News:
Sec. Kerry is taking a personal approach [1] to advancing Middle East peace. (New York Times)
Kerry warns [2] of the potential for new violence [3] if peace talks falter [4]. (AP/Xinhua/Los Angeles Times)
Recent polls suggest neither Israelis nor Palestinians [5] think Kerry's efforts will yield peace. (The Media Line)
PM Netanyahu pushes back against Kerry [6], saying Palestinians are the only obstacle to peace. (Washington Post)
Israeli occupation forces kill [7] a Palestinian at a checkpoin [8]t near Nablus in the occupied West Bank who may have been attacking them [9]. (Xinhua/Ma'an/AP)
Occupation forces shoot and kill another Palestinian [10] man near Bethlehem. (Ma'an)
Relatives say the man was killed in "cold blood." [11] (Ma'an)
Israel closes two alleged Hamas offices [12] in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma'an)
Speculation continues to grow about suggestions the late Pres. Arafat was poisoned [13]. (AP)
People are wondering who might have had a motive [14] for potentially poisoning Arafat. (AP)
Palestinians say Israel is "the only suspect" [15] in Arafat's death, which they deem "unnatural." [16] (AP)
The US loses voting rights at UNESCO [17] over defunding the body regarding the membership of Palestine. (AP)
Pres. Obama reiterates that sanctions relief may be forthcoming [18] if Iran halts nuclear R&D. (AP)
The West and Iran may be near a nuclear deal [19]. (New York Times)
Netanyahu says a nuclear deal with Iran would be "a mistake of historical proportions," [20] and he "utterly rejects" it. [21] (Xinhua/AP)
Kerry is going to Geneva [22] to try to formalize the deal with Iran. (Reuters)
Netanyahu reportedly tells Kerry Israel "won't be bound" [23] by any Western agreement with Iran. (Xinhua)m
Sanctions remain a serious concern [24] for Iran. (Reuters)
Jordan is considering adopting the UN Security Council seat [25] vacated by Saudi Arabia. (New York Times)
Kerry is confident that dates for Syrian peace talks [26] will be soon established. (Reuters)
30 people are killed [27] in attacks in Iraq. (AP)
Lebanon says it won't "stand idle" [28] in the face of Israeli spying along the border. (Xinhua)
The Arab American National Museum and University of Michigan are jointly presenting an exhibit and symposium entitled "Creative Dissent: Arts of the Arab World Uprisings." [29](AP)
Egypt's constitution drafting committee agrees in principle to abolish the parliamentary upper house [30]. (Xinhua)
Egyptian forces say they have killed eight terrorists in the Sinai [31] Peninsula. (Xinhua)
Reuters interviews Egyptian FM Fahmy [32], who says the country will hold parliamentary elections in February-March. (Reuters)
Two are killed in militia fighting [33] in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. (AP)
The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood confirms it intends to form a new political party [34]. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Commentary:
Aaron David Miller [35] asks if Israel is "doomed," and says not for the meanwhile. (Foreign Policy)
Ilene Prusher [36] says one of the possible reasons for a lack of progress on peace is that Israel's two negotiators are not in agreement. (Ha'aretz)
Matt Lerner [37] says, in spite of the distortions of the political process, there is still a large constituency for peace in Israel. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)
George Hishmeh [38] wonders if Kerry's peace initiative is really following Pres. Obama's stated vision. (Jordan Times)
Jose Vericat [39] says Israel and the world are missing a historic opportunity for peace in Gaza. (The Forward)
Ibrahim al-Amin [40] describes how Hamas is plotting its comeback. (Al Akhbar)
Ehud Yaari [41] says there is growing discontent with Hamas, but a major internal effort to unseat it is unlikely. (WINEP)
Mark Peplow [42] says there's no hard evidence Arafat was actually poisoned. (Nature)
Christopher Dickey [43] says Arafat might've been poisoned but even if he was we will never know who is responsible. (Daily Beast)
The National [44] says questions about Arafat's death now need to be answered. (The National)
The Guardian [45] says an explanation of Arafat's death is required for peace. (The Guardian)
Matthew Kalman and Matt Rees [46] say other senior Palestinians were responsible for killing Arafat. (The Forward)
UK ambassador Matthew Gould [47] explains his country's engagement in negotiations with Iran. (YNet)
Alan Phillips [48] questions whether Iran is really ready to compromise. (The National)
Shoula Romano Horing [49] says the West is engaging in "shameless appeasement" of Iran. (YNet)
Barbara Opall-Rome [50] says Israel's censorship goes too far. (Ha'aretz)
Ha'aretz [51] says Lieberman is "unfit to be a minister." (Ha'aretz)
The Jerusalem Post [52] says Lieberman's acquittal casts serious doubts on its judicial officials. (Jerusalem Post)
Abdel Monem Said [53] looks of the state of US-Egyptian relations. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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