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
Palestinians doubt Israeli narrative of murdered teens Some Palestinians believe Israel orchestrated the kidnapping and murder of the three settlers to facilitate an assault on the Palestinians. Palestine
Israel's police face another scandal With the backdrop of recent scandals, the Israeli public no longer trusts the police, while its senior officers, including the chief of police, Yohanan Danino, continue to ignore criticism. Israel
Egypt cautiously optimistic on coming Renaissance Dam talks With tripartite talks between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan concerning the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam scheduled for later in July, Cairo is hopeful that some of the dam’s technical specifications will be modified. Egypt
Iranian lawmakers want to restrict Khatami from public Former President Mohammad Khatami is under the spotlight once again, with some conservative parliamentarians asserting he is banned from public engagements, while others deny their claim. Iran
Friendship, Obama-style On the occasion of the 2014 Israel Conference on Peace, US President Barack Obama calls on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to compromise, but does the United States not bear any responsibility for the negotiation crisis? Israel
Violence in Lebanon threatens religious coexistence While Lebanon has always been known as a country where Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully, recent developments show that some are trying to sow discord among Lebanese of all religions. Lebanon
Turkish truckers try to get on the road again With the dangers and difficulties now inherent in transiting in Iraq and Syria, the Turkish transportation sector is looking for alternative routes to Middle Eastern markets. Legacy: Gulf
Lebanese Hezbollah unlikely to intervene in Iraq crisis Although some have expressed concerns that Hezbollah could intervene in Iraq to protect Shiite holy sites from Islamic State militants, a number of Lebanese politicians and sources close to Hezbollah dismiss this possibility. Iraq
Israel’s soft stance on incitement creates tragedy Hate of Israeli Arabs has reached a peak with the murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir, 16, reflecting the tolerance of Israeli society toward words and deeds of extreme-right activists. Palestine
Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul sues for fraud The defrauding of the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul reflects how vulnerable minorities are in Turkey. Turkey
Will Palestinian unity fall victim to crisis over murders? Al-Monitor’s Israel and Palestine Pulses cover the escalating crisis over the murder of three Israeli youths and a Palestinian teenager. Palestine
Minister Shamir criticizes Netanyahu inaction on Gaza In an interview with Al-Monitor, Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir criticizes the government’s inactivity on Gaza whether militarily or diplomatically: “Hours and hours of Cabinet meetings without decisions, while the rockets from Gaza keep coming.” Palestine
