News:

Pres. Obama will meet with Pres. Abbas in Washington on March 17th. (AP/Xinhua/JTA)

The White House pushes back against a report that Obama will pressure Israeli and Palestinian leaders to make progress on peace talks. (The Times of Israel)

A new survey in Israel indicates a rising support for Sec. Kerry’s initiative. (Ynet)

Former PM Olmert says Abbas agreed to a Jewish Israeli mayor of an umbrella municipality for Jerusalem. (The Jerusalem Post)

Egypt warns Hamas that it will not tolerate any use of tunnels between Sinai and Gaza. (The Times of Israel)

Israeli occupation forces will limit access to the Al Aqsa mosque for Friday’s prayers. (AFP)

Israeli occupation forces injure three Palestinian men following the Birzeit killing. (Ma’an)

Jewish “price tag” extremists torch a house near Ramallah. (Ma’an)

Israel warns Lebanon to curb Hezbollah’s threats. (Reuters/Ha’aretz)

The US says Syria leads in human rights violations in 2013. (AP)

The Syrian opposition demands an investigation into killings of 175 rebels by government forces. (AP)

ISIS claims Christians agreed to pay a discriminatory tax in parts of Syria it controlled. (AP)

ISIS withdraws from a Syrian town near the Turkish border. (Reuters)

31 more people are killed in Iraq. (AP/The New York Times)

Pres. Mansour restructures the military council in Egypt. (Xinhua)

Gunmen kill an Egyptian policeman in Mansoura. (AFP)

Israel urges the IAEA to issue their full report on Iran’s nuclear research. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Patrick Tyler says “deferral” is the key ingredient to Israeli-Palestinian peace. (The Los Angeles Times)

George Hishmeh says it is alarming that Kerry’s initiative fails to include any ideas on the future of Gaza. (The Jordan Times)

Uri Savir says peace must aim at the pragmatic interests of young people in Israel and Palestine. (The Jerusalem Post)

The Jordan Times says Jordan’s role as custodian of holy places in East Jerusalem will be compromised if ties are severed with Israel. (The Jordan Times)

Raed Omari says Jordan will remain Jordan and Palestine will remain Palestine. (Al Arabiya)

Aaron Miller says Netanyahu is “trapped” because he cannot call the shots on Iran or the peace process. (Foreign Policy)

Amos Schocken says Netanyahu’s demand to recognize Israel as a “Jewish State” is outlandish. (Ha’aretz)

Clemens Wergins says Israel no longer trusts Europe. (The New York Times)

Ha’aretz says the “unnecessary and humiliating” treatment that Arab Israelis suffer routinely in Israeli airports must change. (Ha’aretz)

John Judis says AIPAC seems to have lost “a bit of heft.” (Foreign Policy)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says providing the Syrian opposition with arms is the only way to defeat ISIS and al-Nusra. (Al Arabiya)

The Daily Star says the Syrian war is mired in stalemate. (The Daily Star)

Abdallah Schleifer says the most encouraging sign for Egypt’s future is the appointment of Mahlab as PM. (Al Arabiya)

Eyad Abu Shakra says Lebanon is deeply divided and national allegiance low. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Fareed Zakaria says Obama is “navigating” the changing world correctly.  (The Washington Post)