ATFP News Roundup October 13, 2015

News:

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday pardoned a military officer sentenced to a year in jail for criticizing him for attending the funeral of Israeli statesman Shimon Peres, an official said. (Reuters\Ma'an\Times of Israel)

Dore Gold resigns as director general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry. (Ha'aretz)

Thirty-nine U.S. Congressmen and Senators have urged a United Nations agency to oppose a resolution that diminishes Jewish and Christian ties to the Old City of Jerusalem. (JTA)

A Palestinian child was allegedly killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday evening in the southern Gaza Strip, while Israeli authorities denied responsibility in his death. (Ma'an)

The Israeli human rights group B’Tselem faced criticism Thursday for its scheduled participation in a United Nations Security Council forum debate on Israeli settlements, where it says it will “lay out the reality of the occupation.” (Times of Israel)

Palestinians say they’ll go to court unless FIFA suspends settlement teams. (Ha'aretz)

The Israeli navy opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats off the coast of the northern Gaza Stripon Thursday, locals said. (Ma'an)

Billionaire Saban advises Clinton to differentiate herself from Obama on Israel. (Ha'aretz)

Renewed bombing of rebel-held eastern Aleppo has killed more than 150 people this week, rescue workers said on Thursday, as the Syrian government steps up its Russian-backed offensive to take the whole city. (Reuters)

Britain and France are leading EU efforts to impose more sanctions on Syrians close to President Bashar al-Assad in response to the devastating bombing of Aleppo, diplomats said, signaling that Russians may eventually be added to the list. (Reuters)

Britain is looking at its military involvement in Syria but any action would need to be part of a coalition involving the United States and is not likely to happen soon, foreign minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday. (Reuters)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will meet his Russian counterpart in Switzerland on Saturdayto discuss Syria, officials said on Wednesday, as a devastating bombing campaign of the city of Aleppo intensified. (Reuters)

The U.S. military launched cruise missile strikes on Thursday to knock out three coastal radar sites in areas of Yemen controlled by Iran-aligned Houthi forces, retaliating after failed missile attacks this week on a U.S. Navy destroyer, U.S. officials said. (Reuters\New York Times)

Low crude prices and the war in Yemen have sent a shock through the kingdom’s budget and forced it to revise its social contract even as it seeks to diversify its businesses. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Adnan Abu Amer says Hamas' Interior Ministry in Gaza has appointed several new officials to top security positions, raising questions about its motives. (Al-Monitor)

Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani says the world must not stand by while the Assad regime massacres Syrian civilians and here is a plan. (New York Times)

Afshon Ostovar says the war won’t end until Assad’s most powerful backer has a seat at the table — and that isn’t Putin. (Foreign Policy)

Diana Moukalled looks at the White Helmets and the Syrian conflict. (Al Arabiya)

April Longley Alley says the bombing of a funeral has empowered the country's worst forces and could drag America into the fray. (Foreign Policy)

The Washington Post says if Saudi Arabia continues to target civilians in Yemen, the Obama administration should pull its support. (Washington Post)