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
Has EU given up hope in Israel’s new defense minister? European Union officials believe that actions taken by Israel's new Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman in favor of the settlement enterprise reflect his true political colors. Palestine
What's next for Iraq's Anbar after liberation from IS Disputes prevail over the provincial council in Anbar province, which was recently liberated from IS; the disagreements likely will delay the return of the displaced and the reconstruction process. Iraq
Why Netanyahu quietly applauds Brexit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must be pleased with Brexit, which will weaken the European Union and draw its attention away from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestine
Senior American at IMF says Iran faces 'fundamental' economic choices A year after the nuclear accord was reached, a top official at the International Monetary Fund said he was impressed on his first visit to Iran by the desire of senior officials there to reform the Iranian economy but that they need to do more to insure sustainable growth. Iran
Why Brexit makes life harder for Turkey By voting to leave the European Union, Britons not only deepened Europe’s crisis, but dealt a blow to Turkey as well. Turkey
What's really driving Turkish-Israeli reconciliation? Turkey has started what looks like a sharp turn in its relations with Israel in consideration of shared security and military priorities, though it will take some time to rebuild ties to their former levels. Israel
Will Syrian Kurdish forces advance on Raqqa? The head of Rojava’s interior committee Kanaan Barakat speaks to Al-Monitor about the achievements of the autonomous administration, the potential for an advance on Raqqa and relations with the Syrian regime. Syria
Palestinians divided over PA's attendance at Israeli conference The Palestinian Authority sent an official representative to participate at Israel's Herzliya Conference on June 14-16, which raised the ire of various Palestinian factions. Palestine
Can Israeli left fight back through Facebook? A private Facebook group is quietly working to promote the positions of the political left and influence the public discourse on Israeli social media platforms, which its leaders say are misleadingly dominated by an aggressive and hateful right-wing discourse. Israel
Will Iran’s notorious Evin prison ever be closed? An Iranian prison official said that a draft agreement has been prepared to turn one of Iran’s most notorious prisons into a park. Iran
Iran’s pipeline politics reaches Iraqi Kurdistan The planned construction of a pipeline connecting Iraqi Kurdistan with Iran could further cement Iran's position as the regional energy hub — and also benefit Kurds on both sides of the border. Iraq
How Erdogan became Turkey’s biggest media boss A ferocious onslaught on critical media over the past year has left President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as Turkey’s biggest media boss. Turkey
