News:

Palestinians take the first step towards joining the ICC, a move seen as confrontational. (New York Times/Reuters/AFP)

Palestinians hope to bring war crimes charges against Israelis at the ICC. (AP)

It may be difficult for Palestinians to arrange for indictments of Israelis at the ICC. (New York Times)

Palestinians have reportedly filed an early complaint against Israelis at the ICC. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Congress warns Palestinians that the ICC move may lead to a reduction in aid. (JTA)

A Palestinian is reportedly crushed to death amid 'extreme overcrowding' at a West Bank checkpoint. (Ha'aretz)

Armed Israeli settlers confront American consulate guards in the occupied West Bank. (YNet)

Former Finance Minister Yair Lapid says settlement funding is "corrupt." (AP)

Israeli soldiers critically injure a Palestinian in a shooting near Nablus. (Ma'an)

Palestinian TV plans to raise awareness of violence against women and girls. (The Guardian)

A delegation of PA unity government ministers leaves Gaza. (Ma'an)

An injured nine-year-old girl has become a symbol of the Gaza war. (The Guardian)

Experts disagree about Palestinian projections that Jews will be a minority in historic Palestine by 2016. (Jerusalem Post)

PM Netanyahu wins Likud's primary. (AP)

An Arab woman is running for Parliament in Israel on a hard-line Israeli-nationalistic ticket. (AP/Times of Israel)

Half of Israel's Jewish and Arab students want nothing to do with each other. (Ha'aretz)

India is building closer ties to Israel. (The Media Line)

Coalition jets pound ISIS' stronghold in Syria. (AP)

Kurds in Iraq launch a new offensive against ISIS. (AP)

Gunmen kill three Sunni clerics in Basra. (AP)

2014 was the bloodiest year in Iraq since 2006-07. (Reuters)

Three Al Jazeera journalists remain in prison after an Egyptian court orders a retrial in the case. (New York Times/Los Angeles Times)

The family of one of the journalists hopes Egypt will deport him. (AP)

Beirut's elegant new downtown is bereft of people. (Washington Post)

Libya's Prime Minister may be considering resignation. (Asharq Al Awsat)

The BBC looks at prospects facing new Tunisian president Essebsi. (BBC)


Commentary:

The New York Times says Palestinians seem to be driven by desperation. (New York Times)

Barak Ravid says Israel's troubles with the international community are just beginning. (Ha'aretz)

Alon Pinkas says Palestinians lost the diplomatic battle, but not the war. (YNet)

Yonah Jeremy Bob says Israelis may not face any prosecution at the ICC. (Jerusalem Post)

Julian Borger says ICC membership could be a double-edged sword for Palestinians. (The Guardian)

J.J. Goldberg says Israel and the Palestinians are playing a "game of chicken" at the ICC. (The Forward)

Raphael Ahren says Palestine at the ICC is a headache Israel may learn to live with. (Times of Israel)

The Times of Israel interviews Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad. (Times of Israel)

David Brooks says Netanyahu is subtly reshaping Israel. (New York Times)

Roger Cohen says Gaza is a "nowhere" that must be turned into a "somewhere." (New York Times)

Ha'aretz says Israel should not censor a Gaza war investigation. (Ha'aretz)

Zeev Sternhell says Palestinians should follow the example of David Ben-Gurion. (Ha'aretz)

Amira Hass says Palestine's recent defeat at the UNSC is a "harsh wake-up call" for Pres. Abbas. (Ha'aretz)

Yoni Ben Menachem looks at "evidence of tension between the military and political wings of Hamas." (JCPA)

H.A. Hellyer says ISIS is unlikely to gain further ground in 2015. (The National)

Wafiq Al-Samarrai says Iran's central role in the fight against ISIS in Iraq must be recognized. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Abdulrahman Al-Rashed says any solution in Syria depends on getting rid of Pres. Assad. (Asharq Al Awsat)