NEWS:

Palestinian and Israeli negotiators will hold their third round of direct talks next week in Jericho. (Xinhua)

Talks thus far have been shrouded in secrecy. (The National)

Pres. Abbas explains why he prefers negotiations to new UN initiatives. (Reuters)

Abbas says all issues are being discussed with Israel. (Ma'an)

UNSG Ban says he is "deeply troubled" by Israel's new settlement announcements and urges the parties to continue to seek peace. (AP/Xinhua)

A new poll suggests 80% of Israelis believe peace is impossible. (AFP)

PLO officials say they are waiting to see the outcome of events in Egypt before moving on reconciliation with Hamas and warn of "painful decisions." (Ma'an/Times of Israel)

Israel destroys a Bedouin village for the 54th time. (Ma'an)

14 are killed in attacks by militants in Sinai. (Xinhua)

FIFA asks Israel to allow Arab players to participate in a Palestinian soccer tournament. (AP)

A survey finds 20,000 Palestinians are currently employed in Israeli settlements. (Jerusalem Post)

The Israeli military admits a lavish mall it depicted online as being in Gaza is actually in Malaysia. (Ha'aretz)


COMMENTARY:

Anshel Pfeffer says Israel will eventually have to dismantle West Bank settlements just as it did those in Gaza. (Ha'aretz)

Ha'aretz interviews Zvi Hauser, a longtime aide to PM Netanyahu, who dismisses settlement evacuation as a fantasy. (Ha'aretz)

Convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard condemns Israel's prisoner release. (Jerusalem Post)

Yoel Marcus says Israel paid a heavy price with prisoner release but got nothing in return from the Palestinians. (Ha'aretz)

The Economist outlines the importance of prisoner release for Palestinians. (The Economist)

Kenneth Stein looks at the history of, and prospects for, a two-state solution. (WINEP)

The Jerusalem Post thinks Israel has no chance of a fair hearing in international forums. (Jerusalem Post)

Uri Savir says Israel knows how to prepare for the worst, but it should now prepare for the better. (Jerusalem Post)

Avi Issacharoff says Hezbollah has miscalculated by getting into a fight with deadly jihadist enemies. (Times of Israel)

Yehuda Avner says Menachem Begin is still the icon of Israeli hardliners. (The Forward)

The Economist eulogizes its longtime Palestine correspondent Graham Usher who recently passed away. (The Economist)

Adnan Abu Amer says Hamas and other armed factions in Gaza are trying to avoid getting drawn into the Sinai conflict. (Al Monitor)