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News:

Pres. Abbas swears in a new Palestinian government. (Reuters/New York Times/Washington Post/Ma’an/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/Times of Israel/The National)

PM Netanyahu wants the new Palestinian government to be isolated. (AP/New York Times/AFP/PNN/Ha’aretz/JTA)

Sec. Kerry voices his concerns to Abbas about Hamas’ role in the new Palestinian government. (AFP/Ynet)

The new members of the Palestinian government are named. (Ma’an/Times of Israel)

Kerry will reportedly meet with Abbas on Wednesday in Jordan. (Ma’an/PNN)

Israel’s security cabinet will meet to discuss the new Palestinian government. (Ha’aretz)’

Israel will withhold Palestinian tax revenues to the PA. (Xinhua/Times of Israel)

Egypt opens the Rafah crossing for three days. (Ma’an)

An attorney, who is a Palestinian citizen of Israel, cannot find an apartment in Tel Aviv. (Ha’aretz)

Israel responds to a mortar launched from Syria. (AP/Ha’aretz)

Hezbollah leader Nasrallah reportedly holds meetings with Hamas officials. (Jerusalem Post)

Syrians will vote in the presidential election tomorrow. (AP/New York Times)

Hassan al-Nouri, who is a US educated businessman, is running against Pres. Assad in the Syrian presidential election. (Washington Post)

Russian FM Lavrov says Russia will oppose a UN resolution authorizing cross-border aid deliveriesto Syria. (Reuters)

Lebanon warns Syrian refugees that if they return to Syria they will lose their refugee status. (Xinhua)

Egyptian islamists torch shops owned by Coptic Christians near Luxor. (AP)

Clashes between the Libyan army and Islamist militants in Benghazi kill eight.(Reuters)

Ayatollah Khamenei urges better ties with Arab countries. (AP)

The UN says violence in Iraq killed 799 people in May. (AP)

Qatar reportedly paid millions in bribes to host 2022 World Cup. (The National)

Commentary:

Ha’aretz says Israel’s refusal to deal with the new Palestinian government is “puzzling and damaging.” (Ha’aretz)

Ali Jarbawi says the election of Egyptian Pres. Sisi has given Palestinians hope that their cause will return to the forefront of Arab affairs. (New York Times)

Shlomi Eldar says Hamas will not challenge the PLO’s agreements with Israel. (Al-Monitor)

Tal Niv says Israelis can no longer make use of the army and debase it to make “murderousness the norm.” (Ha’aretz)

Sever Plocker says it's time to replace Netanyahu and Abbas' indecision with the resolve of Pres. Obama, Pres. Putin, Chanc. Merkel and Sisi.  (Ynet)

Jonathan Schienberg says Palestinian businessman Bashar al-Masri has a plan for building democracy in the occupied West Bank. (Foreign Policy)

Lipika Pelham says Munib al-Masri has a vision for Palestine. (Times of Israel)

Amer Al Sabaileh says Jordan has no intention to alter diplomatic relations with Syria after the expulsion of Amb. Suleiman. (Jordan Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Egypt will either bring security to the entire region or become a source of regional problems. (Al Arabiya)

The National says Egypt needs a modern day Marshall plan. (The National)

Rami Khouri says the west has “worsened” the terrorist threat in the Arab world. (Daily Star)

Theodore Karasik asks if Gen. Haftar will be the next charismatic and nationalist leader of Libya. (Al Arabiya)

News:
Pres. Abbas names PM Hamdallah as prime minister of the new Palestinian government. (AFP/Jerusalem Post)
Abbas tells Israeli peace activists that he will uphold security coordination with Israel. (Times of Israel)
An Israeli soldier is suspended after killing two Palestinian teenagers in the occupied West Bank. (Reuters/New York Times)
PM Netanyahu tells settlers he is fighting for them, but there are international constraints. (Ha’aretz)
Israeli lawmakers introduce legislation to annex 90 Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. (Reuters)
Israeli Chief Negotiator Livni threatens to pull out of the coalition if Israel were toannex the West Bank. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)
40 hunger-striking Palestinian detainees are hospitalized in Israel. (Ha’aretz)
The EU gives €200 million to the PA and UNRWA in order to provide vital basic services to the Palestinian people. (PNN)
South African politician De Klerk says Israel could become an apartheid state without the creation of a Palestinian state. (JTA)
Israel’s navy detains four Palestinian fishermen in Gaza. (Ma’an)
An American official says US plans to increase support for Syria’s moderate rebels are in their early stages. (Reuters)
Syrians in Lebanon vote in the Syrian presidential election as expat balloting isextended for another day. (AP/Washington Post)
A US citizen working for the Al-Nusra Front in Syria conducts a suicide bombing. (New York Times/Times of Israel)
Field Marshall Sisi wins Egypt’s presidential election in a huge landslide. (Reuters/AP/The National)
A 22-nation exercise that includes 6,000 US troops starts in Jordan.(Stripes)
Libyan warplanes strike Islamist militias in Benghazi. (Reuters/The National)
There is a power struggle in Libya between two competing prime ministers. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia officially invites Iranian FM Zarif to visit the kingdom. (Xinhua)
Commentary:
Gal Beckerman analyzes the Pope’s visit to two very different walls. (Jewish Daily Forward)
Haviv Rettig Gur says Pope Francis “triumphed over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” (Times of Israel)
Gershon Baskin says the two-state solution is still viable. (Jerusalem Post)
Matthew Levitt and Neri Zilber say Hamas’ and Fatah’s ability to make progress on security, institutional, and political changes will dictate the future of Palestinian politics. (WINEP)
Ori Nir says Israeli politicians are alienating progressive American Jews. (Ha’aretz)
Michael Young says if Pres. Assad will be re-elected his Iranian and Russian backers will start facing difficulties. (The National)
Joyce Karam says Pres. Obama is shifting to a conflict-management strategy in Syria. (Al Arabiya)
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed asks if Obama has changed his Syria policy. (Al Arabiya)
The Daily Star says the turnout of Syria’s election day in Lebanon should send an important message to Lebanese officials. (Daily Star
Faisal Al Yafai says the end of the Israeli occupation in Lebanon empowered the most confrontational elements in both countries. (The National)
Michael Young says Iran is benefitting from chaos in the Arab world. (Daily Star)
Joanne Leedom-Ackerman says Tunisia could be the “first Arab Spring success,” but its not there yet. (Christian Science Monitor)

News:

A new Palestinian government will reportedly not be announced this week. (Ma’an)

Israel marks 47 years since the capture of occupied East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu tells the Knesset Jerusalem will remain united forever. (Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

Israeli Housing Minister Ariel says Jerusalem will never again be divided. (Ha’aretz)

Israeli opposition leader Herzog says the government is turning Jerusalem into a settlement. (Jerusalem Post)

Israeli occupation forces disperse a Palestinian protest in East Jerusalem. (AP/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Jewish settlers enter the Rajaji building to mark Jerusalem Day. (Ma’an)

Israel’s presidential frontrunner Rivlin says he does not support the two-state solution. (Times of Israel)

Israeli occupation forces raid the al-Ayam newspaper building in Ramallah. (PNN/AFP)

DM Ya’alon says signing the UN Arms Trade Treaty would put Israel at risk. (Ha’aretz)

Lebanese Maronite Cardinal Rai makes two politically charged stops in Israel. (AP)

Thousands of Syrians abroad vote for the presidential election. (Reuters/New York Times)

The Lebanese army beats Syrian voters outside of the Syrian embassy in Beirut. (AP)

Pres. Obama is reportedly nearing a decision to train Syrian rebels. (AP)

Syrian rebels describe reported training in Qatar. (McClatchy)

Egypt’s presidential election is extended by a day. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/The National)

Ansar al-Sharia threatens the US if it interferes in Libya. (Reuters)

Obama will defend his foreign policy in today’s West Point speech. (New York Times)

Commentary:

David Ignatius says Israel and Saudi Arabia agree on major security issues in the Middle East but are divided over the occupation. (Washington Post)

Peter Beinart says Israel and the Palestinians need peace and justice. (Ha’aretz)

Yossi Mekelberg says Middle East peace is in need of Pope Francis’ blessing. (Al Arabiya)

Nahum Barnea says Netanyahu is the PA’s savior. (Ynet)

Emily Hauser says Jerusalem Day is a big lie. (Jewish Daily Forward)

The Daily Star says Hezbollah’s “resistance” has gone from being a weapon used to deter foreign occupiers to an excuse for issuing ultimatums to domestic political rivals. (Daily Star)

Jeffrey Goldberg says the GCC has never become the counterweight to Iran because of “poor management, leadership and jealousy.”  (Bloomberg)

Sharif Nashashibi says the prospect of justice or a negotiated diplomatic solution seem more remote than ever in Syria. (The National)

The Jordan Times says Jordan’s decision to declare Syrian Amb. Suleiman persona non grata is correct. (Jordan Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Pres. Assad will not surrender his last weapons of mass destruction. (Al Arabiya)

Rami Khouri says Iraq mirrors a wider Arab pattern of state mismanagement and mediocrity. (Daily Star)

Samir Atallah says Pres. Mansour’s statements and decisions have been exemplary, characterized by fairness and justice. (Asharq al-Awsat)

The National says women need to play a more critical role in the economy of the Arab world. (The National)

News:

Pope Francis ends his trip to the Middle East pushing for peace. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/The National)

The Pope delivers a powerful boost of support to the Palestinians. (AP)

Pres. Abbas calls on the Pope to support the Palestinian struggle. (Ma’an)

Hamas and Fatah reportedly agree on most of the make-up of a new Palestinian government. (Reuters)

A Fatah official says there are no disputes on the formation of a new Palestinian government with Hamas. (Ma’an)

Israel approves plans for 50 new settler homes in occupied East Jerusalem. (AFP/PNN)

Finance Minister Lapid says annexation and unilateral steps on Israel's parts would destroy Zionism. (Ynet)

Israeli Gen. Mordechai warns power blackouts in the occupied West Bank will lead to violence. (Ha’aretz)

Saudi Prince Faisal Al Saud declines an invitation to Jerusalem by former Israeli intelligence chief Yadlin. (Ha’aretz/JTA/Times of Israel)

Israel is reportedly adopting the recommendations of a pro-settler study. (JTA)

Jewish extremist settlers uproot 30 olive trees in the occupied West Bank. (Ma’an)

FIFA Pres. Blatter calls himself an “ambassador of the Palestinian people.” (AP/Times of Israel)

Cardinal Rai is the first Lebanese religious leader to go to Israel. (AP/Ynet/Times of Israel)

Jordan expels Syrian Amb. Suleiman. (AP/New York Times/Jordan Times/The National)

Syrian refugees are being approached by Lebanese close to Pres. Assad to vote in the presidential election.

OPCW inspectors escape an attack in Syria. (New York Times/Xinhua)

Syria’s fractured railroad is a testament to the dire conditions in the country. (New York Times)

Egypt urges voters to cast ballots in the presidential election. (Reuters/New York Times/The National)

Pres. Suleiman leaves Lebanon’s presidential palace. (Xinhua)

Gunmen fire grenades at the house of PM Maiteeq in Libya. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says Palestinians should ensure that the world remembers the Pope’s visit to Palestine. (Now)

The National says the Pope’s visit to the “Holy Land” highlights Israeli injustice. (The National)

The Jerusalem Post says the Pope met the challenges of his visit to the “Holy Land” with grace and charm. (Jerusalem Post)

David Horovitz says a planned Peres-Abbas-Francis Vatican prayer could yield a rare picture of unity for a common cause. (Times of Israel)

Orlando Crowcroft says Israel’s military conscripts are a real obstacle to peace. (The National)

Prince Charles draws attention to the plight of Christians in the Middle East. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Grant Rumley asks if Abbas is going to the UN again. (Ha’aretz)

Rasha Abou Jalal says, if a new Palestinian government is formed, all legislation issued after Hamas’ takeover of Gaza will be reconsidered. (Al-Monitor)

Akiva Eldar says Chief Negotiator Livni must choose between negotiations with a new Palestinian government or “diplomatic stagnation” that will lead to a binational state. (Al-Monitor)

Abdullah Erakat says Palestinian women are making strides on campuses.(The Media Line)

J.J. Goldberg says the debate between Prince Faisal and Yadlin is the first public contact between a high-ranking Saudi and Israeli. (Jewish Daily Forward)

Hassan Barari says Egypts needs a strong leader to assure stability. (Jordan Times)

Hussein Ibish says the Kurds are inching towards independence as PM Maliki struggles to form a new governing coalition. (The National)

News:

New CNN footage fuels debate over the killing of two Palestinian teenagers by the Israeli military on Nakba Day. (Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu says he is considering unilateral moves in the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

Economy Minister Bennett urges Netanyahu to impose Israeli law in the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Palestinians and Israelis prepare for Pope Francis’ visit. (AFP/The Media Line)

Israel allows Palestinian Christians from Gaza to travel to the occupied West Bank for the Pope’s upcoming visit. (AFP)

Jordan hopes the Pope’s visit will boost its religious tourism. (The National)

Israeli military prosecutors seek to imprison “dangerous” Palestinian teenagers but oppose psychological evaluations of them. (Ha’aretz)

South African Ambassador to Israel Ngombane says the situation in the West Bank reminds him ofapartheid. (Times of Israel)

Russia and China veto a UNSC resolution to refer Syria to the ICC. (Reuters/AP/New York Times)

A video shows chlorine gas floating in Syrian streets near Hama. (Reuters)

Syrian rebels kill 20 supporters of Pres. Assad in a mortar attack in Daraa. (New York Times/Xinhua)

UNSG Ban demands urgent action from the UNSC on inadequate Syria aid access. (Reuters)

The US will step up its scrutiny of Americans fighting in Syria. (Reuters)

A poll suggests that only a “narrow majority” supports Field Marshall Sisi as next president of Egypt. (New York Times)

Gen. Haftar calls for a “war against terrorism” in Libya. (AP)

Iraqi Kurds are starting to export oil unilaterally through Turkey. (AP)

Commentary:

Jeffrey Goldberg interviews Netanyahu. (Bloomberg)

Yossi Sarid says Israelis have no choice but to wait for the findings of the investigation of the two killed Palestinian teenagers. (Ha’aretz)

The Jordan Times says the Pope’s comes to the “Holy Land” with a message of peace, harmony and brotherly relations among peoples. (Jordan Times)

Kamel Abu Jaber says the Pope must encourage Israelis to make peace with their neighbors. (Jordan Times)

Marc Schneier and Shamsi Ali say moderate majorities of all three Abrahamic religions need to confront the extremists in their respective faiths. (Jerusalem Post)

Bakir Oweida asks how Sisi will deal with Gaza and Libya if he becomes Egypt’s next President. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Eyad Abu Shakra says the “scourge of sectarian extremism” has become the greatest threat to the “Syrian revolution.” (Asharq al-Awsat)

The Daily Star says Pres. Sleiman’s successor should have his same qualities of resilience and calmness. (Daily Star)

H.A. Hellyer says if Libya is to have a stable and democratic transition, it needs to be helped to emerge from its current crisis. (The National)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Saudi Arabia and the UAE are among the “most mindful” states in the Middle East regarding “development and civil peace.” (Al Arabiya)

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