Legitimization of racist party sullies Israel’s reputation

Israel’s reputation has been sullied by the courting of Itamar Ben-Gvir, a disciple of the racist Rabbi Meir Kahane, by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United Right leader Ayelet Shaked in the run-up to Knesset elections in September.

Israel

Zarif says he was sanctioned for refusing to meet Trump

Iran’s foreign minister claims he was warned in New York that if he refused to meet Trump at the White House he would be sanctioned.

United States

Tinderbox: Israeli military attacks in Iraq could complicate US strategy in Middle East

Washington may need to draw some red lines to protect its larger regional interests.

Iraq

Netanyahu prepares for elections, makes diplomatic push

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes that supporting US President Donald Trump’s "deal of the century" by granting Palestinians 715 construction permits could help him ahead of the elections and for the composition of a future government.

Saudi Arabia

Iranians unite to condemn sanctions on Zarif

Iranian officials from opposing political sides have united in defense of the country’s foreign minister, the latest target of US sanctions.

United States

Why US sanctions won’t affect Hezbollah’s popular support

US sanctions on the Lebanese Hezbollah group appear to have affected the party’s various wings financially, including the construction association known as Jihad al-Binaa, but popular support and projects are still going strong.

Lebanon

Deadly school bus airstrike haunts Yemenis 1 year later

Younis Qatabri was severely injured in the school bus bombing in August 2018 in Yemen, and a year later he remains in pain and cannot walk unaided.

Saudi Arabia

US blacklists Iranian foreign minister

After the United States placed sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, White House officials told the media that he was merely a propaganda chief not worth negotiating with; experts, however, said Zarif was an effective messenger for the Islamic Republic.

United States

Pentagon pushes Egypt to fight counterinsurgency campaign in Sinai

The Pentagon used a visit by Egypt’s defense minister to push the US ally into a counterinsurgency-style approach to the fight against terror groups in the Sinai desert.

Egypt

Israel, Egypt strengthen energy ties

Strengthening ties in the field of energy between Israel and Egypt is a clear interest for both countries, but no less a significant American interest as well.

Egypt

Syria’s Kurds feel brunt of Turkish-US crisis

Turkey is sending military reinforcements to its border with Syria after two missiles were recently launched from Syria toward a border city, portending an imminent Turkish offensive in the area.

Syria

Intel: Democrats double down on probe into Trump’s Saudi nuclear dealings

House Democrats on Tuesday shed more light on a years-long lobbying campaign in which Saudi Arabia and the US nuclear industry worked with some of President Donald Trump’s key allies to secure a favorable civil nuclear agreement.

Saudi Arabia