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
Morsi death sentence fuels media controversy The death sentence against ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has sparked a fresh controversy in Turkey, stoking government pressure on already muzzled media outlets. Egypt
Erdogan’s presidential dreams hang by thread With less than a fortnight left to go before the June 7 legislative polls, polls show that the Justice and Development Party's share of the vote will slip from the record 49% that it received in 2011. Turkey
Is Turkey arming radical groups in Syria? A trial of gendarmerie officers and prosecutors in Istanbul is producing embarrassing revelations for the government. Syria
Has Iran already accepted inspections at military sites? Some parliament members claim that Iran has already accepted inspections at its military sites, despite denials by Iran's nuclear negotiators. Iran
Death sentences test fragile Hamas-Egypt ties The Egyptian court’s death sentence ruling against ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, along with some Muslim Brotherhood leaders and Hamas members, has destabilized already fragile relations between Hamas and Cairo. Palestine
Egypt names hard-core soccer fans as terror group In an arguably unconstitutional ruling, an Egyptian court has banned the Ultras soccer fan clubs as terrorist organizations. Egypt
Israelis use technology to battle government corruption On the backdrop of the recent exposure of several serious alleged corruption affairs, former minister Michael Eitan argues that social networks and technology are changing public norms and pressuring elected officials to respect the rule of law. Israel
AKP claims God is on its side Liberals and others should be concerned about AKP rhetoric proclaiming that God, the nation and history is on its side and that a vote for an opposing party is the mark of an infidel. Turkey
US clarifies position on nuclear-free Middle East The Obama administration keeps pressuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a future agreement with Iran as a fait accompli, while demonstrating its commitment to Israel's security on the nuclear-free Mideast front. Israel
What will happen once Iran's assets are unfrozen? The repatriation of Iran's $120 billion in blocked assets must be paced and rational to avoid negative consequences for its economy, and Tehran must make investment decisions based on technocratic approaches as opposed to political and ideological ones. Iran
Does US have right tools to help success story like Tunisia? Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi’s Washington visit lays bare the limitations of US reliance on military aid. Tunisia
Is Islamic State 'secondary priority' for Saudi Arabia? Riyadh is preoccupied with the military campaign in Yemen; Velayati tells Lebanese officials there will be no deal on Assad; the Turkish opposition party is under attack ahead of June 7 elections. Saudi Arabia
