News:

Israel suspends peace talks with the Palestinians. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Pres. Obama says neither Israelis nor Palestinians have shown the political will to make tough decisions. (AP/AFP/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Sec. Kerry is unwilling to give up on the Middle East peace process. (AP/Ha’aretz/Ynet)

Pres. Abbas reportedly assures the UN that any Palestinian government will be non-violent, recognize Israel and respect Palestinian commitments, as the PLO condemns Israel’s decision to withdraw from peace negotiations. (Ynet/Ma’an)

Palestinians are considering “all options” in response to Israel’s decision to halt talks. (The National)

Israel criticizes the US response to the Fatah-Hamas unity deal. (Ha’aretz)

“The Elders” welcome the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas. (Ma’an)

Rep. Lowey says she is ready to launch steps to defund the PA due to the agreement with Hamas. (JTA)

Christian leaders in Israel urge youth not to enlist in the military. (Ma’an)

Extremist Jewish settlers attack a seven year-old girl in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

Pres. Assad’s future may depend on keeping support within his own sect. (New York Times)

The International Tribunal dealing with the killing of former PM Hariri charges two leading Lebanese journalists. (New York Times)

Egypt is trying to save money on wheat subsidies by issuing a new smart card system. (AP)

Turkey’s most senior judge criticizes PM Erdogan. (AP)

Commentary:

Gwen Ifill interviews Hussein Ibish and Jeffrey Goldberg about the status of peace talks. (PBS)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed asks if Hamas will finally “bow” to Fatah. (Al Arabiya)

Bakir Oweida says the unity agreement between Fatah and Hamas is an important first step to end the Palestinian infighting. (Asharq al-Awsat)

The Daily Star says the US reaction to the Palestinian unity deal is “disappointing.” (Daily Star)

Khaled Elgindy says the US should welcome the reconciliation deal between Fatah and Hamas. (Foreign Policy)

Jeffrey Goldberg says Israel’s decision to suspend peace talks with the PLO contains elements of “reasonableness, realism, hypocrisy and myopia.” (Bloomberg)

Avi Issacharoff says PM Netanyahu fears Palestinian reconciliation because it would force him to acknowledge that Abbas is a “true partner for peace.” (Times of Israel)

David Landau says Palestinian unity deal exposes Netanyahu’s “true face.” (Ha’aretz)

J.J. Goldberg says Israel’s decision to halt peace talks with the PLO is simultaneously “sensible, questionable and inexcusable.” (Jewish Daily Forward)

Ha’aretz asks how Netanyahu will address the “demographic threat” that he warned of, now that he does not talk to the PLO. (Ha’aretz)

Alan Philps asks if the world will listen to former PM Blair’s call for more commitment to the Middle East. (The National)

The New York Times says the decision by the Obama administration to resume military aid to Egypt is a “vote of confidence” to a military-dominated government.  (New York Times)