“The notion of an agreement between Abbas and Netanyahu on the core issues, like Jerusalem or 1967 borders, seem remote,” writes Aaron David Miller. “That leaves one alternative — embracing the terms of a two state solution either as a unilateral U.S. initiative act, the so-called Obama parameters, or as a multilateral act in the form of a U.N. Security Council resolution.”

President Obama took on critics of the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers in an aggressive speech on Wednesday, saying they were the same people who created the “drumbeat of war” and played on public fears to push the United States into the Iraq war more than a decade ago.

American Palestinians traveling to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport are increasingly detained and sent back, and told they should contact the Palestinian Authority to have their Palestinian IDs revoked, which would allow them entry to Israel.

“Israel is unprepared for the possibility of PA President Mahmoud Abbas quitting his post, especially considering that his most likely heir is Marwan Barghouti, presently serving a life sentence in an Israeli prison,” writes Ben Caspit.

Newly elected Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to approve more settlement building.

Eyewitnesses say cause of the blast was an Israeli explosive left over from last summer’s war.