NEWS:

Pres. Abbas accepts PM Hamdallah's resignation after only two weeks in office. (New York Times/AP/AFP)

Hamdallah will remain as caretaker PM until at least August 10, and he says he has no dispute with Abbas. (Ma'an)

Abbas' top aides are seen as front runners for the PM position, if he does not take the job himself. (Ha'aretz)

Mohammed Assaf, the young Palestinian singer from Gaza who won this year's Arab Idol contest, is named a UN goodwill ambassador. (AP)

Assaf's victory provides a rare moment of national unity and pride for Palestinians. (Reuters/Xinhua/AFP)

Hamas appears less enthusiastic about Assaf's victory, disapproving either of singing or his Fatah-inspired nationalistic songs. (The National)

An exchange of rocket fire and air strikes between Israel and militants in Gaza strains the existing cease-fire. (New York Times/AP/Reuters)

Islamic Jihad tells Hamas an inquiry into the death of one of its members, that has strained relations between the groups, "must be fair." (Ma'an/Jerusalem Post)

Former FM Lieberman says Israel should fully reoccupy the Gaza Strip in response to the latest exchange of attacks. (Xinhua)

The Netherlands reportedly briefly brokered secret Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in 2012 (Irish Times)

Israel appears likely to avoid what had been potential strong criticism from the EU. (Jerusalem Post)

Two days before Sec. Kerry arrives in Israel, PM Netanyahu dedicates a school named after his father in a West Bank settlement. (Ha'aretz)

Hamas executes two more Palestinian men convicted of being informants for Israel. (New York Times)

Hamas and Islamic Jihad are providing paramilitary training to teenagers at summer camps. (Xinhua/Al Monitor)

An Egyptian court accuses Hamas and Hezbollah of conspiring with the Muslim Brotherhood in a 2011 jailbreak that freed many prisoners, including Pres. Morsi. (Times of Israel)

The Israeli government officially condemns another "price tag" attack by suspected Jewish extremists against a Palestinian village. (Xinhua)

Israel blocks a children's festival in occupied East Jerusalem, citing links to the PA. (Ha'aretz)

The Druze community in Israel has asked the government for permission to shelter Syrian relatives. (Xinhua)

Palestinian citizens of Israel are being kept out of a segregated "Jewish city" in the lower Galilee. (The Forward)

An Israeli billionaire is investing millions in a new industrial park in a primarily Palestinian-city in Israel, Nazareth. (The Forward)

COMMENTARY:

Khairallah Khairallah says Hamdallah's resignation won't make much difference to the PA, because the whole system is in total crisis. (Al Arabiya)

Felice Friedson and Diana Atallah say Hamdallah's resignation demonstrates the PA's flawed system. (The Media Line)

Jonathan Schanzer says Hamdallah's resignation shows the need for real PA reform. (FDD)

Amos Harel says Islamic Jihad's rocket attacks against Israel are part of its new feud with Hamas. (Ha'aretz)

The Washington Post interviews Israeli cabinet minister and right-wing leader Naftali Bennett. (Washington Post)

Mazal Mualem says young Israeli right-wing opponents of a two-state solution are starting to win the argument in Israel. (Al Monitor)

Reuven Pedatzur says Netanyahu needs to listen to his generals in the West Bank who are warning of potential violence. (Ha'aretz)

Yoaz Hendel says the new Israeli government doesn't appear to agree on anything, especially regarding the Palestinians. (YNet)

Gideon Levy says Israel's legitimacy is undermined by the occupation and persistent racism. (Ha'aretz)

Jawdat Ibrahim says "price tag" attacks on Palestinians are the result of a racist atmosphere pervasive in Israel. (YNet)

Daniel Ben Simon says the Palestinians of Nazareth are determined to integrate into and thrive in Israel. (Al Monitor)

Shlomi Eldar interviews former Israeli military commander Shaul Arieli on his pro-peace activism. (Al Monitor)

Maysoon Zayid looks at the grim future facing Palestinian graduates this year. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi looks at Hamas' relationship with Syria and rumors it is participating in the war there. (Jihadology)

NEWS:

The UN accuses Israel of torturing Palestinian children and using them as human shields. (Reuters)

PM Netanyahu says the EU should join the US in pushing for new Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. (AP)

The PA says it will redefine its relations with Israel if American-led peace efforts fail. (Xinhua)

Pres. Abbas' spokesman says he faces mounting internal pressure to join more multilateral agencies. (Xinhua)

The PA signs an agreement with the UNDP to improve infrastructure in "Area C" and occupied East Jerusalem. (PNN)

A group of young Palestinians is launching their own initiative to promote statehood and national development. (The Media Line)

Former Mossad chief Dagan says restartingtalks with Palestinians is a necessity and Israel has a unique opportunity to form new alliances. (Ha'aretz)

Finance Minister Lapid issues a rare criticism of his ally, Economy and Trade Minister Bennet over the two-state solution. (Jerusalem Post)

Abbas meets with EU foreign policy chief Ashton. (Xinhua)

Experts say Israel must define its policy for dealing with anti-Palestinian "price tag" violence by Jewish extremists. (AFP)

Leaders of major Jewish-American organizations are increasingly critical of anti-peace statements by Israeli officials. (Ha'aretz)

Statistics show 31% of Palestinians in the occupied territories live below the poverty line. (Ma'an)

Palestinians step up their campaign for Mohammed Assaf in the final stages of this year's Arab Idol TV singing contest. (Reuters)

Hamas issues another death sentence against a Palestinian for collaborating with Israel. (Xinhua)

Hamas is trying to persuade Western countries to remove it from lists of terrorist organizations. (Xinhua)

Hamas finds its political and financialties with Iran under heavy strain because of the war in Syria. (Reuters)

Iran cuts funding for Hamas cultural programs in Gaza. (Al Monitor)

Hamas says PM Erdogan is still planning to visit Gaza at some point. (Ma'an)

Islamic Jihad claims Hamas and Fatah are not doing much for national reconciliation. (Xinhua)

The Israeli Foreign Ministry fails to convince Google to remove the category "Palestine" from its products. (Ha'aretz)

Some Israelis are arguing that its nuclear arsenal is a threat to its own security. (Jerusalem Post)

Israeli settlers stone Palestinian cars near Nablus. (WAFA)

Palestinian tobacco farmers face numerous problems, including a crackdown on the "black economy." (Reuters)

Hamas police are cracking down on women enjoying themselves at Gaza beaches, with numerous restrictions. (Al Monitor)

COMMENTARY:

Rajab Abu Seryya says Salam Fayyad is a huge Palestinian national asset who is loved by the people and will continue to play major role. (Al Ayam, translated by ATFP)

ATFP says it is alarmed by "price tag" violence against Palestinians and welcomes Israeli and Jewish American condemnation of the attacks. (ATFP)

Mitch Ginsberg says, when it comes to some "price tag" attacks, Israeli security forces "are being outwitted by a bunch of 12-year-olds." (Times of Israel)

Nir Hasson says Israel's decision not to classify "price tag" attacks as "terrorism" withholds state support and compensation from its Palestinian victims. (Ha'aretz)

ATFP expresses pride in Mohammed Assaf, the singing phenomenon from the Arab Idol TV show, and urges its friends and supporters to vote for him in the final round. (ATFP)

Ha'aretz says Israelis who believe in democracy must fight government policies of discrimination and exclusion against Palestinians. (Ha'aretz)

Carlo Strenger says Netanyahu doesn't have what it takes to make the bold moves needed for peace. (Ha'aretz)

Gershon Baskin says Israel can't have it both ways: either it can be Jewish and democratic or it can keep the occupied territories. (Jerusalem Post)

Alex Fishman says any Israelis celebrating Sec. Kerry's "failure" on Middle East peace are reacting too soon. (YNet)

George Hishmeh says the US is going to have to get tough with Israel if it expects any cooperation on peace. (Gulf News)

Danielle Spiegel Feld says if Israel doesn't help move the peace process forward, it will make it easier for Palestinians to go back to the UN. (Jerusalem Post)

Ninette Kelley says the massive influx of Syrian refugees into Lebanon is destabilizing the region. (New York Times)

David Pollock and Michael Eisenstadt explain what they think the US gains from its alliance with Israel. (JTA)

Haytham Mouzahem says Hezbollah would like to repair relations with Hamas despite the war in Syria. (Al Monitor)