Daily News Issue Date: 
January 8, 2014
News: 

News:
US officials say a draft US framework agreement may be presented to the parties soon. (YNet)

US Amb. Shapiro says Pres. Abbas and PM Netanyahu said "things no one ever heard before" in recent meetings. (Jerusalem Post)

Israeli DM Ya'alon says peace talks with Palestinians may be extended and denounces settler "terrorism." (AFP/Times of Israel)

Abbas will meet with Jordan's King Abdullah today. (Ma'an)

The largest Dutch pension fund divests from companies that are involved in the Israeli occupation. (Ha'aretz)

Israel's interior minister strongly criticizes FM Lieberman's proposal to transfer Palestinian villages in Israel to a Palestinian state. (Ha'aretz)

Lieberman defends his population transfer plan. (Times of Israel)

Palestinian officials say an Islamic Jihad militant was killed in an Israeli drone strike in Gaza. (AP/Reuters)

Israel denies it conducted a drone strike at all. (Ma'an)

The Israeli military denies any involvement in a shooting in Gaza. (Xinhua)

Egypt says after two months of continued closure, it will open the Gaza crossing for two days. (Ma'an)

Hamas says it will release seven Fatah prisoners as a "unity gesture." (Ma'an)

Extremist settlers torch Palestinian cars in Nablus. (Ma'an)

A series of photos depicts Palestinians relaxing in various ways. (New York Times)

Saudi Arabia is increasing its backing of Syrian rebels. (New York Times)

Many analysts think the extreme Al Qaeda faction in Syria, ISIS, is overstretched and threatened. (Washington Post)

More moderate Syrian rebels seize a key Al Qaeda base in Aleppo. (AP/BBC)

The main Syrian political opposition group remains undecided about upcoming peace talks. (AP)

The first shipment of Syrian chemical weapons out of the country has commenced. (Xinhua)

PM al-Maliki says victory over Al Qaeda is certain. (Reuters)

At least 18 more people are killed in ongoing violence in Iraq. (Xinhua)

A new survey suggests most Saudi men blame women for molestation incidents. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Adnan Abu Amer says relations between Egypt and Hamas have hit an all-time low. (Al Monitor)

Raphael Ahren looks at Palestinian options if peace talks should break down. (Times of Israel)

Peter Beinart says whatever is in textbooks, occupation is the ultimate incitement for Palestinians. (Ha'aretz)

Yigal Sarna says, instead of getting rid of Palestinian citizens, Israel should get rid of Lieberman. (YNet)

Shlomi Eldar says Palestinian citizens of Israel have voiced their strong opposition to Lieberman's transfer policy. (Al Monitor)

Amnon Abramovich asks when Netanyahu will grow up and start meeting his urgent responsibilities. (YNet)

Daniella Peled says Israeli right-wingers are deluding themselves about living conditions in Gaza. (Ha'aretz)

Amos Harel says, under increasing pressure, Israeli settler extremists could intensify their violence. (Ha'aretz)

Liam Hoare says Britain should apologize for the Balfour Declaration. (The Forward)

Gil Troy says former PM Sharon saved Israel twice. (Jerusalem Post)

Thomas Friedman highly recommends the new book by Marwan Muasher. (New York Times)

James Jeffrey says the US must act decisively in Iraq and other key Middle Eastern battlegrounds. (Washington Post)

Nabeel Khoury says, rather than supporting him by talking to him, the US should be encouraging Iran and Russia to abandon Pres. Assad. (Los Angeles Times)

Amr Moussa says he's sure Egyptians will approve the new Constitution he led the drafting of. (New York Times)

Reuters interviews Jehane Noujaim, maker of the film "The Square," about the movie and current developments in Egypt. (Reuters)

The CSM says religious leaders are best placed to help end Sunni-Shiite violence in Iraq. (Christian Science Monitor)

Osama Al Sharif bemoans the "fratricidal wars" in Iraq and Syria. (Jordan Times)

Semih Idiz says Turkey's government is deeply threatened by the spread of war in Syria. (Al Monitor)

Roula Khalaf says, as the US continues to seem to turn away from the Middle East, Arabs must become more self-reliant. (Gulf News)

Rami Khouri says the Middle East is entering a "post-everything" era. (The Daily Star)

Chantal Berman looks at the post-revolutionary protest movements in Tunisia. (Foreign Policy)


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