugees and security dividing Israelis and Palestinians (5.) In the New York Review of Books, senior Council on Foreign Relations fellow Henry Siegman identifies Israeli reluctance to define the contours of a future Palestinian state as the main obstacle to peace and warns of the consequences of a failure at Annapolis (6.) A Financial Times (UK) opinion by Gideon Rachman weights the opportunities and challenges for the Annapolis meeting and beyond while stressing the critical role of the U.S. in a future settlement (9.) A Telegraph (UK) opinion by Tim Butcher stresses the importance of political will by Israelis, Palestinians and the U.S. in reaching an Israeli-Palestinian peace the parameters of which are well known (11.) A Gulf News (UAE) opinion by Linda Heard addresses the implications of a future shift in Israel's demography on the country's future (13.) In Haaretz (Israel). Washington correspondent Shmuel Rosner touches on the three main points of the just-issued Annapolis 'joint declaration' (14.)

The New York Times analyzes how resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict became a top priority for Secretary of State Rice (1.) Also in the Times, an opinion by Roger Cohen urges the Bush administration and Israel to heed the vision of Palestinian PM Fayyad for coexistence and peace with Israel (2.) A Washington Post editorial examines the political realities that make success at Annapolis a remote proposition (4.) The Associated Press outlines the role of President Bush in this week's Annapolis meeting (6), while the Independent (UK) stresses the importance of the president throwing his full weight behind the meeting (13.) A Christian Science Monitor editorial looks at how the Annapolis meeting represents a chance for moderate forces in the Middle East to address rising forces of extremism and radicalism in the region (7.) A Los Angeles Times opinion by former Mideast negotiator Aaron Miller identifies what is needed to turn Annapolis into an event that sets into motion a serious Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking process culminating in Palestinian statehood (9.) A Financial Times (UK) editorial lays out 3 elements to making the Annapolis meeting a success (11.) The Times (UK) looks at how Hamas rule in Gaza is causing increasing Palestinian anger as the movement becomes more isolated (14.) A Daily Star (Lebanon) editorial commends the Bush administration for having reached the conclusion that it is worth taking the risks of Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking (16.) A Haaretz (Israel) opinion by Akiva Eldar identifies the importance of the American role at and post Annapolis as that of bridging the two sides, establishing a timeline for completing negotiations and establishing an implementation mechanism (17.)