News:

Israelis go to the polls today to elect a new government. (Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post/AFP/PNN/JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

PM Netanyahu’s political survival in on the line. (AP)

Netanyahu says the right-wing is in danger because “Arabs are voting in droves.” (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

Netanyahu says if he was returned to office he would never allow the establishment of a Palestinian state. (New York Times/Washington Post/AFP/Times of Israel/The National)

Palestinian Chief Negotiator Erekat says Netanyahu has done everything possible to bury the two-state solution. (PNN)

Tzipi Livni says she will forgo the opportunity to take the prime minister position in two years should Zionist Union win. (JTA/Jerusalem Post)

Fatah leader Hatem Abdul Qader urges Palestinian citizens of Israel to vote for the United Arab List. (JTA/Times of Israel)

Israel closes the Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings for the elections. (Ma’an) 

The EU appoints Italian negotiator Fernando Gentilini as its next envoy for the Middle East peaceprocess. (JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

A French prosecutor says the late Palestinian leader Arafat did not die of poisoning. (JTA/AFP)

Sec. Kerry’s comments on Assad talks create uproar in the Middle East. (Washington Post)

UN investigators say they are ready to share the names of, and details about, of Syria war crimessuspects. (Reuters)

A group monitoring the Syrian civil war says government forces carried out a poison gas attack that killed six people in the northwest. (Reuters/AP)

The White House is consulting former CIA Director Petraeus about the fight against ISIS. (AP)

The US says Iran has sent arms to Iraq to fight ISIS. (New York Times)

An American official says the P5+1 and Iran have been making headway in identifying technical options for a deal, but difficult issues remain. (Reuters)

Iranians are reportedly optimistic about clinching a nuclear agreement with the P5+1. (AP)

The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia remains closed to the public for a third day because of “security concerns.” (The National)

Commentary:

Munib al-Masri says Palestinians find themselves on the dark side of the slogan that's dominated these Israeli elections: “it's us or them.” (Ha’aretz)

Sayed Kashua says Ayman Odeh is the only one inspiring hope that there's still a chance of ending the occupation. (Ha’aretz)

Avi Issacharoff says Palestinians are fixated on the Israeli election but are divided on the preferable outcome.. (Times of Israel)

Gideon Levy says Israel is the only country that denies millions of subjects the right to vote but still calls itself a democracy. (Ha’aretz)

Gregg Carlstrom looks at “the last days of King Bibi.” (Foreign Policy)

Ha’aretz urges Israelis to vote out Netanyahu. (Ha’aretz)

Aaron David Miller looks at what an Israeli government will look like if Netanyahu loses the election to Herzog-- and what it could accomplish. (Foreign Policy)

John Hudson asks if Herzog can repair the US-Israel relationship. (Foreign Policy)

Ari Shavit says Israel's 2015 election is a referendum on hope. (Ha’aretz)

Amnon Reshef says Netanyahu’s failures have caused significant damage to Israel on security, Iran, peace talks and the economy. (Ynet)

Akiva Eldar says Israel’s election focuses on the politics of fear. (Al-Monitor)

Yossi Mekelberg asks if the election will create real change in Israel. (Al Arabiya)

The Daily Star says Kerry’s remarks regarding Assad have prompted concern and surprise in the Arab world and beyond. (Daily Star)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed harshly criticizes Kerry’s stance on Syria. (Al Arabiya)