News:

Clashes continue in Jerusalem between Palestinians and Israeli occupation forces. (New York Times)

Saudi Arabia pledges $500 million for Gaza reconstruction. (Reuters)

Quartet Envoy Blair says delay in Gaza rebuilding could threaten the truce. (AFP)

Hamas says indirect ceasefire negotiations between Palestinians and Israel will restart within the next week in Cairo. (Ma’an/PNN/Times of Israel)

Israeli opposition leader Herzog urges Pres. Abbas to return to talks with Israel. (Times of Israel)

Israeli naval forces shoot and injure a Palestinian fisherman off the coast of Gaza. (Ma’an)

Gaza’s Ministry of Health postpones surgeries due to a strike by cleaning staff. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces issue demolition orders for the homes of three Hebron families. (Ma’an)

The National looks at architects’ hopes of rebuilding Gaza. (The National)

FM Lieberman tells Sec. Kerry Israel is ready to the help the US-led coalition against ISIS. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

The House of Representatives approves Pres. Obama’s plan to train and arm moderate Syrianrebels. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

VP Biden leaves the door open to US ground troops helping Iraqi security forces.(AP)

Gen. Ray Odierno says grounds troops will be needed against ISIS. (New York Times)

Conflict in Iraq is undermining the Kurdish success story. (Washington Post)

ISIS extremists capture 16 villages and besiege a Kurdish city in northern Syria near the border with Turkey. (Reuters/AP)

Pres. Rouhani says ISIS beheadings are a symbolic murder of all mankind. (Reuters)

A Saudi ISIS fighter calls on his fellow Saudis to “wage jihad” and threatens Saudi Arabia. (Reuters)

The French government says it will now refer to ISIS as “Daesh.” (Washington Post)

A series of anti-terrorism raids were sparked by intelligence reports that ISIS supporters were planning a public execution in Australia. (The Australian)

Syria’s conflict keeps 2.8 million children out of school. (Reuters)

Tainted vaccines kill at least 50 children inside Syria. (New York Times/The National)

The Wall Street Journal profiles Bassam Barandi, a conscientious Syrian diplomat in Washington who aided the opposition. (Wall Street Journal)

Egypt is moving to tighten restrictions on Muslim Brotherhood activities at Al Azhar University. (Reuters)

The New York Times looks at Jordan’s energy deal with Israel. (New York Times)

Islamist fighters launch a new attack on pr-Haftar forces at Benghazi’s airport. (AFP)

Commentary:

Terrestrial Jerusalem says there is a looming crisis in occupied East Jerusalem because of highly dangerous new Israeli settlement activities. (Terrestrial Jerusalem)

Chris Gunness says depriving the next generation in Gaza of a future is against Israel's own interests. (Ha’aretz)

Gideon Levy says the world has quickly forgotten about Gaza. (Ha’aretz)

Peter Beinart say boycotting Israel is a “serious mistake.” (Ha’aretz)

Ahmad Melhem says the planned West Bank city of Rawabi is still controversial among Palestinians. (Al-Monitor)

Michael Young says Obama’s vow of “no troops on the ground” is unrealistic. (Daily Star)

Joyce Karam says the US is determined to hit ISIS in Syria in order to deal a severe blow to the group. (Al Arabiya)

Michael Young says regional unity threatens Iran’s divisive agenda. (The National)

The New York Times asks if the US can still count on the new government in Baghdad. (New York Times)

The CSM says Obama should welcome the backing of lawmakers for his war on ISIS.  (Christian Science Monitor)

Aaron David Miller questions the commitment of US partners in the war against ISIS. (Foreign Policy)

Nicholas Kristof says Obama’s military campaign against ISIS in Syria keeps on “getting messier.” (New York Times)

Rym Ghazal says more western Muslim women are running away to become “jihadists.” (The National)

News:

The World Bank says the Palestinian economy is expected to contract for the first time in seven years. (AP)

Gaza’s rent prices skyrocket after Israel’s offensive. (Washington Post)

The UN says the Palestinian unity government is crucial for Gaza’s recovery. (Jerusalem Post)

Tensions between the different Palestinian factions cast shadow over peace talks with Israel and threaten unity government. (The National)

PM Hamdallah says the challenges faced by Gaza will be the main focus of an upcoming donor conference in New York. (Ma’an)

Hamas says Meshaal will remain headquartered in Qatar. (Times of Israel)

Israeli occupation forces detain 22 Palestinians in East Jerusalem. (Ma’an/Ynet)

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights says Gaza detainees underwent torture in Israeli custody. (Ma’an)

The Israeli government plans to forcibly relocate 12,500 Bedouins. (Ha’aretz)

Former Pres. Clinton says PM Netanyahu is “not the guy” for a peace deal with the Palestinians. (Politico/Ha’aretz)

Iraqi lawmakers have rejected PM al-Abadi’s nominees to fill the critical posts of defense and interior ministers. (AP)

The US is reportedly looking for Sunni allies on the ground in Iraq. (Reuters)

Congress is scrutinizing Obama’s military strategy against ISIS. (AP)

Sec. Kerry will chair the UNSC meeting on Iraq. (AP)

An ISIS supporter has warned of attacks on the US and its allies if they continue to carry out military action against the group. (Reuters)

Kurds in Europe are taking up arms and joining the fight against ISIS. (AP)

US airstrikes hit targets near Baghdad held by ISIS. (New York Times)

US lawmakers are considering arming Syrian rebels, but with conditions. (Reuters/New York Times)

ISIS is drawing a steady source of recruits from Turkey. (New York Times)

ISIS shoots down a Syrian government war plane. (Reuters)

A UN Human Rights Commission emphasizes that Pres. Assad’s government has committed the bulk of atrocities in the Syrian war. (AP/New York Times) 

Middle East Christian leaders urge Arab states to lead the fight against ISIS. (Reuters)

An Egyptian official says the justice ministry is drafting amendments to the country's disputed protest law. (AP)

Qatar denies accusations it sent weapons to Libya. (Reuters)

Pres. Erdogan says exiled leaders of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood could find refuge in Turkey. (New York Times/The National)

Commentary:

Sharif Nashashibi says Palestinians should join the ICC. (The National)

Nahum Barnea says former Israeli spies are telling the truth about the wiretaps against Palestinians. (Ynet)

Amos Harel says Israel wants to join the coalition against ISIS. (Foreign Policy)

Linda Gradstein asks if Israel is heading toward new elections. (The Media Line)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Iran is launching a “propaganda campaign” to discredit the anti-ISIS coalition. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Jamal Khashoggi says the Jeddah alliance against ISIS is everyone’s opportunity for a new beginning. (Al Arabiya)

Nabeelah Jaffer says the execution of David Haines could push Britain to become a stronger ally in the fight against ISIS. (Foreign Policy)

The National says Assad is the problem not the solution. (The National)

The New York Times says Congress should not hide the Syrian aid vote. (New York Times)

Tim Kaine says Pres. Obama must get Congressional backing for the fight against ISIS. (New York Times)

H.A. Hellyer says the release of activist Alaa Abdel Fattah is bittersweet for Egypt’s “politics of freedom.” (Al Arabiya)

News:

Arab FMs say they will back Pres. Abbas efforts to lobby the UN to set a deadline for Israel to end its occupation. (Ha’aretz/The National)

A Palestinian official says Abbas wants the UN to replace the US as the leading peace broker between Israel and the Palestinians. (Jerusalem Post)

Fatah and Hamas are trading accusations after the Gaza war. (AFP)

Israeli sources say Hamas leader Meshaal may not have agreed to an August ceasefire that Hamas supposedly broke. (Times of Israel)

The Israeli navy arrests four Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Gaza. (AP/Ma’an)

Norway’s FM Brende says a conference for Gaza reconstruction will be held in Cairo on Oct. 12. (Ma’an)

Palestinian-Belgians have begun consulting lawyers and human rights groups about filing war-crime complaints against Israeli officials and officers. (Ma’an)

A report from the Adva Center finds that settlements get significantly more government money than other Israeli communities. (Ynet)

A Palestinian prisoner dies in an Israeli hospital. (Ma’an)

Saudi Arabia will host a meeting on Thursday to discuss terrorism with the US and other Middle Eastern countries. (AP/Reuters)

Iraq’s parliament officially names al-Abadi as the country’s new prime minister. (AP/Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post/The National)

Iraqi lawmakers urge PM al-Abadi to quickly fill the critical posts of defense and interior minister. (AP)

Sec. Kerry says the new Iraqi government is key to ISIS’ defeat. (AP)

Pres. Obama phones al-Abadi to discuss Washington's commitment to fight ISIS extremists. (Reuters)

Iraqi Kurdish and Shi’ite militias may be using US airstrikes on ISIS to further their own agendas. (Reuters)

The US wants Turkey to help in the fight against ISIS. (New York Times)

An article on the Al Jazeera arabic website mocks and doubts ISIS’ murder of two American journalists. (Al Arabiya)

The UN Envoy in Libya Leon urges militias to cease fire and work on a political settlement. (AP)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish joins Feisal Istrabadi and Frederic Wehrey on the PBS NewsHour to discuss the international coalition against ISIS. (Video and Transcript: PBS)

Hussein Ibish reviews the first comprehensive history of Gaza in any language. (Book Forum)

The Daily Star says Palestinian politicians are unable to put aside differences for the greater national good. (Daily Star)

Jack Khoury says, despite the Arab League backing, Palestinians understand the war on ISIS comes first. (Ha’aretz)

Asmaa al-Ghoul says relief aid in Gaza is failing to reach the most desperate. (Al-Monitor)

Efraim Halevy asks who really won the Gaza war. (Ynet)

Akiva Eldar says Israel’s expropriation of West Bank land reveals PM Netanyahu’s strategy. (Al-Monitor)

Miriam Awadallah says Obama's “strategy of no strategy” on ISIS is intentional, and is part of a more responsible policy. (Annahar)

The New York Times says Obama will have to explain clearly his ISIS strategy. (New York Times)

David Ignatius says the US priority is to help Arabs fight ISIS. (Daily Star)

The CSM says Arabs need a hopeful model of progress if they are to rally behind the US in “destroying” ISIS. (Christian Science Monitor)

Jamal Khashoggi says Saudi Arabia is facing tough choices when it comes to defeating ISIS. (Al Arabiya)

The National says the UK needs to follow the Danish example in dealing with extremists. (The National)

News:

Pres. Abbas threatens to dissolve the PA “unity” government if Hamas maintains a “shadow government” in Gaza.

Hamas says Abbas is trying to destroy the unity agreement.

Palestinian unity is tested after the Gaza war.

Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli police in occupied East Jerusalem, following the death of a Palestinian teenager.

Former Pres. Peres and Abbas call for peace at the World Economic Forum in Jordan.

UNRWA says Israel should be held accountable for violations against Palestinian civilians.

FM Lieberman says he doubts the current Gaza ceasefire will last.

An Israeli official says Hamas has begun rebuilding its military capabilities.

The PA says it will not pay the salaries of Hamas-hired civil servants in Gaza, but may providefinancial assistance.

Hamas calls on PM Hamdallah to visit Gaza and take charge of local governance.

Israel reportedly wants European monitors to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza.

45 Palestinian children from Gaza, who were severely injured in Israel’s offensive, will be treated in Germany.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry declines to share a joint ambassador from New Zealand with the PA.

The Arab League says its members states have agreed to combat ISIS.

The US launches airstrikes around the Haditha Dam in western Iraq.

Iraqi government forces claim to have secured the Haditha Dam.

US officials say “destroying” ISIS may take three years.

Syrian air strikes on ISIS positions kill 60 civilians.

The West is reportedly widening contacts with Kurds in Syria.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights al-Hussein says the international community should end the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.

The head of Egypt’s Al Azhar says ISIS extremists are “criminals.”

Qatar’s support of Islamists is alienating its allies.

The New York Times looks at foreign funding of US think tanks, especially by Qatar, the UAE and Norway.

Human Rights Watch accuses militias in Libya of committing war crimes.

Commentary:

Roger Cohen says the war in Gaza was not in Israel’s strategic interests.

The National says Israel’s blockade of Gaza is “choking” a possible Palestinian state.

Rory Miller and Mattia Toaldo say violence between Israel and Hamas will continue until the status quo is broken.

Shai Feldman gives a preliminary assessment of the recent Israel-Hamas war.

Uri Savir says implementing the Arab Peace Initiative will take time.

Ravit Hecht says PM Netanyahu’s comment on regional diplomacy should not be taken seriously.

Hussein Ibish says the Muslim Brotherhood is part of a continuum, not a corrective to, more extreme groups like ISIS.

Nawaf Obaid and Saud Al-Sarhan say Saudi Arabia can defeat ISIS.

Michael Singh looks at ISIS’s “triple threat.”

Donna Brazile says Pres. Obama is developing an ISIS strategy.

The Daily Star says Arab League dysfunctionality is a “symptom of bureaucracy and hypocrisy.”
 

News:

Israel issues tenders for 283 new homes in a West Bank settlement. (AFP/Times of Israel)

The Obama administration is considering taking further action regarding Israel’s expropriation of 1,000 acres of West Bank land. (Ha’aretz)

Sec. Kerry speaks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders about peace prospects in the region. (JTA)

A Fatah official says a draft of ICC indictment against Israel is ready for submission. (Ha’aretz)

The reconstruction of Gaza will cost an estimated $7.8 billion. (Ma’an)

The PA is working to implement a three-stage plan to solve the water crisis in Gaza. (Ma’an)

An Egyptian official says an Israeli delegation will arrive in Cairo within a week to continue indirect talks with the Palestinians. (Ma’an)

Hamas leader Haniyeh says the group will not be disarmed as a condition for ending the blockade of Gaza. (AP/Ma’an)

Hamas leader Meshaal reportedly agreed to accept a Palestinian state within the 1967 bordersduring a recent meeting with Pres. Abbas. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

The murder of the three Israeli teenagers was reportedly set in motion by Hamas operatives from a local Palestinian clan. (New York Times/Ma'an)

The EU paid €15.5 million toward to the early payment of PA salaries and pensions in August. (PNN)

Palestinian citizens of Israel fear rising discrimination after Gaza war. (JTA)

David Makovsky, a member of the State Department’s Middle East peace team, is returning to his think tank position. (JTA)

Kerry and Def. Sec. Hagel urge a broad international coalition against IS. (AP/Reuters/New York Times)

IS extremists kidnap 50 Iraqi men. (AP/New York Times)

The UN says discrepancies and questions still surround Syria's chemical weapons declaration. (Reuters/New York Times)

The Al-Nusra Front tells Lebanese Sunnis they must support its cause or pay the price. (Reuters)

Some Lebanese Christians are beginning to arm as Middle East tensions mount. (AP/Times of Israel)

Prominent Arab Spring activists in Egypt and Bahrain turn to hunger strikes in prisons. (New York Times)

Commentary:

ATFP’s Tala Haikal says Iraqi Kurds will need more than weapons to protect their relative prosperity and an independent future. (Daily Star)

Hussein Ibish, Bessma Momani, Eric Margolis and Janice Stein discuss the rise of The Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. (Video: TVO's The Agenda with Steve Paikin)

Amir Taheri says it is useless to debate who won the war in Gaza. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Ben Caspit says ignoring the Arab Peace Initiative will be costly for PM Netanyahu. (Al-Monitor)

Hana Salah says young Palestinians from Gaza are willing to risk the dangers of illegally immigrating to Europe. (Al-Monitor)

The Daily Star says as long as Israel maintains its position toward the peace process, nothing is going to change. (Daily Star)

Yoel Marcus compares Netanyahu to Pres. Putin. (Ha’aretz)

Aaron David Miller says IS could kill the two-state solution. (Foreign Policy)

David Ignatius looks at Pres. Obama’s IS strategy. (Washington Post)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says eradicating ISIS cannot be accomplished simply with air strikes. (Al Arabiya)

Alan Philps says Britain is trying to avert a wave of militants volunteering for jihad in Syria and Iraq. (The National)

H.A. Hellyer says the west’s analysis of the Middle East is far too simplistic. (The National)

Ahmad Majdoubeh says Arab states must meet people’s demands. (Jordan Times)

News:

Pres. Abbas says Israel must clarify what its borders are, and blasts Hamas for maintaining a "parallel" government in Gaza. (Ma’an/Jerusalem Post)

Hamas leader Meshaal says Hamas will go back to war against Israel if the upcoming long-term ceasefire talks fail. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

The US is reportedly planning to present a comprehensive proposal for the demilitarization of Gaza to the UNSC. (Times of Israel)

Palestinians in Gaza are slowly returning to their normal routines. (Ma’an/The Guardian)

Palestinian fishermen in Gaza say they are already seeing the benefits of an extended fishing zone. (Ma’an)

Many children in Gaza are left orphaned by the conflict. (Ma’an)

Israel’s attacks on Gaza caused $40.4 million worth of damage just to religious sites and cemeteries. (Ma’an)

The new school year in Gaza will start on September 14th. (Ma’an)

Islamic Jihad says 121 of its fighters were killed in Gaza. (Times of Israel)

Many Israelis used an app to track the Gaza conflict during the latest round of hostilities. (New York Times) 

Israel approves plans to build another Yeshiva in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma’an)

Israeli police say they have found the body of a 23-year-old American student who went missing inJerusalem. (Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post/JTA)

PM Netanyahu meets with members of Congress. (JTA)

A poll indicates that Americans sympathize with Israel more than with the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)

An armed group detains 43 UN peacekeepers, and another 81 are trapped, during fighting in Syria. (AP/Reuters)

Pres. Obama downplays the prospect of imminent US military action in Syria. (AP) 

The UN says the war in Syria has driven a record 3 million people out of the country. (AP/Reuters/New York Times)

A video shows IS fighters executing Syrian soldiers. (Reuters/New York Times/The National)

The Wall Street Journal looks at IS’ extensive criminal finances and racketeering. (Wall Street Journals)

A captured IS laptop includes lessons for making bubonic plague bombs and missives on using weapons of mass destruction. (Foreign Policy)

The US has delivered a shipment of weapons to Lebanon. (AP)

A powerful Islamist militia in Tripoli says it agrees with a UN call for a Libyan ceasefire. (AP)

FM Zarif expresses optimism on nuclear talks. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Asmaa Al Ghoul says Israel gained the upper hand in the final days of the Gaza war. (Al-Monitor)

Naomi Shihab Nye desrcibes growing up in Ferguson and Palestine. (Washington Post)

Peter Millett says UNRWA will have to rebuild “shattered lives” in Gaza. (Al Arabiya)

The CSM says Israel should seek a lasting peace with the Palestinians, not merely prolonged quiet. (Christian Science Monitor)

Lara Friedman says Israeli settlement activity would greatly strengthen Hamas. (Jewish Daily Forward)

Neri Zilber says Hamas did not win the Gaza war. (Politico)

Zvi Bar’el says the Gaza war was a distraction from the main issue in the Middle East today: IS. (Ha’aretz)

Peter Beinart says Palestinians are invisible to many Jewish Americans. (Ha’aretz)

David Ignatius asks if Saudi Arabia can help fight IS. (Washington Post)

Steven Cook, Jacob Stokes and Alexander Brock say Obama's attempt to disengage from Middle East’s conflict has intensified regional rivalries. (Foreign Policy)

Winston Harris asks if Kurds can achieve independence. (Small Wars Journal)

The National says Gulf states must not forget Pres. Assad’s brutality. (The National)

The Daily Star says world leaders must take “meaningful action” against the Syrian regime. (Daily Star)

Abdallah Schleifer says Egypt is preparing for a worst-case scenario in Libya. (Al Arabiya)

News:

Israel seizes 1,000 acres of West Bank land for a Jewish settlement bloc near Bethlehem. (NewYork Times/PNN/The National)

The US urges Israel to reverse its latest land expropriation. (AFP/JTA)

UNSG Ban is alarmed by Israel’s decision to seize the land. (New York Times/Xinhua/PNN)

FM Lieberman says Israel stands behind its decision to appropriate the land. (Ha’aretz)

Finance Minister Lapid warns Israel is eroding its international support through such expropriations. (AFP/Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Pres. Abbas will present a plan to the Arab League for determining borders with Israel and ending the occupation of the West Bank within three years. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post/The National)

A poll suggests a significant rise in the popularity of Hamas among Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. (Reuters/AP/Times of Israel)

A high-level Egyptian delegation arrives in Ramallah to address Fatah-Hamas tensions. (Times of Israel)

Egypt says it will open the Rafah crossing only if PA troops guard it. (Ha’aretz)

Israeli warships open fire at Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Rafah. (Ma’an/PNN)

Palestinians schools educate students to avoid Israeli products. (The Media Line)

Israeli children return to school after the Gaza war. (AP)

The murder of the Palestinian teenager Mohamed Abu Khdeir shakes his school’s faith in coexistence. (Ha’aretz)

A bombing in Sinai kills 11 police officers. (AP)

The World Food Program says 4.1 million people in Syria received food rations in August. (Reuters/AP )

The Al-Nusra Front issue a set of demands for the release of 45 UN peacekeepers. (AP/JTA/The National)

The US carries out airstrikes against IS fighters near the formerly besieged Shi’ite town of Amerli. (Reuters)

Iranians play a key role in breaking the IS seige of Amerli. (Reuters/Washington Post)

Chancellor Merkel says arming the Kurds in Iraq is in Germany’s interest. (AP)

The New York Times looks at why Kurdish fighters failed initially against IS militants. (New York Times) 

Former PM Maliki pledges to turn Iraq into “a big grave” for IS militants. (AP)

IS extremists are reportedly using cluster bombs. (New York Times)

The UN Human Rights Council will send a team to Iraq to investigate possible war crimes by IS extremists. (New York Times)

Amnesty International accuses IS extremists of committing war crimes in Iraq. (AP)

HH Prince Zeid assumes his position as UN Human Rights Commissioner. (Jordan Times) 

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says Palestinians should redefine the concept of martyrdom to promote effective non-violent resistance to occupation. (The National)

The National says Israel should be “held accountable for its land grab.” (The National)

The Daily Star says Israel’s latest land expropriation is a “war crime.” (Daily Star)

Ha’aretz says Netanyahu’s government is not serious about peace with the Palestinians.  (Ha’aretz)

Nabila Ramdani says Israel’s actions in Gaza must not be forgotten. (The National)

Khairallah Khairallah says Hamas has perfected the art of celebrating defeat. (Al Arabiya)

Akiva Eldar says Netanyahu will accept a major PA role in Gaza only if the unity government is dissolved. (Al-Monitor)

Uri Savir says an economic federation between Israel, Palestine and Jordan might facilitate the establishment of a Palestinian state. (Al-Monitor)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed asks if Gulf countries are coming together out of fear of ISIS. (Al Arabiya)

Hassan Barari says PM-designate Abadi’s task of forming an inclusive government is far from easy. (Jordan Times)

Diana Moukalled says everyone should feel sympathy for ordinary Syrian soldiers who are the victims of ISIS. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Andrew Hammond says the UAE’s airstrikes in Libya represent a new and dangerous phase in its struggle with Qatar. (Foreign Policy)

News:

The US and the EU call on Israel to reverse its appropriation of West Bank land. (JTA)

Sec. Kerry calls PM Netanyahu to protest land appropriation. (Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Peace Now says Israel’s land appropriation is intended to consolidate control over the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz)

Kerry willl meet with Palestinian negotiators. (AFP)

A delegation from the Arab League will visit Gaza. (Ma’an)

An Egyptian official says no date has been set for renewed Gaza ceasefire talks. (Ma’an)

Palestinians are considering new international initiatives. (New York Times)

Pres. Abbas reportedly accused Hamas leader Meshaal of scheming to overthrow him in a meeting in Qatar. (Ha’aretz)

The New York Times looks at the significance of the Erez crossing. (New York Times)

Palestinians in Gaza demand the right of passage to the West Bank. (Ha’aretz)

The Israeli navy detains two Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Gaza. (Ma’an)

Israeli occupation forces demolish a house and a water well in Hebron. (Ma’an)

The Washington Post looks at what happened this summer to the Abu Khdeir’s  Palestinian-American family. (Washington Post)

John Edwin Mroz, an American official negotiating with the PLO, dies at 66. (New York Times)

Israel signs a 15-year natural gas deal with Jordan. (Ha’aretz)

Pres. Obama has ordered an increase of 350 troops in Baghdad to protect the US embassy. (Reuters/AP)

Australian PM Abbott does not rule out sending combat troops in Iraq. (Reuters)

Human Right Watch says IS militants killed 770 Iraqi troops in June. (AP)

A Yazidi girl tells the story of her escape from IS kidnappers. (Reuters)

Pope Francis tells Iraqi Christians that they are the "heart" of the church. (AP)

IS extremists release a video purportedly showing the beheading of a second American journalist,Steven Sotloff. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National)

Syrian government forces escalate their assault on a rebel-held district in Damascus. (Reuters/The National)

Commentary:

Rami Khouri looks at Abbas’ new international initiative. (Daily Star)

Osama Al Sharif says Hamas and Abbas are already fighting. (Jordan Times)

Shlomi Eldar says Abbas needs Hamas. (Al-Monitor)

Ron Kampeas says the Obama administration is retreating from Middle East peace endeavors. (JTA)

David Horovitz says there are no “quick fixes” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Times of Israel)

Eric Yoffie says Israel’s land appropriation is “foolish, ill-timed and self-destructive.” (Ha’aretz)

Hussein Ibish says IS is trying to raise a loyal generation of citizens of its “caliphate” through endoctrination and brainwashing. (Now)

Thomas Friedman says to defeat ISIS you have to address the context out of which it emerged. (New York Times)

Shane Harris and Kate Brannen say Sotloff’s murder proves that IS isn’t interested in negotiating. (Foreign Policy)

Amos Yadlin says IS is not an existential threat to Israel. (Ynet)

Mshari Al-Zaydi says Egypt is now free to play its natural role as the leading Arab country once more. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Mohammed Fahad al-Harthi says the government priorities of the Arab world should shift toward a development-based agenda. (Al Arabiya)