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
Israel has moral duty to recognize Armenian genocide On the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Israelis must rethink their stance on the Armenian genocide and act out of a moral imperative, not political considerations vis-a-vis Turkey. Israel
Ahmadinejad denies return to politics Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has rejected the idea of re-entering politics and said that he would remain silent on current issues. Iran
US, EU reset Egypt policies The United States shipping Apache helicopters to Cairo, and the European Union decision to monitor coming presidential elections in Egypt, are signs that the US and EU are switching their Egypt policies. Egypt
Abbas goes big with Hamas deal; the Temple Mount fault line PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas plays the Hamas card; watch out for the "Hebronization" of the Temple Mount; Al-Monitor launches Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish newsletters. Palestine
Egypt's Minya province flashpoint for Muslim-Christian violence The political turmoil following the ouster of Mohammed Morsi last July has been felt the hardest in Minya in Upper Egypt, where Muslim-Christian violence is becoming frequent. Egypt
Can Erdogan overcome Azeri obstacle in ties with Armenia? Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan in the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh is blocking improved ties between Turkey and Armenia. Turkey
Maliki goes on offense as elections approach With Iraq’s parliamentary elections only days away, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has accused his adversaries of failing to take responsibility for their role in the current crises. Iraq
Former Israeli minister says public brainwashed about Abbas In an interview with Al-Monitor, former Labor Minister Ephraim Sneh rejects the claim that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is not a partner for peace, saying the Israeli public has undergone Goebbelsian-style brainwashing. Palestine
Israel should give Palestinian reconciliation a chance The Fatah-Hamas reconciliation took Israel and others by surprise, and while intelligence sources are skeptical about the move, it should be given a chance because Hamas might be ready to enter the negotiating tent. Palestine
Sectarian discourse dominates Iraqi election politics Candidates in Iraq’s upcoming elections continue to engage in a sectarian, rather than, national discourse. Iraq
US can help heal GCC rifts The United States is leading efforts to resolve the dispute between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but uncertainty over the future of the Gulf Cooperation Council remains. Legacy: Gulf
Hamas-Fatah reconciliation an opportunity for Israel Israel should realize that, by virtue of Hamas' integration into PLO institutions, the group has tacitly come to terms with Israel's existence. Palestine
