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
Israel’s top court strikes settlement Regulation Law Israel’s High Court ordered the state to cancel the Regulation Law that enables to retroactively legalize settlement homes built on private Palestinian lands. Israel
Iran to execute man convicted of spying on Soleimani for US, Israel The Iranian judiciary has remained vague on whether information allegedly passed on by Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd had been directly involved in the US killing of the top general. Iran
Turkish women rage against sexism with topsy-turvy tweets Ever since last week, Turkish women have been giving their male counterparts a taste of sexist remarks by switching sex in popular sayings or political statements. Turkey
Turkey sees success in Libya shaping relations with US Turkey and the United States reached "some agreements" on Libya during a phone call, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says. Turkey
Turkey rounds up scores of citizens with alleged Gulen links A majority of those arrested were active members of the air force or police. Turkey
Shin Bet halts surveillance of coronavirus patients With Shin Bet head Nadav Argaman reluctant and faced with public objections, the Israeli government has suspended consideration of a bill legalizing the electronic tracking of those infected with the novel coronavirus. Israel
Netanyahu needs Gantz to win Trump's annexation go-ahead Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must get his political partner Defense Minister Benny Gantz on board first for US President Donald Trump to endorse his annexation plan. Israel
Israel seeks to bypass PA, directly engage with Palestinians After the Palestinian Authority announced its disengagement from the agreements with Israel, the latter has been working on opening direct communication channels with Palestinians, in an attempt to weaken the PA. Palestine
Sharm el-Sheikh prepares for antiquities museum opening Egypt is getting ready to open the first antiquities museum in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh later this year, in the hope of boosting the tourism sector that has been badly affected by the coronavirus lockdown. Egypt
Sanctions on Syrian government also threaten Washington's Kurdish allies While US and international sanctions aren't specifically targeted at Kurdish-ruled northeast Syria, the area is impacted all the same with cross-border trade practically halted and because of the sudden plunge of the Syrian pound. Syria
Erdogan transforms neighborhood watchmen into loyalist force Turkish lawmakers are considering a bill to empower the country's controversial neighborhood watch in what critics say is a ploy to give the president a vigilante force under his direct control. Turkey
Oman will make it easier for expat workers to switch jobs Under a previous order, foreign workers were barred from switching companies without explicit permission from their employers. Oman
