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News:

Four Israeli Ambassadors in Europe are summoned over new settlement construction. (Ha’aretz)

Israel responds by summoning four European Ambassadors. (Xinhua/Ha’aretz)

PM Netanyahu dismisses international critics of Jewish settlements. (AP)

Netanyahu accuses the EU of a “hypocritical attitude” towards settlements. (AFP/Xinhua)

Netanyahu says if Pres. Rouhani agrees to recognize Israel, he would consider meeting him. (The Jerusalem Post)

Israeli sources claim Netanyahu privately backs a proposal to transfer Palestinian citizens of Israel to a future Palestinian state. (Times of Israel)

Israeli Finance Minister Lapid says Israel cannot absorb four million Palestinians. (Ynet)

UNSG Ban launches a new initiative and deems 2014 a “Palestinian Solidarity Year.” (PNN)

A PLO official condemns visits by rightist Israeli Jewish groups to the Al-Aqsa compound. (Ma’an)

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says the Oscar nominee film “Omar” is from “Palestine” not the “Palestinian Territories.” (AP)

Israel’s Energy Minister Silvan Shalom will attend a conference in the UAE. (BBC)

An Israeli draft law that would criminalize using the word “Nazi” as an insult sparks debate on freedom of speech. (AP)

Israeli settlers farm lands confiscated from Palestinians in a village south of Hebron. (Ma’an)

Brandeis University is considering re-establishing a partnership with Al-Quds University. (JTA)

Seven Palestinian refugees are killed in a bombing at the Yarmouk camp. (Ma’an)

Syrian rebels in Damascus accuse pro-Assad forces of deception by using cease-fires to extract victories. (The New York Times)

Sec. Kerry urges the Syrian opposition to attend next week’s peace conference. (AP)

The Syrian opposition will meet to decide whether to join peace talks. (AFP)

Syrian FM al-Moallem says his country is prepared to implement a ceasefire in Aleppo. (AP/ Los Angeles Times)

The UN calls on all nations to keep their borders open to Syrian refugees. (AP)

Seven people are killed in Lebanon by a Syrian rocket. (Xinhua)

Gen. Sisi turns his attention to Egypt’s other problems and may run for president. (AP)

A student is killed at Cairo University in clashes between supporters and opponents of former Pres. Morsi. (Xinhua)

Iraqi officials say clashes with militants and a suicide attack killed five people. (AP)

Unemployed Tunisians clash with police in the city of Gabes. (AFP)

The Obama administration sends US lawmakers the latest Iran nuclear deal text. (Los Angeles Times)

Commentary:

Uri Savir says our duty beyond mutual recognition and conflict resolution, is to agree on a narrative for the future. (The Jerusalem Post)

Asmaa al-Ghoul says Hamas has failed to tackle youth issues. (Al-Monitor)

Yoel Marcus accuses DM Ya’alon for being partly responsible for the fact that Israel is the fourth hated country on earth. (Ha’aretz)

Jonathan Power says Sharon was “a man of very extreme views.” (The Jordan Times)

Zeev Sternhell says Sharon was an “immoral” man. (Ha’aretz)

Alan Philps says the Geneva II talks provide hope in ending the conflict. (The National)

Michael Glackin says the West will pay for its inaction in Syria, and the Geneva II is destined for failure. (The Daily Star)

Daniel Levy and Julien Barnes-Dacy say all external actors should be committed to avoiding a breakdown of the Geneva Talks. (Foreign Policy)

Amir Taheri says what is happening in the Arab world is neither an “Arab Spring” nor an “Islamic Awakening.” (Asharq Alawsat)

Meghan O’Sullivan says Washington must pressure Iraqi PM Maliki to change his sectarian politics and “growing authoritarianism.” (The Gulf News)

Fareed Zakaria advises against an active US involvement in Iraq. (The Washington Post)

The LA Times says the violence in Iraq should be a US concern. (Los Angeles Times)

David Kirkpatrick says the landslide approval of the Egyptian charter now sets the stage for a presidential bid by Sisi. (The New York Times)

The New York Times praises the Tunisian new constitution but not Egypt's. (The New York Times)

The Gulf News says stability in Lebanon depends on whether the Special Tribunal can hand out justice to the killers of the late PM Hariri. (The Gulf News)

News:

PM Netanyahu says he does not want a bi-national state. (Xinhua)

Netanyahu makes a surprise visit to Jordan. (AP/Los Angeles Times)

Israel strikes Gaza after militants fire rockets injuring five people. (AP/Ma’an)

The Palestinian film “Omar” is nominated for an Oscar. (Ha’aretz)

Netanyahu reportedly held an offshore bank account in the Channel Islands from 1999-2003. (Ynet)

Fatah calls on Hamas to respond to its reconciliation proposal. (Ma’an)

Israel’s security agency Shin Bet thwarts an alleged Hamas plot to kidnap Israelis. (Xinhua)

Israeli occupation forces detain three Hamas leaders in Hebron. (Ma’an)

Israeli activists release giant helium balloons to protest settler attacks against Palestinians. (AP/Ha’aretz) 

Protesters demonstrate in Bethlehem in support of striking UNRWA employees. (PNN)

The latest Congressional spending bill includes $3.1 billion for Israel. (JTA) 

Israel bans the use of the word "Nazi" as an epithet and use of Holocaust-related symbols in non-educational contexts. (The New York Times)

An Egyptian official says 90% of voters have approved the constitution. (AP)

A car bomb in Lebanon close to the Syrian border kills three people. (AP)

The trial of the four men accused of murdering former Lebanese PM Hariri has begun at The Hague. (BBC)

Iran offers to withdraw its forces and Hezbollah’s from Syria in an effort to mend relations with Saudi Arabia. (Jordan Times)

The UN says an Al-Qaeda-inspired group in Syria is committing mass executions. (AP)

The war in Syria triggers a spike in gun sales in Jordan. (AFP)

Security officials suspect Al-Qaeda militants attacked a military camp in Yemen, killing at least 12 soldiers. (AP/Xinhua)

The future King of Bahrain meets with top Shiite opposition leaders. (AP)

Iran invites Gulf states to visit a nuclear power plant. (AFP)

Commentary:

Ha'aretz asks if DM Ya'alon's harsh comments about Sec. Kerry are shared by Netanyahu. (Ha’aretz)

Ari Shavit says Ya’alon’s comments show he doesn’t understand the real threat to Israel is losing the US. (Ha’aretz) 

Zvi Bar'el says Israel should drop "God" from its politics and treat Palestinians and the US as partners for peace. (Ha’aretz)

George Hishmeh says the US should twist Israel’s arm to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians. (The Gulf News)

Akiva Eldar says FM Lieberman's plan for relocating Palestinian citizens of Israel has no demographic or strategic value. (Al Monitor)

Ali Gharib says Menendez-Kirk bill supporters on the Hill will suffer in future elections if they cause a war with Iran. (Ha’aretz)

Peter Beinart says the Menendez-Kirk bill is about ending all possibility of a nuclear deal with Iran. (Ha’aretz)

Mustafa Barghouthi expresses dismay at Quartet envoy Blair’s praise of late PM Sharon. (Ha’aretz)

Elka Looks says the Jewish-American community should counter BDS and educate for a two-state solution. (Ha’aretz)

Yitzhak Klein says suspension of due process is not a proper remedy for the incompetence of Israel’s police. (The Jerusalem Post)

Eyad Abu Shakra says the aim of the Geneva II conference is to end the revolution in Syria and rehabilitate Assad. (Asharq Alawsat)

The National advocates for a political solution to the conflict in Syria, and says a military option is now impossible. (The National)

David Cortright says Iran must be allowed to play a role in the Geneva II peace talks. (CS Monitor)

David Bukay says the Middle East region and the international arena will pay for Obama’s “tragic” policies. (The Jerusalem Post)

David Ignatius says in the future the US will be less vulnerable to Middle East turmoils because of its prudent energy policy. (The Daily Star)

Rami Khouri says the Special Tribunal for Lebanon should be judged on its merits. (The Daily Star)

The Jordan Times says by asking Jordan’s King to mediate with Saudi Arabia, Iran seems to be opening a new page with the Arab world. (Jordan Times)

Francis Matthew says the UAE is a model for other Arab states to follow. (The Gulf News)

News:

Israeli DM Ya’alon apologizes for his harsh remarks about Sec. Kerry’s peacemaking efforts. (Haaretz/Xinhua)

Kerry says he will not let criticism of his Middle East peace efforts to deter him. (Reuters)

A senior Palestinian official says the PLO may resume efforts to join more international organizations if peace talks fail. (Xinhua)

Suspected Jewish settler extremists spray racist graffiti and torch a mosque in the occupied West Bank. (AP/Xinhua/Ma’an)

The UN says the annual rate of Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians has almost quadrupled. (AP)

Hamas continues training youth in military techniques. (New York Times)

Israeli military vehicles enter a border area in Southern Gaza. (Ma’an)

Israel agrees to free two Palestinian Jerusalemites on the condition that they be deported. (Ma’an)

Kerry says Palestinian refugees in Syria are "dying of malnutrition," and calls on the Assad regimeto let humanitarian assistance to enter the besieged Yarmouk camp. (State Department)

The US pledges $380 million and Kuwait $500 million for additional humanitarian aid to Syria. (AP/Reuters)

Egyptians vote on the second and final day of a referendum on the country’s new constitution. (AP)

King Abdullah of Jordan discusses with Iranian FM Zarif the latest developments in Syria and progress on Middle East peace. (Xinhua)

Bomb attacks kill at least 59 people in Iraq. (Reuters)

Turkish Pres. Gul urges his own government to readjust its Syria policy. (Xinhua)

The opening of the Hariri trial in the Hague threatens more turmoil for Lebanon. (The National)

Tunisians celebrate the third anniversary of their uprising. (AFP)

UAE PM Sheikh Mohammed launches a seven year national plan. (Xinhua) 

Commentary:

Doyle McManus compares Sec. Kerry’s focus on three of the most tangled problems in peace talks to riding a bicycle. (Los Angeles Times)

Hasan Abu Nimah says the Israeli intransigence on peace talks is a “safety valve against [Kerry’s] bad deal.” 

Oudeh Basharat says that some Palestinian citizens of Israel will be ready to relocate to Palestine upon independence. (Ha'aretz)

Chemi Shalev says Ya’alon is risking being declared as declared persona non grata by the US.

David Horovitz says that Ya’alon comments make it certain that Israel rather than the Palestinians will be held responsible if Kerry’s peace efforts collapse. (Times of Israel)

Brent Sasley says Israel must acknowledge its part in the Palestinian Nakba in exchange for Palestinian acceptance of Israel as a “Jewish state.” (Ha’aretz)

Ha’aretz says Israel’s “apartheid legal system” has gotten worse after a new military court decision that denies Palestinians the right of appeal. (Ha’aretz)

Aluf Benn attributes the late PM Sharon’s perceived flexibility on Jewish settlements to his lack of ideology. (Ha'aretz) 

Chibli Mallat says Saddam Hussein saved Sharon through failed lawsuits in Belgium. (The Daily Star)

Ali Ibrahim says endorsing the new Egyptian constitution will herald the “second republic.” (Asharq Al Awsat)

Diana Moukalled says “fanaticism and fear” are spreading in Egypt and Kuwait. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Micah Halpern says Iran may be winning on the diplomatic front against the West but is losing the battle against modern culture. (The Daily Star) 

David Ignatius says only Pres. Obama’s can fix his administration’s broken foreign policy. (The Daily Star)

J.J. Goldberg says that the debate over the Menendez-Kirk Iran sanctions bill is getting uglier within the Jewish community. (The Jewish Daily Forward)

The Gulf News says the Syrian opposition should attend the Geneva II talks. (The Gulf News)

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News:

Palestinians are being starved and murdered by pro-Assad forces at the Yarmouk refugee camp. (AP/The Media Line)

PLO officials say efforts to ease the siege at Yarmouk and deliver aid have failed. (Ma'an)

8 more Palestinians are killed in Yarmouk and Khan al-Sheik in Syria. (Ma'an)

Palestinian Labor Minister Ahmad Majdalani accuses Syrian rebels of attacking the refugee camp. (Xinhua)

PM Netanyahu meets with VP Biden. (Xinhua)

Sec. Kerry again voices optimism on Middle East peace. (AP)

Many former Israeli generals say Israel can safely afford to leave the Jordan Valley. (Jerusalem Post)

Israel's defense minister reportedly calls Kerry "messianic and obsessive." (Reuters/YNet/AFP)

Israel's Economy Minister Bennett yet again calls for annexation in the occupied West Bank. (Jerusalem Post)

Palestinians condemn Israeli "incitement" against Abbas. (Xinhua)

Germany's FM says Israeli settlement activity is hindering US peace efforts. (Xinhua)

The PLO says it's preparing contingency plans to join more UN agencies in response to Israel's settlement activities. (Xinhua/Ha'aretz)

Netanyahu says Abbas' recent statements show he's not ready for peace. (PNN)

Former Defense Secretary Gates' new book is highly critical of Netanyahu. (Ha'aretz)

Hamas says it wants guarantees from Fatah regarding elections. (Xinhua)

Twitter suspends the account of Hamas' military wing. (Ha'aretz)

Israeli settlers and occupation forces stop PM Hamdallah's motorcade near Ramallah. (Ma'an/PNN)

Qatar says it will grant 20,000 work permits to Palestinians. (Ma'an)

Egypt is becoming increasingly hostile to Hamas. (Jerusalem Post)

Egyptians begin voting on a new constitution, amid a climate of fear. (New York Times/AP)

The Egyptian vote is seen as a referendum on the performance of the interim government. (Christian Science Monitor/Los Angeles Times)

Syrian government forces advance amid rebel infighting, killing 62 rebels. (Reuters/Xinhua)

US presses the Syrian opposition to join upcoming peace talks. (New York Times)

26 more people are killed in Iraq during the visit of UNSG Ban. (AP)

Iraq is struggling to re-secure control of its border with Syria as Al Qaeda is resurgent. (Reuters)

Pres. Obama opposes Congressional efforts to add new sanctions against Iran. (New York Times)

Hard-liners in Iran cautiously praise the interim nuclear agreement with the West. (New York Times)

An Al Qaeda-linked group in Lebanon vows to strike Iran. (AP)

Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says Palestinians are being deliberately starved to death in Syria. (NOW)

Gustavo Gonzalez says the private sector must get involved in Syrian refugee relief efforts. (Jordan Times)

Hassan Barari says Jordan has no reason to trust Abbas. (Jordan Times)

Hassan Barari says Kerry's mission will be futile without dealing with Jerusalem. (Arab News)

Richard Cohen says Israel is becoming more isolated. (Washington Post)

The Jerusalem Post says Israeli unilateralism remains a good option. (Jerusalem Post)

Al Jazeera America compiles a list of short assessments of Sharon's legacy. (Al Jazeera America)

Henry Kissinger says former PM Sharon made a journey towards peace. (Washington Post)

Akiva Eldar says Sharon did everything he could to hinder a peace agreement with the Palestinians. (Al Monitor)

Rashid Khalidi says Sharon was a war criminal, not a peacemaker. (Foreign Policy)

Eric Yoffie says Sharon was a hero for saying no to settlers. (Ha'aretz)

Smadar Perry says Sharon was a respected enemy in the Arab world. (YNet)

Rami Simani says the Israeli far right must "forgive" Sharon. (YNet)

Emily Hauser says Sharon is one of the main reasons she can no longer live in Israel. (Ha'aretz)

Gideon Levy says Sharon's funeral was long on symbolism but short on emotion. (Ha'aretz)

Nathan Jeffay asks what would happen if Sharon had died eight years ago. (The Forward)

Seth Siegel says there is no apartheid in Israel and condemns boycotts. (Los Angeles Times)

Paul Moss remembers the late Palestinian physician and activist Dr. Eyad Sarraj. (The Guardian)

The Washington Post says the US shouldn't be supporting Egypt's "bogus democracy." (Washington Post)

Avi Issacharoff asks what's at stake in Egypt's constitutional referendum. (Times of Israel)

Robert Zaretsky says the world hasn't paid enough attention to Tunisia's constitutional progress. (The Forward)

The National says the UAE PM is right to offer Israel and Iran better trade links in exchange for better policies. (The National)

M. E. Bowman says convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard should stay in prison. (New York Times)

Fawaz Gerges says PM Al-Maliki's policies have created an opportunity for Al Qaeda in Iraq. (Gulf News)

Nadim Mansouri and  Abdelnabi Abdel-Sattar debate whether social media helps or hurts radical Islamists. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Hussein Ibish, Jonathan Schanzer and Rami Khouri talk with CNN's Jim Clancy about the Syrian refugee crisis. (CNN)

News:

Pres. Abbas says he won't make any concessions on occupied East Jerusalem. (AP)

FM al-Maliki met with Sec. Kerry in Paris on Sunday to discuss the status of peace talks. (Ma'an)

Recognition of Israel as a "Jewish state" remains a major stumbling block in negotiations. (Xinhua)

Efforts to relieve the siege of Palestinians at the Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria are said to have failed. (Ma'an)

Israel Jordan Valley settlements are being hit by an international boycott campaign. (AP)

Palestinian protesters block the entrance to an Israeli settlement built on privately owned Palestinian land. (Ma'an)

Israel holds a state funeral for the late former PM Sharon. (New York Times)

There is much international praise and criticism for Sharon. (New York Times/Reuters/BBC)

Many Israelis mourn Sharon. (Washington Post)

Palestinians and Israeli settlers both express joy at Sharon's death. (AP/Times of Israel)

Israel's military says two rockets have been fired from Gaza toward southern Israel. (AP)

Egypt destroys 10 Gaza smuggling tunnels. (Ma'an)

Iran says Hezbollah has significantly increased its missile capabilities. (Xinhua)

Iran says it is indispensable to resolving regional disputes. (Xinhua)

Virtually all other Syrian rebel groups have turned against the Al Qaeda-inspired ISIS. (New York Times)

Qatar remains a major source of support for Syrian rebels. (Los Angeles Times)

Clashes between the military and militants are spreading in Iraq. (New York Times)

UNSG Ban is visiting Iraq amid the growing crisis. (AP)

This week's constitutional referendum may define Egypt's near-term political future. (AP)

The UAE PM urges Gen. Sisi to stay in the Egyptian army. (Reuters)

Negotiators put final touches on the interim international nuclear agreement with Iran. (New York Times)

The ruler of Dubai calls for the lifting of sanctions on Iran. (Reuters)

Commentary:

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says it seems Israel is becoming increasingly reconciled to the need for peace with the Palestinians. (Arab News)

Amer Sabaileh says Jordan is becoming increasingly concerned about the terms of an Israeli-Palestinian deal. (Jordan Times)

Ha'aretz says PM Netanyahu must understand the price of thwarting negotiations with settlements. (Ha'aretz)

Douglas Bloomfield says Netanyahu's key aides are trying to block peace. (Jerusalem Post)

Ben Caspit says extremist "price tag" settlers seem determined to spark a conflict in the occupied territories. (Al Monitor)

Shlomi Eldar says a slow but steady escalation is growing between Israel and Gaza. (Al Monitor)

ATFP Senior Fellow Hussein Ibish, Ronen Bergman, Nahum Barnea, Haviv Rettig Gur, Yossi Beilin,David Hazony, Aaron David Miller and Rami Khouri look at Sharon's legacy. (Foreign Affairs/New York Times/YNet/Times of Israel/JTA/The Forward/Foreign Policy/The Daily Star)

Avi Shlaim says Sharon was a champion of violence. (The Guardian)

Avi Issacharoff says some Arabs who came to know him ended up with a grudging respect for Sharon. (Times of Israel)

The Jerusalem Post says Sharon left no lasting vision or ideology. (Jerusalem Post)

Mitch Ginsburg says Sharon's worldview was shaped by a near-death battlefield experience in 1948. (Times of Israel)

Aluf Benn says Sharon's likely successor is, counterintuitively, Yair Lapid. (Ha'aretz)

Ha'aretz compiles a compendium of its own articles about Sharon. (Ha'aretz)

The New York Times says it's time for the US to begin resuming aid to moderate Syrian rebels. (New York Times)

Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed says all sides in Syria seem exhausted. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Doyle McManus says Syria shows the dangers of proxy wars in the Middle East. (Los Angeles Times)

James Dubik says fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq is an American national interest. (Washington Post)

Rami Khouri says Al Qaeda has no future in the Arab world. (The Daily Star)

Hussein Ibish says the downfall of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is causing the regional movement to begin to split. (The National)

Daniel Byman and Tamara Wittes say the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood isn't a terrorist organization but may become one. (Washington Post)

The CSM talks to three Egyptian activists, one who says he's given up on politics, a second who now backs Sisi for president, and a third who says activists have been sidelined. (Christian Science Monitor)

Ahmed Khadry says Egypt's voters appear apathetic and despondent. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Ray Takeyh says the US can have a nuclear deal, but not full-fledged détente, with Iran. (Washington Post)

Asharq Al-Awsat interviews Al-Azhar Under-Secretary Dr. Abbas Shouman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

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