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
KRG risks isolation in Iraq by exporting oil through Turkey Erbil’s decision to export oil without consulting the Baghdad government could also increase Turkish leverage on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Iraq
Hamas will keep limited force in unity government Hamas will accept, and not challenge, the PLO's agreements with Israel. Palestine
Government losing control over veiling, says Khamenei adviser Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, also a member of the Iranian Parliament, believes that the government needs a united front to address the issue of veiling and recommended subsidies for factories that produce veils. Iran
Beilin calls Obama 'serious disappointment' on peace talks In an interview with Al-Monitor, former Minister Yossi Beilin blames the Americans for insisting on a final status agreement instead of working on interim arrangements like former President George W. Bush’s road map. Palestine
Lebanon needs new electoral law, then a president The core of the crisis of the Lebanese national pact is the absence of an electoral law that represents the sects fairly, especially the Christians. Lebanon
Israel should take Prince Turki's offer on Arab Peace Initiative Prince Turki Al-Faisal Al-Saud spoke in Brussels with retired Gen. Amos Yadlin about the Saudi initiative for ending the conflict, saying, "Israel has nuclear weapons. … The Arabs aren’t crazy. We want to talk peace." Saudi Arabia
Gezi resistance anniversary recalls impact on Turkey On the first anniversary of the Gezi revolt, the bottom line is that it failed to transform into a political movement, but did manage to transform Turkey. Turkey
Iran official: Revealing extent of corruption could cause 'social shock' Gholamali Jafarzadeh has said that details of the Iranian Parliament's investigation into Ahmadinejad-era corruption would cause a "social shock" and harm the government if it is made public. Iran
Hamas denies ISIS presence after Gaza jihadist killed in Syria A Palestinian jihadist militant fighting for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) was killed last week in Syria, reflecting the rise of Salafist militants in Gaza, but Hamas remains adamant that the radical group does not exist in the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Israeli housing minister: 'No more' settlement freezes The day commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem, Housing and Construction Minister Uri Ariel has announced further construction in East Jerusalem, driving closer the danger of a binational state. Palestine
Rival Kurdish parties battle for power in Syria A series of tit-for-tat incidents has worsened relations between the Kurdistan Workers Party of Abdullah Ocalan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Massoud Barzani. Syria
Israel is a Jewish state; get over it The Israeli demand that Palestinians recognize the Jewish state does not contradict the two-state solution, but it exposes the Palestinian reluctance to consider the Jews as a people instead of a religion. Palestine
