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News:
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will meet on Thursday to try to extend peace talks. (Reuters/PNN/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)
The State Department reiterates its support for the peace talks. (JTA)
Israeli police and Palestinians clash at a holy site in Jerusalem. (AP/Reuters/Ma’an)
PM Netanyahu blames Palestinian leaders for a Hebron killing. (AFP/Ynet)
Hamas praises a shooting that killed an Israeli in the occupied West Bank. (AP)
An Israeli plane bearing the Vatican logo will bring Pope Francis back to Rome after his May visit. (Ha’aretz)
Members of the UN Security Council view graphic photos taken in Syria. (Reuters/New York Times)
Some online videos show Syrian rebels using their first US-made rockets. (Reuters)
As the war in Syria rages, Pres. Assad prepares for presidential elections. (New York Times)
Saudi intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan resigns. (Reuters/Xinhua/The National)
Iraq shuts down the Abu Ghraib prison. (New York Times/AFP)
The Lebanese parliament will elect a President on April 23. (AP/The Daily Star)
An Egyptian court bans Muslim Brotherhood members from running in Egypt’s upcoming elections. (The National)
Commentary:
Hussein Ibish says drawing comparisons between Palestinians and Israelis is considered heresy on both sides. (Now)
Thomas Friedman says, since the 1967 war, Israel has changed dramatically, in ways it does not wish to acknowledge. (New York Times)
Michael Singh says the US should not neglect the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Foreign Policy)
The Jordan Times says the recent statement by Israel’s mayor in Jerusalem shows Israel’s “true colors.” (Jordan Times)
Yossi Mekelberg says the international community wants a state called Palestine.  (Al Arabiya)
Ruth Marcus says the Camp David agreement demonstrates that history is “unknowable and malleable.” (Washington Post)
Ha’aretz says Israel’s new land grab in the West Bank “shatters hopes” for resolving the conflict with the Palestinians. (Ha’aretz)
Ahmed al-Muslemany writes a letter to Hamas leader Meshaal. (Al Arabiya)
Michael Young says Hezbollah has “aided and abetted” the worst crimes of the Syrian regime.  (The National)
Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says its too early to declare an Assad victory in the Syrian conflict. (Al Arabiya)
Ali Ibrahim says Syrian children are most psychologically affected by the war because of their formative stage. (Asharq al-Awsat)
The National says Libya needs a comprehensive agreement that disarm militias in return for political participation. (The National)
Osama Al Sharif says in the Arab world elections and democracy are too different things.  (Jordan Times)

News:

An Israeli man is killed in a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank. (Reuters/AP/New York Times/Ma’an/Ha’aretz)

Palestinian woman in Bethlehem is reportedly killed by Israeli tear gas. (Times of Israel)

Israeli forces injure Palestinian youth in Gaza. (Ma’an)

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accuses DM Ya’alon of destabilizing the peace process. (PNN)

The World Bank will provide $13 million in grant money for environmental projects in Gaza. (Ma’an)

Saudi Arabia denies FM Lieberman’s claim of “secret diplomacy.” (Ha’aretz/Ynet)

The Syrian opposition calls on the US to give an “appropriate response” to recent attacks in Aleppo. (Reuters)

The UN condemns the use of torture by Syrian authorities. (New York Times)

The OPCW says Syria has completed another shipment of chemical arms. (New York Times)

Jordan’s Ambassador to Libya is kidnapped after gunmen attack his car. (Reuters/AP/Jordan Times)

Gen Sisi formally submits signatures for his presidential bid. (AP/The National)

bomb explosion in Cairo wounds two policemen. (AP) 

Commentary:

The New York Times says Pres. Obama and Sec. Kerry should abandon the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and focus on Ukraine. (New York Times)

Hassan Barari says the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are often held hostage to the imperatives of Israel’s domestic politics. (Jordan Times)

Peter Beinart says seder’s demonstrate how American Jews are divided over Israel.  (Ha’aretz)

Yitzhak Laor says Israel’s freedom means the “imprisonment of others.” (Ha’aretz)

Carolina Landsmann says by maintaining the status quo, PM Netanyahu is turning Israel into an “apartheid state.” (Ha’aretz)

Faisal Al Yafai says the late Patrick Seale misinterpreted the origins of the Syrian civil war. (The National)

Maria Golia say Egypt’s power cuts shed light on the country’s many problems. (The National)

Raed Omari says Jordan’s Islamists are being “unreasonable.” (Al Arabiya)

Manal Tibi and Karima El-Hefnawi debate whether the Arab Spring has improved the status of women in Egypt. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Benjamin Weinthal says Germany may start to crackdown on Hezbollah. (Foreign Policy)

Octavia Nasr says Lebanon failed to learn from its civil war. (Al Arabiya)

News:

three-hour meeting between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators ends without clear sign ofprogress. (Ma’an/Jerusalem Post/JTA/Times of Israel)

FM Lieberman says the package deal being discussed is not the same as it was two weeks ago.  (Jerusalem Post/Ynet)

Israel appropriates Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank by recognizing another settlement outpost. (Reuters/PNN/Ha’aretz/The National)

A Fatah official says the Israeli government is committed to colonization. (PNN)

Israeli chief negotiator Livni says Economy Minister Bennett is stoking settler violence.(Ha’aretz/Ynet/Times of Israel)

Senior Israeli officials say they have transferred all the PA revenues they collected in March.  (Ha’aretz)

British Party Labor leader Miliband criticizes expansion of Israeli settlements. (BBC)

A PLO committee will travel to Gaza for reconciliation talks. (Ma’an/Xinhua)

Israelis accuse Pres. Abbas of “terrorism.” (Ma’an)

Palestinian citizens of Israel protest in Nazareth against national service. (Ha’aretz)

Israel’s drive to export its new-found natural gas could help rebuild some strained relations.(Reuters)

Hamas will launch a satellite channel in Gaza. (Ma’an)

trip to Auschwitz by Palestinian university students causes an uproar. (Washington Post)

Israel says Sec. Kerry’s remarks on Iran’s nuclear threshold is “not acceptable.” (Reuters/Jerusalem Post)

Syrian government forces seize two villages near the Lebanese border. (AP/Reuters)

Hezbollah is developing new tactics in the Syrian civil war. (AP)

American officials say they are looking into reports of another Syrian government chemical weapons attack. (AP/Washington Post)

Libya’s Interim PM al-Thani will step down after he was attacked by militias. (AP)

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns will retire in October. (AP)

series of bombings kills more than 20 across Iraq. (New York Times)

Iraqi secularists are reportedly under attack ahead of the elections. (Al Monitor)

Iran lodges a complaint against the US over the denial of visa for its UN Ambassador.(Reuters/Xinhua/The National)

Iranians see “little relief” as sanctions are eased. (New York Times)

Dubai seeks to become an “Islamic” economic hub. (New York Times)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says Professor Mohammed Dajani should be praised, not blamed, for teaching Palestinian students about the Holocaust.  (The National)

The Jordan Times says the PA was right to join international treaties. (Jordan Times)

Jackson Diehl says over the past 25 years Israelis and Palestinians have made slow but enormous progress toward coexistence. (Washington Post)

Khaled Elgindy says the latest round of peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians never had a chance to succeed. (Foreign Policy)

Nathan Jeffay asks why the recent Israeli land grab in the occupied West Bank is different than any other. (Jewish Daily Forward)

Ben Caspit says PM Netanyahu needs Pres. Obama more than ever if peace talks fail. (Al Monitor)

Ha’aretz says Israel should stop “shutting its eyes’ to what is going in the occupied West Bank. (Ha’aretz)

Moshe Arens says extremist settlers in the occupied West Bank are a fringe group that hates Arabs and has no respect for the State of Israel. (Ha’aretz)

Gideon Levy says Ron Pundak wanted peace for peace’s sake, without pathos or guilt. (Ha’aretz)

Oudeh Basharat says the struggle by Palestinian citizens of Israel against religious extremism is part of a wider Arab struggle. (Ha’aretz)

Amer Al Sabaileh says recent developments in Syria shows only a political solution is possible. (Jordan Times)

Yezid Sayigh says the Syrian conflict is drifting in favor of the government. (Carnegie)

Afraa Al-Hariri and Om El-Ezz El-Farissi debate whether women were at the forefront of the Arab Spring.(Asharq al-Awsat)

Rami Khouri says Lebanon finds itself a mirror of the Middle East. (Daily Star)

Hamza Mustafa says Iraqi militia are playing a key role in Syria. (Asharq al-Awsat)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says Arabs must unite before seeking a permanent seat at the UN. (Al Arabiya)

H.A. Hellyer says Egypt’s “war on terror” is doing more harm than good. (Al Arabiya)

News:

Israel will stop transferring Palestinian tax revenues to the PA. (AP/Reuters/New York Times/AFP)

An Israeli peace activist Ron Pundak dies. (AP/Ha’aretz/Times of Israel)

Economy Minister Bennett threatens to quit over peace talks. (Reuters/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Israeli officials say there is progress in talks on resuming peace negotiations. (Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)

Chief Palestinian negotiator Erekat says reports on progress in talks “are false.” (Times of Israel)

Switzerland says Palestine can join the Geneva Conventions. (AP/AFP)

Arab League Chief Nabil Elaraby backs the peace talks. (AP/Ha’aretz)

The wife of ex-Fatah official Dahlan says her husband intends to run for president in any future election. (Al-Monitor)

Hamas is using laser e-bullets for training, due to its economic crisis. (AP/Times of Israel)

Islamic Jihad ia gaining support in Gaza at the expense of Hamas. (Al Monitor)

Bethlehem hosts its second annual marathon. (Ma’an)

Jewish religious extremists prepare priests for what they hope will be Jerusalem’s “third temple.” (Al Monitor)

Jordan continues to assist rebels in the Syrian war. (New York Times)

Iranian leaders see their positions on Syria gaining traction. (Al Monitor)

Jordan and the World Bank sign a $250 million loan agreement. (Jordan Times)

Egyptian workers defy the government with strikes. (Washington Post)

Iraq’s deputy PM al-Mutlaq escapes an assassination attempt. (AP)

Iraqi insurgents use water as a weapon after seizing control of a dam. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Zbigniew Brzezinski, Frank Carlucci, Lee Hamilton, Carla Hills, Thomas Pickering and Henry Siegman insist on a more dynamic, proactive US role on Middle East peace. (Politico)

Jeffrey Goldberg says Kerry is not wrong for pushing the peace talks. (Bloomberg)

Alan Philps says Kerry risks “threefold failure” in the Middle East. (The National)

George Hishmeh says Kerry took an unprecedented step by blaming Israel for the failure of the peace talks. (Jordan Times)

The Jerusalem Post says both Israelis and Palestinians should not engage in the “blame game.” (Jerusalem Post)

Yossi Sarid says Israel is the only country that is treated with “kid gloves.” (Ha’aretz)

Chaims Gans says the demand that Palestinians recognize Israel as a “Jewish state” adds yet another humiliation. (Ha’aretz)

Bakir Oweida says Palestinian women face the oppression of Israeli occupation as well as injustice within Palestinian society. (Asharq al Awsat)

H.A. Hellyer says the Europeans keep missing opportunities in the Arab world. (The National)

The Daily Star says the Syrian opposition needs to listen to the many Syrians who are demanding a “change of course.”(Daily Star)

David Kenner asks if the world is still paying attention to Pres. Assad’s conduct. (Foreign Policy)

Aaron Magid says Egypt’s relationship with Israel is complex and paradoxical. (Daily Star)

Abdel Monem Said says Egypt needs electricity to move forward. (Al Arabiya)

Diana Moukalled says coexistence between different parts of Iraqi society has been weakened. (Al Arabiya)

David Petraeus and Vance Serchuk say if the US strikes a nuclear deal with Iran it needs to prepare for all the consequences. (Washington Post)

News:
Pres. Abbas is reportedly ready to extend peace talks. (Ma’an/PNN/Jerusalem Post)
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will meet again today alongside US mediators. (Jerusalem Post)
Israel says its “deeply disappointed” by Sec. Kerry’s remarks on the peace talks. (New York Times/Ha’aretz/JTA)
FM Lieberman says Kerry didn’t blame Israel for the crisis in the peace talks. (Ha’aretz/Ynet)
The State Department says Netanyahu’s decision to reduce contacts with the PA is “unfortunate.” (JTA)
UN Sec. General Ban Ki-Moon says Palestinians will join the 15 international conventions by May 2nd. (Ha’aretz)
Economy Minister Bennett urges PM Netanyahu to annex settlements. (Reuters/Ha’aretz/Jerusalem Post)
Israeli negotiators reportedly suggested deporting 10 Palestinian prisoners to Gaza but the Palestinians reject the idea. (Ma’an)
The Arab League blames Israel for the “dangerous stalemate” in the peace talks. (AFP/Xinhua/The National)
The IDF and Gaza gunmen exchange fire across the border. (Times of Israel)
Israeli occupation forces arrest five Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. (PNN)
A video shows Israeli police brutally beating two Palestinian men in occupied East Jerusalem. (Ha’aretz)
Kuwait says three of its citizens have been abducted in Syria. (Reuters)
The US designates Ansar Beit al-Maqdis a “foreign terrorist organization.” (AP)
The Egyptian government steps up its campaign to control mosques. (Reuters)
An Egyptian judge dismisses a video presented by the prosecution as evidence in the Al Jazeera reporters’ trial. (AP)
Kuwait expects GCC Ambassadors to return to Qatar this week. (The National)
Commentary:
Steven Spiegel says Kerry should not give up on his initiative. (Los Angeles Times)
Roger Cohen says Kerry should take a break from the Middle East peace process. (New York Times)
Ha’aretz says Israelis deserve a government that admits it has no desire for a peace agreement. (Ha’aretz)
Ari Shavit says Marwan Barghouti should create an alliance with former PM Fayyad. (Ha’aretz)
Gershon Baskin says Israel should allow Palestine to exist and negotiate agreements on a state-to-state basis. (Jerusalem Post)
David Bosco says the ICC’s record with Palestine suggests that it would be eager to avoid involvement. (Foreign Policy)
Gideon Levy says most Palestinians are people of good will who want to live in peace with the Israelis. (Ha’aretz)
The National says the Assad regime has not yet won the war. (The National)
Joyce Karam says the US has turned the page on the old Middle East order. (Al Arabiya)
The Daily Star says Pres. Obama’s foreign policy is undermining the US standing in the international community. (Daily Star)
Eyad Abu Shakra says the real solution for Lebanon lies in the election of a “wise and fair-minded president.” (Asharq al Awsat)
Khairallah Khairallah says Britain has exposed the Muslim Brotherhood. (Al Arabiya)
Abdul Hamid Al Ansari says the status of women in Arab societies must be “modified.” (The National)

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