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News:

Christian leaders in Jerusalem protest what they say is an unprecedented wave of grave vandalismby Jewish extremists. (AP)

Israel reportedly refuses US and Palestinian requests to bring forward the next round of prisoner releases. (Xinhua/Ma'an/Ha'aretz)

US Middle East peace envoy Indyk is expanding his team of experts and advisers. (Al Monitor)

Israeli Finance Minister Lapid says Israel doesn't need Palestinian recognition it is a Jewish state. (Ha'aretz)

A Palestinian is injured by Israeli gunfire at a disturbance at a West Bank checkpoint. (Xinhua)

The PFLP urges Pres. Abbas to stop negotiations with Israel. (Xinhua)

Some Fatah officials are reportedly urging Abbas to designate jailed leader Marwan Barghouti his successor. (Times of Israel)

PLO Secretary-General Abed Rabbo reportedly calls PM Netanyahu "Israel's number one extremist." (Times of Israel)

MKs who violated Israeli law to meet Abbas in "Area A" say they did it in pursuit of peace. (The Media Line)

Hamas is under increasing pressure due to Egypt's intensifying blockade. (BBC)

Hamas chief Mashaal will meet PM Erdogan in Ankara. (Ma'an)

The PA and Hamas are quarreling over who from the occupied territories will make the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. (Los Angeles Times)

Hamas is holding the passports of 60 would-be pilgrims in Gaza. (Ma'an)

The US is rumored to be preparing to reduce aid to Egypt, but the White House strongly denies this. (New York Times/AP/USA Today)

Gunmen kill two Egyptian soldiers in canal cities. (Xinhua)

Libya says relations with the US won't be harmed by a recent raid in which a top Al Qaeda operative was captured. (AP)

Iran is reportedly offering a deal to reduce nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief. (Jerusalem Post)

An Israeli drone crashes into the Mediterranean. (Xinhua)

Israeli pilots have completed a workshop to train them to survive in enemy territory. (Xinhua)

Israeli women of the Machsom Watch group are united in opposing the occupation. (Deutsche Welle)


Commentary:

Hussein Shobokshi says American inaction in the Middle East has presented Russia with new opportunities. (Asharq Al Awsat)

The National says the new World Bank report on how much the occupation is costing Palestinians should help change more minds. (The National)

Hugh Naylor looks at how Bethlehem's economy is being strangled by the occupation. (The National)

Hazem Balousha says a potential US-Iran deal is worrying Islamic Jihad in Gaza. (Al Monitor)

Orit Perlov says both Hamas and Hezbollah must either reform or collapse. (INSS)

Marc Grey says two pending bills in the Knesset would muzzle Israel's minorities. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Bradley Burston says Netanyahu provides endless fodder for the anti-Israel left. (Ha'aretz)

Raif Zreik says the Oslo agreements changed everything for Israel's Palestinian citizens. (Ha'aretz)

The late Rabbi Yosef's legal advisor says he would have given up land for peace, including holy places in Jerusalem. (Al Monitor)

The CSM says one way to reduce tensions in Egypt is to stop using competing fatwas. (Christian Science Monitor)

Neta Alexander looks at the Palestinian movie "Omar" and the Israeli movie "Bethlehem." (Ha'aretz)

Nechama Duek underscores the importance of Israeli-Turkish relations. (YNet)

Dan Diker says a silent majority of Arabs agrees with Netanyahu's approach towards Iran. (Jerusalem Post)

The Jerusalem Post complains about various aspects of Abbas' meeting with Israeli MKs. (Jerusalem Post)

Hazem Saghieh says compromise in Tunisia might still save both the "Arab Spring" and the Muslim Brotherhood. (Al Hayat)

Al-Hayat interviews Egyptian FM Fahmy, who says relations with the US are "troubled." (Al Monitor)

Ehud Yaari looks at the durability of the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty. (WINEP)

News:

A new World Bank report says Palestinians lose billions every year because they lack access to"Area C," and prospects for recovery without it are dim. (World Bank/Ma'an/The Guardian/AP)

In a meeting with Israelis, Pres. Abbas expresses optimism peace can be achieved in nine months. (AP/New York Times)

The Likud-Yisrael Beitenu coalition chairman calls Israel's chief negotiator Livni a "puppet."(Jerusalem Post)

Abbas condemns an attack on a nine-year-old Israeli girl and says the PA should be allowed to apprehend the culprits. (YNet)

Israeli occupation forces arrest two men suspected of the attack. (Jerusalem Post)

Hamas complains Israel is allowing less than 30% of the population's needs into Gaza. (Xinhua)

Israeli opposition groups slam PM Netanyahu's recent hawkish, pro-settlement speech. (Xinhua)

Israel and the United States have reportedly assured the Palestinians the next round of prisoner release will come before the end of the month. (Xinhua)

Israeli police arrest a gang of Jewish youths accused of hate crimes against Palestinians. (Xinhua)

Over 80 Israeli soldiers enter the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday. (Ma'an)

Sinai extremists are increasingly targeting Egyptian government sites as the conflict intensifies. (New York Times)

The death of Shas' spiritual leader  Rabbi Ovadia Yosef has left a gap in Israeli politics. (AP)

Egypt's interim president makes his first visit to Saudi Arabia and receives a firm pledge of support from the King. (AP)

Four Saudi women become the first authorized to practice law in the Kingdom.  (Xinhua)

Free speech groups call for an end to Internet censorship in Jordan. (Reporters Without Borders)

In Israel archaeology is scientific, political and sometimes exaggerated. (The Media Line)

Pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian activists compete in Britain's vacation center, Brighton. (The National)

A video of sexual harassment in Gaza has gone viral online. (Al Monitor)

Hamas activists in Gaza are reportedly accusing politburo leader Mishaal of preferring life in exile. (Al Monitor)


Commentary:

Hussein Ibish says the Muslim Brotherhood movement in the region may be dying, but Avi Issacharoff isn't so sure. (The National/Times of Israel)

Mohammad Salah asks what the Muslim Brotherhood was trying to achieve on "Victory Day." (Al Hayat)

Quentin Sommerville says the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood is proving resilient and its supporters will risk everything. (BBC)

Jeremy Ben-Ami says an Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution isn't an illusion, it's the only way to avoid more war. (Los Angeles Times)

Mostafa Zein says Pres. Obama and VP Biden protect Israel from itself. (Al Hayat)

Akiva Eldar says new data shows how much occupation is corrupting Israeli society. (Al Monitor)

Gershom Gorenberg looks at the real political meaning of Route 443, which runs from parts of Israel into the occupied West Bank. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed asks if Arab societies could really fight Al Qaeda without American support. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Arnold Eisen says Israel is in danger of losing the interest and support of the next generation of Jewish Americans. (Ha'aretz)

Alexa Stevens says Gaza auto racers struggle to compete abroad. (Ma'an)

Shmuel Rosner says Israelis are unnecessarily fretting about Jewish emigration from Israel, but Lior Dattel says Israel has the worst brain drain in developed nations. (New York Times/Ha'aretz)

Moshe Arens says Netanyahu's critics are suffering from "wishful thinking" about Iran. (Ha'aretz)

Hassan Barari says Israel's options are limited regarding Iran. (Jordan Times)

Haviv Rettig Gur says Netanyahu's tough talk merely reflects his grasp of the conflict. (Times of Israel)

The Daily Star says Netanyahu speech was "myopic." (The Daily Star)

David Horovitz complains about aspects of Abbas' meeting with Israeli MKs. (Times of Israel)

Tariq Alhomayed says there needs to be a serious inquiry into who, exactly, is funding extremist groups in Syria. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Asharq Al-Awsat interviews Egypt's interim president Mansour. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Tariq Al-Mubarak says it's time to change women's roles in Arab societies, especially in the Gulf. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Rami Khouri says Tunisia showing the Arab world the political path forward. (The Daily Star)

Mustafa al-Kadhimi interviews Iraqi PM al-Maliki, who says terrorism in Iraq is directly linked to the conflict in Syria. (Al Monitor)

Hussein Ibish says Arabs and Kurds in Syria should not fall into Pres. Assad's trap of fighting each other. (NOW)

NEWS:

The PA says security situation in the West Bank is under control amid security crackdown in Jenin. (Ma'an)

PM Netanyahu defends Jewish settlements, saying the roots of conflict with the Palestinians started in 1921, not with the occupation. (Xinhua/Guardian)

Israeli housing minister, Uri Ariel, says the West Bank will be under Israeli control forever, asking Netanyahu to provide weekly reports on the progress of peace talks. (PNN/Haaretz)

Palestinian rights groups call on the ICC to investigate commission of crimes in occupied territories without ratification by Palestine. (Guardian)

Palestinian child is found dead in Jenin village, and an Israeli child is wounded in an attack in the illegal settlement of Psagot, near Ramallah. (Ma'an)

Palestinian farmers in the northern West Bank return to their land for the first time in almost 40 years and began to plant olive trees. (PNN)

A new poll shows 74.8% of Israeli Jews believe the state can be both Jewish and democratic, and 30% say any peace deal should be approved by an Israeli Jewish majority in a referendum. (Ma'an/Jerusalem Post)

Nine Palestinian prisoners in Israel jails serve the longest sentences on earth. (Ma'an)

Israeli settlers raze agricultural lands in Salfit, West Bank, and Jerusalem police arrests perpetrators of Price Tag attacks. (Ma'an/Xinhua)

Israel issues demolition orders to six families living in the northern Jordan Valley. (Ma'an)

Ovadia Yosef, outspoken spiritual leader of Israel’s Sephardi Jews, dies at 93. (The Times of Israel)

Jordanian Goodwill campaign offers support to Palestinian refugees in Irbid. (Jordan Times)

A design of a theoretical Palestinian city in the West Bank shows how the right of return of Palestinian refugees could be implemented. (Haartez)

Fatwa issued by top religious authority in the West Bank permits Internet dating under certain circumstances. (LA Times)

Netanyahu's claim that Iranian youths not permitted to wear jeans or listen to music backfires on him. (New York Times/Haaretz)

Iranian FM Zarif wants broader diplomatic ties with the United States. (AP)

Iran still seeks to acquire Russian S-300 air defense missiles suspended Western and Israeli pressure on Russia since 2007. (ASharq Al-awsat)

A day of celebration in Egypt turns into bloody clashes between Muslim Brotherhood supporters and police. (AFP/New York Times/Times of Israel)

Sec. Kerry lauds Assad for quickly complying with Syria chemical weapons resolution. (Reuters)

Christians feel threatened as Islamist extremists gain more influence in Syria. (Washington Post)

35 were killed and 163 wounded in violent attacks in Iraq, and wave of deadly attacks in Egypt kills 8. (Xinhua/AP)

Commentary:

Yaakov Lappin warns from the current upsurge of violence against Israelis in West Bank. (Jerusalem Post)

Amos Harel says recent attacks against Israelis in the West Bank could worsen right-wing indignation of the peace talks. (Haaretz)

Mazin Qumsiyeh explores the other options the Palestinians have beside solganism and defeatism. (Ma'an)

Ayman Mustafa says it might be too early to talk about a comprehensive plan for the region despite the American-Iranian rapprochement . (Gulf News)

Bakir Oweida rejects Hamas' claim that Arabs missed the opportunity of liberating Gaza in Camp David and returning it to be administered by Egypt. (ASharq Al-awsat)

Oudeh Basharat depicts Netanyahu as the man of "nada," saying no even when the Palestinians make compromises, and the Iranians show signs of change. (Haaretz)

Jawad Anani says Netanyahu’s image is very similar to that he projected of Pres. Rouhani at the UN forum. (Jordan Times)

Reuven Pedatzur says the West sees Netanyahu as a troublemaker, trying to sabotage the best opportunity for U.S.-Iran rapprochement since the 1979 revolution.

Ben Caspit highlights the formation of a quiet Israeli-Sunni coalition aimed at countering Iran. (Al-Monitor)

Barry Rubin argues that Obama's plans of "comprehensive solution" in the Middle East will face failure. (Jerusalem Post)

Isabella Eisenberg says there is a hope for sectarian reconciliation in the Middle East, citing a rare story of reconciliation in Akkar, Lebanon. (The Daily Star).

James Traub portrays ISIS as the ultimate threat in Syria. (Foreign Policy)

Jean Aziz asks if Christians have future in the Middle East. (Al-Monitor)

The National Editorial says Tunisia’s roadmap is a cause for hope. (The National)

News:

The Egyptian military reportedly has contingency plans to intervene in Gaza if its troops keep gettingattacked in Sinai by groups based there. (Ma'an/Times of Israel/Jerusalem Post)

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will meet again Thursday, with American participation. (Ha'aretz)

US Special Envoy Indyk says that if an Israeli-Palestinian agreement is reached, it will be on final status issues. (JTA)

Israel's chief negotiator Livni says she is seeking a final status agreement with the Palestinians. (Jerusalem Post)

A new poll suggests a slight majority of Palestinians believe another intifada is likely if peace talks fail. (Xinhua)

Palestinians and others say the success of the Quartet's economic development plan depends on progress on peace. (Xinhua)

The EU says it is confident it can reach an agreement with Israel over its occupation guidelines. (Jerusalem Post)

An Arab women's group in Israel predicts a large increase in membership in local city councils after upcoming municipal elections. (Ha'aretz)

Saudi Arabia cancels its speech at UNGA for the first time ever over international inaction on Syria and Palestine. (Reuters/Jerusalem Post)

Hamas hangs a Palestinian man convicted of murder in Gaza. (AP/Xinhua)

Gaza university students are hit particularly hard by the intensified Egyptian closure. (Al Monitor)

Israel is easing restrictions on building materials being imported into Gaza. (NPR)

Sec. Kerry lays out American terms for negotiating with Iran. (New York Times)

DM Ya'alon says Israel disagrees with the United States about Iran. (Xinhua)

A "high-ranking Israeli official" says Israel and Arab states should cooperate on Iran. (Times of Israel)

Pres. Rouhani dismisses condemnations by PM Netanyahu. (New York Times)

Israeli opposition figures denounce Netanyahu's strong condemnations of Iran. (Xinhua)

Iran says it is optimistic over nuclear negotiations with the West, despite Israel's call for increased sanctions. (Xinhua)

Israeli occupation forces destroy a Palestinian Jordan Valley village for the fourth time. (Ma'an)

Palestinians say settlers destroy 50 olive trees near Hebron. (Ma'an)

Hamas officials prevent another Fatah leader from leaving Gaza. (Ma'an)

Henry Kissinger reportedly says if Israel prepared its nuclear weapons in 1973, the US was not informed. (Ha'aretz)

Kuwait will hold a second international Syria aid conference. (The National)

The US is reportedly trying to mediate a maritime border dispute between Israel and Lebanon. (Al Monitor)


Commentary:

Naela Khalil says tensions in Hebron are so volatile they could explode and disrupt the peace negotiations. (Al Monitor)

Palestinian politician Khalida Jarar says security cooperation and other factors will prevent a third intifada. (Times of Israel)

Al-Ahram Weekly thinks there are harbingers of a third intifada because of Israel's actions in occupied East Jerusalem. (Al-Ahram Weekly)

Gershon Baskin says Israeli and Palestinian leaders have not convinced their publics that peace is possible. (Jerusalem Post)

George Hishmeh says Netanyahu is displaying "shocking arrogance." (Gulf News)

Alan Dershowitz complains the New York Times distorted Netanyahu's UN speech. (Ha'aretz)

Shlomi Eldar says Netanyahu paid insufficient attention to peace and the Palestinians in his UN speech. (Al Monitor)

Responding to his critics, Ian Lustick warns against what he calls "two-state messianism." (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

Ron Gerlitz and Jabir Asaqla say discrimination against Arab citizens of Israel is still rampant. (Ha'aretz)

Jacques Neriah asks if Hamas faces the same fate as the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. (JCPA)

Vali Nasr says the US shouldn't mistake signs of Iranian openness for weakness. (New York Times)

Elliott Abrams asks if the US and Israel are playing good cop/bad cop with Iran. (Foreign Affairs)

James Lunney says Canada's aid to the PA should be conditioned on its performance as a "peace partner." (Jerusalem Post)

David Pollock says Palestinian incitement against Israel remains a major problem. (Fathom)

Asharq Al-Awsat interviews Jordan’s Political Affairs Minister Khalid Al-Kalaldeh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Abdullah Iskandar says no one has a plausible plan for dealing with the "massacre" of 1,000 Iraqis in the past month. (Al Hayat)

Michael Young says, with the influx of people fleeing Syria, Lebanon is facing "a refugee problem from hell." (The Daily Star)

News:

Three more Palestinian refugees are killed in the Syrian conflict. (Ma'an)

A Palestinian man is killed by Israeli artillery shells fired into northern Gaza. (Xinhua)

The Israeli military says Palestinians shot recently near the Gaza border entered a "forbidden zone."(Jerusalem Post)

PM Netanyahu meets for hours with VP Biden and Sec. Kerry. (Jerusalem Post)

Arab media reports quote Western diplomats saying Israel's approach has meant peace talks have reached "a dead end." (Jerusalem Post)

The Middle East Quartet unveils its economic plan for Palestine. (AFP)

Pres. Peres says poverty is more dangerous than terror in the Middle East. (Times of Israel)

Israeli occupation forces arrest 11 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank Tuesday night. (Ma'an)

Egyptian authorities say they will open the Gaza crossing for pilgrims and humanitarian reasons untilFriday. (Ma'an)

Gaza smuggling tunnels lie idle under a heavy Egyptian crackdown. (AP)

Jordan sends a formal complaint to the UN about Israel's "violations" in occupied East Jerusalem. (PNN/Jordan Times)

Test results on the remains of the late Pres. Arafat are being delayed because of a dispute between the PA and his widow. (Xinhua)

The Ma'an news agency suspends work in Gaza and seeks damages from Hamas. (Ma'an)

The visit of Israeli fashion designers to a West Bank town sparks controversy among Palestinians. (Xinhua)

The PA legalizes online dating. (Jerusalem Post)

A bureaucratic typo dubbing a Palestinian man a terrorist has deeply complicated his life. (Times of Israel)

Netanyahu denounces Pres. Rouhani. (New York Times)

DM Ya'alon says Western engagement with Iran is based on "wishful thinking." (Times of Israel)

The prospect of any Israeli attack against Iranian targets appears off the table for the meanwhile,despite tough rhetoric. (AP/AFP)

Almost 1000 people have been killed in Iraq in the past month. (New York Times)

Israeli builders in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights come under fire from across the frontier. (Xinhua)


Commentary:

Hussein Ibish previews the Oct. 29 ATFP 10th Anniversary Gala. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)

HRH Prince El-Hassan Bin Talal says Israel should move from exceptionalism to regional partnership. (Ha'aretz)

Jonathan Cook says the situation for Hamas and Gaza is desperate and unsustainable. (The National)

Husam Itani says Hezbollah acts as an occupying force in areas under its control. (Al Hayat)

Rami Khouri says US-Israeli relations have reached a critical stage, testing its resilience. (The Daily Star)

Amira Hass doubts the domestic American political system is capable of putting significant pressure on Israel. (Ha'aretz)

The New York Times says Pres. Obama should not let Netanyahu sabotage diplomacy with Iran. (New York Times)

The Jerusalem Post says Obama and Netanyahu have found a working relationship for the meanwhile. (Jerusalem Post)

Amos Harel says, deep down, Netanyahu knows it's time for diplomacy with Iran. (Ha'aretz)

Ron Kampeas says Netanyahu subtly left open the door for diplomacy with Iran. (JTA)

Ariella Ringel-Hoffman says Israel should consciously embrace the change in Iranian rhetoric. (YNet)

Yehezkel Dror says Netanyahu should appeal directly to the Arab and Islamic worlds. (Ha'aretz)

Jason Hamacher says the Syria he knows is now in ruins. (Washington Post)

Hassan Hassan says Islamists are winning in Syria, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. (Foreign Policy)

Shlomi Eldar says both Israelis and Palestinians have false narratives about the second intifada. (Al Monitor)

Al Hayat interviews Fatah leader Jibril Rajoub on national reconciliation and other issues. (Al Hayat/Al Monitor)

Alan Elsner says it's time to move beyond lip service and really achieve a two-state solution. (Huffington Post)

Patrick Martin says Palestinians have little to show for last year's UN status upgrade. (Globe and Mail)

Hugh Naylor interviews Raja Shehadeh about his work documenting life under Israeli occupation. (The National)


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