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
Is the Islamic State holding Turkey hostage? Prolonged hostage negotiations with the Islamic State are creating serious headaches for the Turkish leadership. Iraq
Egypt seeks help in disarming Libyan militias While denying accusations that it helped conduct air strikes in Libya, Cairo is seeking international support for an initiative to stabilize the country and disarm the militias. Egypt
Pushed aside by war, Israel's social justice agenda returns Despite Operation Protective Edge, large swaths of Israeli society still consider their socioeconomic situation as priority No. 1 and the politicians are listening. Israel
Ayatollah Khamenei urges Iran to prepare for 'new world order' Iran’s supreme leader has said that Western influence in the world is waning and Iran must “prepare ourselves to play a role” in the new order that emerges. Iran
Ignoring the Arab Peace Initiative could cost Bibi Unlike Ehud Olmert, Benjamin Netanyahu ignores the Arab League initiative, which will cost Israel its US backing at a crucial moment in the near future. Palestine
Abadi's balance draws praise, but governing Iraq a tightrope act Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi has shown balance and pragmatism in forming a government, but the danger of being drawn into sectarian rhetoric remains. Iraq
AKP pursues scorched-earth tactics against Gulenists Turkish prosecutors have dropped a corruption probe against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s son and businessmen close to the government, marking the latest move in the government’s all-out war against the Gulen community. Turkey
Iraqis call to end sectarian quotas for some ministries Iraqi intellectuals and trade unionists have called for the appointment of qualified people to head government ministries rather than relying on sectarian quotas. Iraq
Syria, West explore cooperation to fight Islamic State Western intelligence officials have reportedly reached out to the Syrian government on potential cooperation over the Islamic State threat, but so far little progress has been made. Syria
Reformists lose Tehran city council chairmanship Reformists have lost the chairmanship of Tehran city council, an important position, in a possible indicator for future elections. Iran
Iraqi intellectuals start campaigns to end bloodshed Iraqi educational and cultural leaders are drawing wide support from Iraqis of all sects. Iraq
Muslim anti-Israeli views are not European anti-Semitism While the roots of anti-Semitism in Europe are deep, anti-Israel attitudes in the Muslim world can be changed with a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel
