News:

Members of the Join List decline an invitation by the Arab League for a meeting at the headquarters in Cairo. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

UN Humanitarian Coordinator Rawley says the UN is not facilitating any truce negotiations between Israel and Hamas. (Ha’aretz)

Hamas says ministers of the unity government do not have the authority to sign employees agreement. (Ma’an/AP)

Hamas imposes a new import tax on commodities entering Gaza, angering local merchants. (Times of Israel)

Bethlehem's local municipality is seeking protection for 12 known artworks by British graffiti artist Banksy across the city. (Ma’an)

Extremist Jewish settlers uproot 450 olive trees in Salfit. (PNN)

Mohammed Abu Khdeir, the Palestinian teenager who was kidnapped and burned alive by Jews in a revenge killing, is recognized as a terror victim. (JTA/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Pres. Rivlin and PM Netanyahu decline requests for meetings with former Pres. Carter. (New York Times/Ha’aretz/JTA) 

Iran’s Deputy FM says he is optimistic that a ceasefire in Yemen would be announced later today. (Reuters)

The World Health Organization says health services in Yemen are on the brink of collapse. (Reuters)

A Houthi leader says the movement of more US warships into waters off Yemen escalates Washington's role and aims at tightening a "siege" on the country. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

The New York Times looks at what civilians in Sanaa are documenting on Twitter. (New York Times)

ISIS is exploiting Libya's lawlessness but tribal and political loyalties mean it is unlikely to grow as rapidly there as in Iraq or Syria. (Reuters)

ISIS leader al-Baghdadi has been seriously wounded in an air strike in western Iraq. (The Guardian/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Iraqi security forces recapture areas lost earlier to ISIS in and around the battleground city of Ramadi. (AP)

An Egyptian court sentences former Pres. Morsi to 20 years in jail. (Reuters/Washington Post/The National)

Washington Post reporter, Jason Rezaian, who is detained in Iran for nearly nine months facescharges of espionage and three other crimes. (AP/New York Times/Times of Israel/The National)

Commentary:

Ahmad Melhem says the Jordan Valley has been taken over by Jewish settlers who have barred Palestinians from using the land. (Al-Monitor)

Oudeh Basharat says opposition leader Herzog must form an alliance with Kahlon. (Ha’aretz)

Efraim Halevy says Israel's most important strategic interest still lies with the US. (Ynet)

Pervez Hoodbhoy says Saudi Arabia has reason to fear that Pakistan might no longer simply follow its diktats. (New York Times)

Faisal Al Yafai says Ali Abdullah Saleh is wrong to claim no-one has asked him to leave his country – millions of Yemenis did so in 2011. (The National)

Laura Kasinof asks why the world missed Yemen’s downward spiral. (Foreign Policy)

Jamal Khashoggi says Saudi Arabia rejects the tyranny of the Houthis because the latter is a front for Iranian expansion. (Al Arabiya)

The New York Times says Cairo gets $1.3 billion a year in US military aid despite its “abysmal human rights record.” (New York Times)

Diana Moukalled says the international community must reevaluate its outlook toward the tragedy in Syria, for which Assad’s regime must bear the largest weight of responsibility. (Al Arabiya)

Raed Omari says Hezbollah is on the verge of collapse. (Al Arabiya)

Salman Aldossary says Hezbollah leader Nasrallah’s extremist views damage the security of Lebanon. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Ilan Goldenberg and Ely Ratner say China is walking a fine line between Saudi Arabia and Iran. (Foreign Policy)

Tony Karon says by attaining breakout capability to build nuclear weapons, Iran has won itself “a seat at the grown-up table.” (The National)

Eyad Abu Shakra says Arab Shiites are Iran’s first victims. (Asharq al-Awsat)