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
Economic curtain closing on Iraqi theater Theatrical productions are languishing in Iraq as austerity measures take center stage. Iraq
Is Erdogan closing Hamas' Istanbul office? Israel has demanded that Turkey expel Hamas activist Salah Al-Arouri from Istanbul as a condition for normalizing bilateral relations. Palestine
US, Iran move to avert firestorm over visa waiver program changes Intense diplomacy appears to have averted a potential firestorm between the United States and Iran over changes to the visa waiver program. Congress
Star Wars: How the force awakens Islamist fears Seen by some as poison of Western cultural imperialism, Star Wars merchandise causes more controversy than the film in Turkey. Turkey
Is Saudi Arabia building an 'Islamic NATO?' Frustrated with weak efforts from the US-led international community, Saudi Arabia has proposed an Islamic coalition in the hopes of defeating terrorism. Legacy: Gulf
Social media fans flames of sexual harassment claims against Israeli minister Minister of the Interior Silvan Shalom believes that without any official complaint to the police, accusations of sexual harassment will just fade away, even in the era of social media backing the harassed women. Israel
Will Turkey end up stuck between Kurds, Russia? Observers wonder how long Turkey can juggle a cold war with Russia and a heated conflict with the PKK before the latter two join forces. Syria
What suspending security coordination with Israel would mean for the PLO PLO Executive Committee member Hanna Amireh predicts that the Palestinian National Council will not be able to convene in the future if the Palestinian leadership decides to suspend security cooperation with Israel. Palestine
Why Saudi Arabia needs to trust its man on Iran Considered an Iran expert in Saudi foreign policy circles, Minister Adel al-Turaifi has the background to help mend ties with Tehran; yet, he has so far been either unable or unwilling to resist pressure to take steps to achieve the exact opposite. Saudi Arabia
Ongoing war silences Yemeni indie radio station Tayramana FM, a product of the Arab Spring, is on indefinite hold, waiting for an end to the current war so it can re-establish the community it had built. Legacy: Gulf
How kindergartens have become fertile recruiting ground for Hamas, Fatah The Palestinian Education Ministry says there's no law against indoctrinating impressionable children. Palestine
Gazan poet faces death sentence in Saudi Arabia A Saudi court has sentenced Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh to death on charges of spreading atheism and insulting the Prophet Muhammad. Saudi Arabia
