Oman Curbs Corruption To Quell Dissent Oman is actively tackling corruption in response to the 2011 Omani Spring, Ahmed Ali M. al-Mukhaini writes. Oman
Israel Offers Deportation To Samer Issawi Israel has offered Samer Issawi deportation instead of release, which is a serious violation of human rights, Daoud Kuttab writes. Palestine
Golden Opportunity Awaits New Israeli Finance Minister If Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid limits himself to only one or two structural changes, the new finance minister can succeed despite his lack of experience, writes Mazal Mualem. Israel
No Military Solution for Assad Or the Rebels Secretary of State John Kerry has said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad can't "shoot his way out" of the civil war; but neither can the opposition, writes Geoffrey Aronson. Syria
Davutoglu Invokes Ottomanism As a New Order for Mideast Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's suggestion of an Ottoman model for a new Middle East order is likely a misreading of regional politics that could prove hard for Turkey to back away from, writes Tulin Daloglu. Syria
Israel: Re-thinking Syria's Opposition Shlomi Eldar writes that a film clip showing Syrian rebels shooting into the air along the Golan border offers an ominous signal to the world, and especially to Israel. Israel
Will Netanyahu Redefine Status Quo With Ultra-Orthodox? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a historic opportunity to redefine the status quo between the state of Israel and the ultra-Orthodox sector, writes Nadav Perry. Israel
The Iraqi and Turkish Fault Lines The Syria war spreads to Iraq; Turkey is increasingly divided over Prime Minister Erdogan’s Syrian policies; and Secretary of State John Kerry’s trip to the region includes progress toward a political solution in Syria. Iraq
New Tunisian Government Faces Old Challenges A new, more technocratic Tunisian government, expected to be approved March 12, will face a crippling economic crisis and an even more fractious political environment since the murder of opposition politician Chokri Belaid on Feb. 6, writes Mishca Benoit-Lavelle from Tunis. Originals
Ahmadinejad Steals Show At Chavez Funeral The funeral of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was notable for the absence of Arab leaders, while Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad generated controversy by comforting Chavez’s mother, writes Ali Hashem. Iran
Rival Kurdish Parties Clash in Syria Fighting between rival Kurdish groups in Syria adds further uncertainty to the war in Syria, writes Wladimir van Wilgenburg. Syria
Sudanese Refugees Face Harassment, Deportation in Israel Sudanese and other African refugees fleeing persecution often do not find a welcome reception in Israel, writes Jillian Kestler-D’Amours from Tel Aviv. Israel
Morsi, Brotherhood, Opposition Taken Aback by Court Decision The decision by Egypt’s Administrative Court to postpone the parliamentary elections scheduled for April provides President Morsi, the Brotherhood and the opposition an opportunity to reconsider their strategies and take the country back from the brink, Bassem Sabry writes from Cairo. Egypt
Obama’s Visit to Israel Is All About Iran US President Barack Obama will have a broad regional agenda when he visits Israel, including the peace process, but the trip is really all about Iran, writes Alon Pinkas. Israel
Erdogan Angered After Opposition In Turkey Meets With Assad Syrian President Bashar Assad’s meeting in Damascus with members of the opposition Republican People’s Party has exposed the weakness of Turkey’s Syria policy, writes Kadri Gursel. Turkey
The Glass Ceiling Remains For Women in Israeli Politics Israeli women are bold, assertive, and talented, writes Ben Caspit, but they face an insurmountable obstacle on their way to the highest echelons of political power because they lack a glorious military background. Israel
