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
Apathetic Israeli Voters Shun Municipal Elections The low voting rate in local elections testifies that two years after the social justice protest movement, the Israeli public no longer believes in its power to influence and change their municipalities. Israel
Syria's Impasse Likely to Last Years Former UN official Salman Shaikh contends that neither the Bashar al-Assad regime nor the official opposition represent the true will of the Syrian people. Israel
Iraq's Civil Society Under Siege Increasing reports of hostility against Iraq’s burgeoning civil society organizations have shed light on the way politics motivates violence and divisions in the country today. Iraq
UN Envoy on Yemen Deserves Spotlight Jamal Benomar, special adviser on Yemen to the UN secretary-general, has succeeded with a difficult brief. Yemen
Saudi Prince Turki: 'High Level of Disappointment' With US Over Syria In an interview with Al-Monitor, the former intelligence chief for Saudi Arabia says it's “up to the Iranians to show that their sweet and sensible talk is going to be translated into action.” Saudi Arabia
At 68, Has The UN Reached the Age of Wisdom? On the 68th anniversary of its founding, the UN is still the only body that can tackle today's complex international problems. Lebanon
Knesset Opens with Populist Bills Going Nowhere Populist legislation, spotlighted by the news media, emerged from the right and left of the governing coalition after the Knesset winter session began, but no dramatic change should be expected. Israel
Turkey’s Spymaster: The Making of a Hero An impressive campaign by Hakan Fidan’s media team has made almost an entire nation worship him. Israel
Haniyeh Torn Between Honor And Gaza's Survival With the fall of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas has found itself isolated and dependent on Israel for Gaza's daily survival. Palestine
Malta Sinking Highlights Palestinian Resentment Toward Leadership Following the death of dozens of Palestinian refugees after a boat headed for Europe sank off the Malta coast, popular discontent toward the inefficiency of Palestinian leaders’ efforts to protect their people has surfaced. Palestine
Israel's Next Best Thing? It's Bibi Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains the only stable factor in the Middle East, with no potential successor jeopardizing his leadership. Israel
Egypt’s New Protest Law Sparks Controversy The law is worse than anticipated and probably unconstitutional. Egypt
