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News:

Controversy continues to swirl around the death of the late Pres. Arafat amid fading allegations he was murdered. (Buzzfeed/AFP)

After meeting PM Netanyahu yesterday, Sec. Kerry is due to meet Pres. Abbas today. (Xinhua/Ha'aretz/AFP)

Kerry insists there has been "some progress" in peace talks. (Ha'aretz)

Expectations are low for Kerry's visit, as Palestinians urge him to "save the talks" with Israel. (YNet)

Arab MKs in Israel ask Kerry to intervene in Israeli Bedouin mass resettlement plan. (YNet)

Hamas authorities summon a leading women's rights advocate in Gaza. (Al Monitor)

The EU is providing €11 Million for the PA's November payroll. (PNN)

The Palestinian teachers union says it will end its strike on Monday. (Ma'an)

A former Fatah leader claims Israel once agreed to accept the return of 200,000 Palestinian refugees. (Times of Israel)

The American Studies Association agrees terms of a boycott of Israeli universities, but has yet to announce a formal boycott. (The Forward)

Accusations continue to swirl about the assassination of a major Hezbollah leader. (New York Times)

The assassination seems tried to growing Middle East regional tensions. (Washington Post)

AP looks at possible culprits in the killing. (AP)

Hezbollah's memorial to the slain leader links him directly to the conflict in Syria. (New York Times)

Militants launch a two-pronged attack on the Yemeni Defense Ministry, killing at least 20. (New York Times/Reuters/BBC)

Attacks in northern Iraq kill 11 and injure 70. (Reuters/Xinhua)

Egyptian activists will be tried for protesting without permission. (Reuters)

The West is helping to rebuild Libya's armed forces. (Reuters)

An American teacher in Benghazi has reportedly been shot and killed. (Reuters)

A new poll shows Turkey's standing in the Middle East greatly diminished. (The National)

Commentary:

The National says Arafat murder talk shows the allure of conspiracy theories. (The National)

Mishaal Al Gergawi says it will be difficult, but not impossible, for the Gulf states to move beyond their alliance with the US. (Gulf News)

Ephraim Sneh says Israel can build an alliance with Gulf states but dealing with the Palestinians is a prerequisite. (YNet)

Gershon Baskin says peace must be build on effective movement of goods and people between Israel and Palestine. (Jerusalem Post)

Lazar Berman claims Jordan is supporting Israel's demand for a long-term military presence in the Jordan Valley. (Times of Israel)

Mitch Ginsburg says the debate over land-for-peace with Palestinians has begun again in Israel. (Times of Israel)

Shmuel Rosner calls Israel's forced Bedouin resettlement plan a version of "land for peace." (New York Times)

Akiva Eldar says Israel is exploiting nature and archaeology to advance its settlement agenda. (Al Monitor)

Ilene Prusher says those who think Palestinian schools preach violence should visit the Jerusalem School of Beit Hanina. (Ha'aretz)

Gideon Levy profiles a young Palestinian worker, Antar Shibli al-Aqraa, he says was "shot like a dog" by Israeli police. (Ha'aretz)

Nicholas Blanford says Hezbollah is preparing for another conflict with Israel. (Christian Science Monitor)

Amos Harel says the new Hezbollah assassination is the biggest blow to the group since the Mughniyeh killing. (Ha'aretz)

Ariel Ben Solomon asks who killed the Hezbollah leader. (Jerusalem Post)

Ronen Bergman says Israel has an assassination list and plan. (Foreign Policy)

The Daily Star says Hezbollah leader Nasrallah sounds desperate. (The Daily Star)

Michael Young says the fighting in Tripoli is a consequence of the city’s neglect by the Lebanese state. (The Daily Star)

George Will says the US faces two stark choices on Iran: war, or agreements that amount to containment. (Washington Post)

Amos Harel looks at the good and bad news from the Iran nuclear deal. (Ha'aretz)

Douglas Bloomfield says the US-Israel rift over Iran is spreading into the Jewish-American community. (Jerusalem Post)

Jay Michaelson asks if the Iran deal "forces Jewish Americans to choose between dual loyalties." (The Forward)

Bassem Sabry lists 29 things "you need to know" about Egypt's new draft constitution. (Al Monitor)

The New York Times is very skeptical about Egypt's new draft constitution. (New York Times)

Mohannad Sabry says Al Qaeda is starting to take root not just in Sinai, but other parts of Egypt. (Al Monitor)

Asharq Al-Awsat interviews deputy Egyptian PM Ziad Bahaa El-Din. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Vali Nasr thinks Iran can be persuaded that its economic future depends on a final nuclear deal. (New York Times)

Michael Young says Pres. Assad enters Geneva peace talks in his strongest position in three years. (The National)

Haley Bobseine looks at the struggle of the gay Syrian community to survive amid conflict. (Foreign Policy)

Hussein Ibish reviews Ahdaf Soueif’s new book, "Cairo," about the recent upheavals in Egypt. (BookForum)

News:

Sec. Kerry will arrive in Israel today for more talks on negotiations with the Palestinians. (Xinhua)

Kerry will reportedly present Israel with a plan for security arrangements with a future Palestinian state. (Ha'aretz)

Palestinian and Israeli negotiators hold another round of talks before Kerry's visit. (Xinhua)

A resigned Palestinian negotiator says a deal with Israel under present circumstances is"impossible." (AP)

The EU says it may consider ending all aid to the PA if peace talks fail. (Ha'aretz)

The EU says half it states support clearly labeling Israeli settlement products. (Jerusalem Post)

Israel reportedly clears West Bank land for new settlement housing units. (PNN)

Reports suggest Israel is planning to transfer a parcel of land to the PA from "Area C." (Ma'an)

The Israeli government says it won't be able to enforce Israeli labor laws for Palestinian workers in spite of a court order. (Jerusalem Post)

French scientists say they don't see any evidence the late Pres. Arafat was poisoned. (New York Times/CNN/AP/Los Angeles times)

Palestinians say they haven't yet received the French report on Arafat's death. (Xinhua/Ma'an)

Hezbollah leader is assassinated in southern Beirut, and the group blames Israel which denies all responsibility. (New York Times/AP/AFP/Xinhua)

Hezbollah blames Saudi Arabia for the recent bombing of its embassy in Beirut. (AP)

One person is killed and four injured in a blast at a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. (Xinhua)

Poverty exacerbates challenges faced by disabled Palestinians in Gaza. (Xinhua)

Palestinian teachers say they will continue a strike despite a court ruling it is illegal. (Ma'an)

Jordan is set to import more coal from Israel due to the closure of its border with Syria. (Ha'aretz)

Western counterterrorism officials are afraid that Al Qaeda may take advantage of chaos in Syria and other Middle Eastern states to establish bases that could threaten the West and its interests. (New York Times)

Hezbollah fighters may be gaining valuable experience in combat in Syria. (Christian Science Monitor)

The UN says the Syrian humanitarian crisis is intensifying. (New York Times)

Israel says it is providing humanitarian aid for Syrians. (Xinhua)

Iran's top diplomat holds talks with senior UAE officials. (AP)

Iraq's Prime Minister is visiting Iran to discuss Syria. (AP)

A US court orders Iran to pay $9 million to victims of a 1997 bombing in Jerusalem. (Jerusalem Post)

The Libyan government is enforcing a ban on militias in Benghazi. (Xinhua)

Libya expects to be back at full oil production within two weeks. (Reuters)

Egypt says it is expecting more Gulf aid. (Reuters)
 

Commentary:

ATFP Executive Director Ghaith Al-Omari looks at questions arising from the Iran nuclear deal. (The Forward)

Thomas Friedman says PM Netanyahu and Pres. Obama have a counterintuitive moment of opportunity to achieve great things. (New York Times)

Yehuda Ben-Meir says right-wing Israeli opposition to the Iran nuclear deal is "unfair and foolish." (Ha'aretz)

Jeffrey Goldberg lists six reasons to be worried about the Iran agreement. (Bloomberg)

Noam Neusner says Democrats in Congress are strangely silent about the Iranian agreement. (The Forward)

The National says apartheid-like conditions in the Galilee show how silly utopian dreams of a one-state solution really are. (The National)

Maysoon Zayid says it's time for Pres. Abbas to retire. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Avi Issacharoff asks who had most to gain from the assassination of Hezbollah's military chief. (Times of Israel)

Elie Friedman says Netanyahu demands Palestinian recognition of Jewish rights but doesn't recognize the Palestinian people. (YNet)

Barak Ravid says Israel's ambassador to Washington, Ron Dermer, is being met with "smiles and suspicion." (Ha'aretz)

Ben Caspit interviews newly reinstated Israeli FM Lieberman on many issues. (Al Monitor)

Boaz Okon says non-Jews in Israel often face discrimination on false grounds of "security." (YNet)

Rawia Aburabia demands to know if Bedouins and other non-Jews are citizens of Israel or not. (Jerusalem Post)

Rafique Ganga profiles the Gypsy population in occupied East Jerusalem. (Gulf News)

Rye Druzin says Mount Scopus in occupied East Jerusalem is starting to look like a battlefield. (The Media Line)

Hassan Hassan says the formation of the "Islamic Front" in Syria is bad news for Al Qaeda. (The National)

Osama Al Sharif says the outcome of Geneva II peace talks will be decided on Syria's battlefields. (Jordan Times)

Sahar Aziz and Shahira Abouelleil say the right to protest Egypt is indispensable. (New York Times)

Orla Guerin says police brutality in Egypt is continuing "unchecked." (BBC)

News:

Israel's current DM approved 3,000 new settler homes in the occupied territories in his first four months in office.(Ha'aretz)

Palestinian and Israeli negotiators reportedly met last week despite purported resignations. (Ma'an)

A leading Labor Party MK says he was "surprised" by Pres. Abbas' "practical" stance on security questions. (Jerusalem Post)

FM Lieberman will meet Sec. Kerry for the first time since his reinstatement. (Ha'aretz)

Jewish activists are increasingly demanding access to what are now Muslim holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem. (Washington Post)

An new Dutch government business initiative includes Israeli companies in the occupied West Bank. (Ha'aretz)

Israeli occupation forces arrested 110 Palestinians in Hebron in November. (Ma'an)

Israeli occupation forces demolish water wells and tents in the Jordan Valley. (Ma'an)

Israel will allow construction materials into Gaza, but only under the auspices of international aid programs. (Ha'aretz)

CNN looks at the complexities of Palestinians doing business in the occupied West Bank. (CNN)

Amnesty International demands Israel "immediately" lift the Gaza blockade. (Ma'an)

Palestinians share their checkpoint frustrations on Facebook. (Christian Science Monitor)

Hundreds of Israeli settlers escorted by Israeli troops visit "Joseph's Tomb." (Ma'an)

PA security forces defend the recent crackdown against fugitives. (Ma'an)

Islamic Jihad accuses the PA of "collusion" with Israel. (Al Monitor)

A Palestinian investigator says he is about to release names of those he believes were involved in the purported assassination of the late Pres. Arafat. (Reuters)

The new polls suggest a majority of Israelis distrust the Iran nuclear deal. (AP)

The US rejects Israeli criticism of the Iran nuclear deal, but finds it "frustrating." (Ha'aretz)

"Colorful" diminutive names, like Bibi, dominate Israeli politics. (AP)

Rock star Roger Waters defends his use of religious symbols in performances critical of Israeli occupation policies. (AP)

Outgoing New York Mayor Bloomberg is dedicating his $1M Genesis Prize to boosting Israeli-Palestinian trade. (The Forward)

Artisanal Palestinian beer making in the occupied territories continues to develop. (The Media Line)

Turkey and Iran appeared to be coordinating more closely on Syria. (Ha'aretz)

The top UN official links Pres. al-Assad to war crimes in Syria. (New York Times)

Syrian army airstrikes kill at least 15 near Aleppo. (AP)

12 nuns are reportedly abducted by Syrian rebels. (AP)

State media says a suicide bombing in Damascus has killed four Syrians. (Reuters/Xinhua)

The UN said it said it fed 3.4 million Syrians last month but many were still out of reach. (Reuters)

Egypt says former Pres. Morsi is being investigated for ties to extremists and Sinai insurgents. (AP)

A noted Egyptian blogger has been arrested in an ongoing crackdown against dissent. (Reuters/Los Angeles Times)

Protests in Egypt seem to be intensifying. (Al Monitor)

Egypt's best known satirical poet, Ahmed Fouad Negm, has died at 84. (AP)

Libya begins voter registration for constituent assembly elections. (Xinhua)


Commentary:

Hussein Ibish argues ATFP has shown how to talk to Israel and its friends with mutual respect and dignity. (NOW)

Ibrahim Sharqieh asks if the Iran deal can be a template for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. (Brookings)

Avi Issacharoff says Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are barely limping along. (Times of Israel)

Matthew Kalman profiles efforts by Yosef Jabareen to aid Palestinian students in Israel. (Chronicle of Higher Education)

David Landau says, if he wants to invoke them, PM Netanyahu should learn from the Maccabees how to deal with the superpower of the moment. (Ha'aretz)

Ron Ben-Yishai says Israel fears Pres. Obama is leading the Middle East towards catastrophe, especially regarding Iran. (YNet)

Michael Sfard says settlers are carrying out "an unending pogrom" against Palestinians in the occupied territories. (Ha'aretz)

The Jerusalem Post says Palestinian should stop complaining about Israeli settlement activity. (Jerusalem Post)

Meirav Arlosoroff argues Israel's Bedouin should see their forced mass relocation as an opportunity. (Ha'aretz)

Haviv Rettig Gur says the forced Bedouin relocation is more complicated than it first seems. (Times of Israel)

Shlomi Eldar says Israel should just stop the forced Bedouin mass relocation project. (Al Monitor)

Rasha Abou Jalal says Turkish culture is becoming more popular in Gaza. (Al Monitor)

David Ignatius says the Syrian people face two enemies: the Assad dictatorship and Al Qaeda. (Washington Post)

Ariel Ben Solomon says Syrian peace talks are doomed before they even begin. (Jerusalem Post)

The Daily Star says Iran's Arab Gulf neighbors need to be very cautious henceforth. (The Daily Star)

Malik Al-Abdeh says Syria's Muslim Brotherhood is doomed to repeat past errors. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Diana Moukalled says the sentencing of 14 young Egyptian girls to long prison sentences was an injustice. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Ali Salem insists Egypt did, in fact, experience a revolution against Mubarak. (Asharq Al Awsat)

The Times of Israel interviews Simon Sebag Montefiore about Jerusalem. (Times of Israel)

News:

Palestinians are appealing for international help as peace talks appear at an impasse. (Xinhua)

Palestinian negotiators suggest the US and Russia hold "Geneva talks" on the Israeli-Palestinian question. (Ha'aretz)

Pres. Peres reportedly recently addressed 29 Arab foreign ministers. (YNet)

With four Israelis and 24 Palestinians killed recently, a surge in West Bank violence is being called "individual." (Washington Post)

A Palestinian citizen of Israel pleads guilty to planting a bomb on a bus last year. (Reuters)

The Foreign Press Association accuses Israeli occupation forces of "deliberately targeting"journalists. (AFP)

Bedouin citizens of Israel protest forced mass relocation plans. (New York Times/AP/Los Angeles Times)

The Israeli government claims 80% of Bedouins have agreed to the plan. (Ha'aretz)

Palestinian citizens of Israel react with anger to proposals to "Judaize" the Galilee. (Ha'aretz)

Israeli police say one of their volunteers killed a Palestinian inside Israel during a raid. (AP/Xinhua)

An exhibit of photographs in Jerusalem tells the long story of Palestinian history. (New York Times/BBC/AFP)

Hamas cancels its annual anniversary celebration in Gaza due to deepening economic woes. (AP/The Guardian)

Egypt is continuing to revoke the citizenship of Hamas leaders. (Jerusalem Post)

Israel's new Labor Party leader Herzog meets with Pres. Abbas. (AP/Xinhua/Jerusalem Post)

Christmas season in Bethlehem gets an early start this year. (AP)

PA police arrest 20 Salafists affiliated with Al Qaeda in the occupied West Bank. (AFP)

Israeli occupation forces arrest 15 Palestinians in the West Bank. (Ma'an)

The Palestinian Teachers' Union says it will strike in the West Bank on Monday. (Ma'an)

Newly reinstated Israeli FM Lieberman seems to have toned down his political style somewhat. (New York Times)

PM Netanyahu is once again under fire for extravagant expenses. (AP)

Former PM Olmert says Netanyahu has severely damaged relations with the US, including byinterfering in American elections. (AP/Ha'aretz)

The Palestinian ambassador to Nigeria calls for economic sanctions against Israel. (Xinhua)

Israel is reportedly trying to identify Iranian violations of its recent nuclear agreement. (Xinhua)

659 people were killed in Iraq in November. (Xinhua)

Iraqi café owners begin to get seminars on how to stop suicide bombers. (AFP)

Blasts kill at Least 12 mourners at the funeral of an Iraq Sunni leader. (New York Times)

18 Sunnis kidnapped in Iraq are found shot. (AP)

Nine are killed in sectarian clashes in northern Lebanon. (AP)

Egypt's draft new constitution enshrines greater rights but promises little change from traditional government. (AP/New York Times)

As it pushes for a tougher foreign policy, Saudi Arabia seems to have few options. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Former PM Fayyad discusses justice, Palestinian rights and the legacy of Nelson Mandela. (New York Times)

Hussein Ibish says core of the Palestinian struggle is one for basic human equality. (The National)

Akiva Eldar says negotiators must begin to treat Israeli settlements as obstacles to peace. (Al Monitor)

Samih Shabib says Palestinians shouldn't withdraw from negotiations, but Khalil Shaheen says they should. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Alon Tal and Yousef Abu-Mayla say there is no reason or excuse for Gaza to be turned into a sewer. (New York Times)

The Economist looks at the plight of Palestinian refugees fleeing Syria. (The Economist)

Yossi Shain says the weakened US position in the Middle East means Israel must push harder for peace. (YNet)

Oudeh Basharat says the mass relocation of Israel's Bedouins is typical of the present government's racism. (Ha'aretz)

Sami Michael says the silencing of protests against the planned mass relocation of Israeli Bedouins is unconscionable. (YNet)

Joel Golovensky says the Bedouins are Israeli citizens with a particular culture and bitter experience. (Jerusalem Post)

The Jerusalem Post says Israel must impose "law and order" on the Bedouins. (Jerusalem Post)

Ha'aretz says the plan for "Judaization" of the Galilee means racism. (Ha'aretz)

Ma'an interviews Cecilia Baeza on the history of Palestinian immigration to Latin America. (Ma'an)

Norman Solomon and Abba A. Solomon say Israel is trying to wreck the nuclear agreement with Iran. (The Daily Star)

John Hannah says the Iran nuclear agreement is likely to start an arms race in the Middle East. (Foreign Policy)

Hassan Barari says there hasn't really been an actual nuclear deal with Iran yet. (Arab News)

Shlomi Eldar says Israel's Foreign Ministry is continuing to lose relevance. (Al Monitor)

Bruce Riedel says an Israeli-Saudi axis against Iran is unlikely. (Al Monitor)

Fred Hiatt says Syria could prove to be Pres. Obama's "Rwanda." (Washington Post)

Rami Khouri says Egypt is the harbinger for the future of much of the Arab world. (The Daily Star)

The National says the draft Egyptian Constitution is getting a surprisingly warm welcome from the public. (The National)

News:

The UN warns the ongoing fuel crisis in Gaza could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe. (Xinhua)

Palestinians fear Israeli military exercises in the Jordan Valley will mean permanent evacuation from their homes. (Christian Science Monitor)

Jews and Arabs were told to use separate lanes at West Bank checkpoints, but this will no longer apply to Israeli citizens. (Ha'aretz)

Israel says it has resolved its dispute with the EU over new occupation guidelines. (AP/AFP/Ha'aretz)

Palestinian human rights groups call on the EU to take a stronger stance on settler violence. (Ma'an)

Israeli occupation forces kill four suspected Salafist militants in the West Bank. (New York Times/Xinhua/Jerusalem Post)

Salafist extremists are reportedly a growing presence in the occupied West Bank. (Ha'aretz)

Palestinians accuse Israel of torturing women prisoners. (PNN)

Palestinians condemn Israel's latest settlement expansion announcement. (Xinhua)

Palestinians say they are preparing efforts to join more UN agencies. (Ma'an)

Palestinians participate for the first time in Global Entrepreneurship Week. (The Media Line)

Israel's intelligence services reportedly think the country's strategic position in the region has improved. (YNet)

The annual meeting of the American Studies Association reflects broad support for a boycott of Israel. (JTA)

The Israeli military simulates a major ground offensive in Gaza to stop rocket fire. (Jerusalem Post)

Egypt claims it has uncovered a major Israeli spy ring. (Times of Israel)

Iran says Israel has isolated itself by its negative reaction to the recent interim nuclear deal. (AP)

Iran may have found a loophole in the agreement to continue construction at its heavy water plutonium plant near Arak. (Reuters)

Egyptian riot police clash with unarmed protesters in Cairo. (New York Times/Washington Post)

24 Egyptians are arrested for protesting. (AP)

Suicide bombers kill 18 Iraqi security personnel. (New York Times)

At least 20 people are killed in a series of attacks across Iraq. (Reuters)

suicide bombing in Damascus kills 15 people. (Xinhua)

Turkey says 500 Turks are involved in fighting Syria. (Xinhua)

A new report says women are being raped, used as shields and kidnapped by both sides in Syria. (The National)

The Libyan army again clashes with Islamist militias in Benghazi. (Reuters)
 

Commentary:

Ha'aretz says the EU has taught Israel there is a price for "deception and apartheid." (Ha'aretz)

Jonathan Cook says PM Netanyahu's purported overtures to Pres. Abbas are designed to extract concessions. (The National)

Hussein Ibish says the nuclear deal with Iran was predictable, but the questions it raises are not. (NOW)

Rami Khouri says the Iran agreement could completely reshape the Middle East. (The Daily Star)

Osama Al Sharif agrees the deal could portend a "geopolitical shift" in the region. (Jordan Times)

The Daily Star says under the Obama administration the US is shirking its responsibilities in the Middle East. (The Daily Star)

Abdulateef Al-Mulhim says reports of a budding Israeli-Saudi alliance against Iran are "the joke of the century." (Arab News)

Asmaa al-Ghoul says Hamas is divided on its reaction to the Iran agreement. (Al Monitor)

Ben Caspit says the Israeli military doesn't share Netanyahu's alarm over the Iran agreement. (Al Monitor)

Alon Pinkas says Israel should regard the Iran agreement as a victory. (YNet)

Amos Harel says Israel finds itself with no good options. (Foreign Policy)

Zvi Bar'el says the US and Iran are changing, but not Netanyahu. (Ha'aretz)

Tod Robberson says Israel should see the connection between the Iran issue and resolving the conflict with the Palestinians. (Dallas Morning News)

Nathan Guttman says Jewish-American groups are shying away from an all out fight over the Iran agreement. (The Forward)

Eugene Robinson says comparisons between the Iran nuclear deal and Munich are "lazy." (Washington Post)

Jacob Plitman and Rachel Cohen urge Jewish-American student groups to engage in more two-state activism. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

The New York Times interviews Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef. (New York Times)

Waleed Abulkhair says there is little justice in Saudi Arabia's legal system. (Washington Post)

Anas El Gomati says demagoguery by Libyan politicians is deepening the crisis in the country. (The National)


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