After Jordan, Emirates also furious with Netanyahu Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not only managed to get into a diplomatic row with Jordan, he also succeeded in angering the Emiratis. Israel
Iran operating new advanced centrifuges, nuclear watchdog finds According to an International Atomic Energy Agency report, Iran is now using IR-4 centrifuges to enrich uranium in violation of the nuclear accord. Iran
Lawsuit filed to close pro-Kurdish party after lawmaker stripped of parliamentary seat Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu, a pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party deputy known to focus on human rights abuses, was stripped of his parliament seat and a lawsuit was filed to close the party March 17. Turkey
Netanyahu courts Arab voters as 'Abu Yair' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has adopted a new strategy for the Arab public: cynically rebranding himself as "Abu Yair." Israel
Netanyahu’s fate to be determined by COVID-19, not corruption trial Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fears failure in dealing with Israel's coronavirus pandemic even more than his corruption trial. Israel
Syrian regime scrambles to defuse tensions after insult to Druze leader The people of Suwayda in southern Syria were outraged when a Syrian army officer insulted the spiritual leader of the Druze community in the governorate, and high-ranking officials are trying to defuse the tension by offering apologies to the community. Syria
Erdogan seizes on student protests to further polarize Turkey The protests rocking Turkish university campuses are the biggest since the Gezi demonstrations and like them are the product of the president's stubborn refusal to consider popular sentiment. Turkey
Saudi Arabia commutes death sentences of young Shiites The sentences of Ali al-Nimr, Abdullah al-Zaher and Dawood al-Marhoon, who were arrested as teenagers in 2012, were reduced to 10 years in prison. Saudi Arabia
New page for US, Turkey reads like fantasy Hope for a reset in Turkish-American ties under the Biden administration will remain unrealistic until Ankara addresses its democratic issues and human rights record. Turkey
US calls on Yemen's Houthis to halt attacks on Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia said it intercepted four armed drones launched toward the kingdom by the Yemeni rebels. Saudi Arabia
Palestinian factions meet in Cairo ahead of elections Fatah, Hamas and several other Palestinian political parties participated in talks in the Egyptian capital about the upcoming elections in the Palestinian territories. Palestine
Lawmaker's proposal to place street children in camps stirs controversy A proposal from a member of parliament to detain street children in training camps has caused alarm among rights advocates, highlighting a negative perception toward the vulnerable minors — an outlook that has been reinforced by their portrayal in the media as thugs and criminals. Egypt
Netanyahu pleads not guilty in corruption trial Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate corruption cases. Israel
King’s call to revisit political reforms triggers cautious optimism in Jordan In an interview, King Abdullah focused on the need to launch political and administrative reforms that include reviewing laws that govern elections and political parties, in a move that coincides with the start of the Biden administration. Jordan
Netanyahu accuses ICC of anti-Semitism Israel's prime minister lashed out at the International Criminal Court after it ruled that its jurisdiction includes the West Bank and Gaza Strip, pointing out that the court was created in part to protect the Jewish people. Palestine
Netanyahu recycles promises to combat soaring crime in Arab towns Ahead of the March elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is repeating promises he made nine years ago to control crime rates in Arab towns and villages. Israel
