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
Gezi anniversary reminder of Erdogan's nine lives The one-year anniversary of the Gezi Park protests is another reminder of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's durability despite a series of crises. Turkey
Iran official says nuclear file back with National Security Council According to a member of Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, Iran’s nuclear file has been returned to the council by the Foreigh Ministry. Iran
Israel's defense budget means costs elsewhere Unlike late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will likely once again give in to the terrifying annual intimidation campaign of the defense establishment eager to secure its budget. Israel
Lebanon: private education soars, public education sinks Despite a student-teacher ratio of 7-1, public education in Lebanon ranks poorly worldwide and reform is urgently needed. Lebanon
Knesset member withdraws Temple Mount bill amid warnings Labor Party Knesset member Hilik Bar, champion of the two-state solution, retracted his bill designed to organize prayer time slots for both Jews and Muslims on Temple Mount, after harsh reactions from both the Jordanian monarchy and the Shin Bet. Israel
Most Palestinian Christians back Maronite patriarch's visit Many Palestinian Christians support the visit to the Holy Land by Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai, although the PFLP, the Boycott movement and others have criticized it Palestine
Prospects of Shiite 'National Alliance' hinge on Maliki Most Shiite forces, for now, think they have an interest in rebuilding the alliance, but the final call will depend on the decision of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and the State of Law Coalition, which won the most votes in the parliamentary elections last month. Iraq
Turkey's Circassians jangle Russian nerves Circassians in Turkey have grown bolder in speaking out about their 19th-century suffering and exile, irritating Russia and straining diaspora organizations. Turkey
Israel pushes West Bank toward economic disaster Turning the West Bank into the economic twin of the Gaza Strip will provoke new threats to Israel's security, which is why the US administration leans toward cooperating with the new Palestinian unity government. Palestine
Is Israel's 'startup nation' a mirage? In an interview with Al-Monitor, economist Dan Ben-David warns that despite Israel's world-leading high-tech, its productivity remains among the lowest in the developed world, threatening rate of growth and quality of life. Israel
Tensions remain between Iraqi government, religious authorities The attack on schools in Najaf, during which foreign students were arrested, shows the imbalance in the relation between politics and religion in Iraq. Iraq
Gaza Salafists expect pressure from unity government Gaza’s Salafists do not expect any change from a unity Palestinian government, noting that Hamas will remain in control of security in the Gaza Strip and will keep up the pressure on their movements. Palestine
