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
A united Israeli-Arab party could force Netanyahu out Polls indicate that if the Israeli-Arab parties unite they could become a real political power, but ideological and personal issues remain. Israel
PA all talk, no action on Abu Ein’s death The PA’s tough statements in the aftermath of Ziad Abu Ein’s death appear nothing more than hot air, as it has refused to follow through with its threats to cut security coordination with Israel or accelerate steps to join international conventions. Palestine
Sisi under fire over proposed defamation law Even loyal followers of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi are up in arms about the proposed defamation law criminalizing the January 25 and June 30 revolutions. Egypt
Erdogan continues to consolidate power Turkey remains a parliamentary system under its present constitution, but there is little preventing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from taking steps to fulfill his ambition of becoming the country’s paramount leader. Turkey
Gulenists defeated on first anniversary of corruption probes A year after the December 2013 corruption probes, Erdogan’s government continues to grapple with the ghosts of the covered-up scandals, while the Gulen community stands defeated in the open war it launched on the government through the probes. Turkey
US will veto Palestinian UN bid The US debated which course of action would distance Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the most from another term in office, especially in view of the Palestinian bid in its most “extreme draft” to the UN and the American veto power. Palestine
Iran warned Australia about Sydney attacker Sydney hostage-taker Man Haron Monis had long been wanted by Iran for fraud. Iran
Israeli ultra-Orthodox party locked in internal battle Ahead of Israeli elections, the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party leader Aryeh Deri is determined to drive away former Shas Chairman Eli Yishai, despite the political price to be paid by an already declining party. Israel
Shiites, Sunnis unite to denounce and condemn extremists The recent surge of Islamist extremists movements has had a positive effect in uniting Shiite and Sunni clerics, from Tehran to Cairo, to denounce the waves of intolerance and radicalism. Saudi Arabia
Egypt's June 30 coalition loses support Hamdeen Sabahi, a former presidential candidate, is leading a movement to boycott the final stages of the June 30 coalition talks to finalize a road map for Egypt in light of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s newest policies and the acquittal of former President Hosni Mubarak. Egypt
Arab states try to delay Palestinian UN bill The Palestinian leadership is determined to submit its bill to the UN Security Council, despite pressure from some Arab states to delay it, and French moves to replace it with a European draft bill. Palestine
Middle East dictators feed sectarianism To assess why the Arab world is increasingly torn apart by violence in the name of sectarian identity and solidarity, we must focus on the abysmal strategies of patron-client dictatorships and economic inequality. Legacy: Gulf
