NEWS:

Pres. Abbas appoints Rami Hamdallah, president of An-Najah University, as thenew PA Prime Minister. (New York Times/AP/LA Times)

The US welcomes the appointment. (PNN)

PM Hamdallah says most serving ministers will retain their posts in the cabinet. (Xinhua)

Hamas denounces the new PA government as "illegal." (Xinhua)

Sec. Kerry will reportedly visit Amman "within days" for further peace talks. (AFP)

American officials say Kerry and the US will drop peace initiatives if Israelis and Palestinians prove not to be serious about them. (Ha'aretz)

Germany may soon join other European countries in labeling all Israeli settlement products. (The Media Line)

Egypt says it will increase the number of Palestinians allowed to cross from Gaza from 800 to 1,100 per day. (Ma'an)

The PA says 2,000 Palestinians are in prison in Syria. (Ma'an)

Israeli authorities say they're planning to demolish two Palestinian homes in the flashpoint Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem. (Ma'an)

A Palestinian citizen of Israel is reportedly charged with handing information to Hezbollah. (Xinhua)

Israel has reached an agreement with an unidentified country to transfer thousands of African migrants. (AP)

Israel ranks number 10 in countries with the most millionaires. (Xinhua)

Israel now reportedly has an arsenal of at least 80 nuclear warheads. (Times of Israel)

Egypt deploys more military forces in Sinai in coordination with Israel. (Times of Israel)

Enthusiasm for Mohammed Assaf, widely expected to win this year's "Arab Idol" TV singing contest, continues to grow. (Christian Science Monitor)

COMMENTARY:

Barak Ravid calls PM Hamdallah "a good man on a suicide mission." (Ha'aretz)

The CSM says cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian businesspeople could be a breakthrough towards peace. (Christian Science Monitor)

Hani al-Masri says economic initiatives will not solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Al Monitor)

Amira Hass says the Jewish experience during the British mandate shows economies can be built under occupation, and the same can happen Palestinians if Israel lifts its restrictions. (Ha'aretz)

Ahmad Azem says Kerry's economic initiative ignores the need for Palestinian economic independence. (Al Monitor)

Hilik Bar says Israelis should stop saying there is "no Palestinian partner" for peace. (Jerusalem Post)

Ha'aretz says Israel must let Palestinian doctors work in Jerusalem hospitals. (Ha'aretz)

David Landau says Kerry's approach to peace is only strengthening hardliners on both sides. (Ha'aretz)

Ram Cohen says discriminatory policies at an Israeli amusement park are a reflection of the countries racist laws and policies. (YNet)

Lucy Aharish says segregation in Israel is endemic and racism is a major part of the national culture. (YNet)

Jeff Barak says the racism that is so deeply ingrained in Israeli culture is a major factor in what many believe is the demise of the two-state solution. (Jerusalem Post)

The Jerusalem Post says that because Israel is a "Jewish country" it can never have a complete separation between state and religion. (Jerusalem Post)

Adel Safty says Israel's bullying of its neighbors and abuse of Palestinians explains its international unpopularity. (Gulf News)

Ahmad Samih Khalidi says Israel and the Palestinians are looking at an open-ended struggle into the foreseeable future. (LSE)