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
Rise of Local Salafist Jihadists Worries Jordan's Government For decades, the Muslim Brotherhood has been the Jordanian government's main political rival. But a new player has emerged to fret the Hashemite regime: homegrown Salafist jihadists. Jordan
My Turn as Witness to Gezi Protests Before US Congress A US congressional hearing on Turkey revealed some of Washington’s questions and concerns about the “Turkish model.” Turkey
Shameful Examples Emerge Of Press Censorship in Turkey A Turkish newspaper’s censorship of its own ombudsman rings alarm bells over the issue of press freedom in Turkey. Turkey
UAE Trial Adds to Controversy Over Press Freedom, Political Islam Guilty verdicts in the trial of 94 people accused of plotting to overthrow the UAE government have raised new questions about both press freedom and the role of political Islam. United Arab Emirates
What Happened to Fadel Shaker? In a case rarely seen in Lebanese society, Fadel Shaker, one of the country’s most beloved pop stars, chose to embrace extreme piety and soon became wingman to Salafist sheikh Ahmad al-Assir. Lebanon
Unrest in Egypt Casts Pall On Israel-Palestine Negotiations Israelis and Palestinians had best wait out the wave of protests in Egypt until the new regional setup emerges before engaging in negotiations. Palestine
Sadr Talks Big to US Ambassador While Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's popularity wanes, radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr looks to boost his own appeal with harsh words for the United States. Iraq
Hamas, First Victim of Egypt Revolt Hamas will be the first group to pay a high price in the wake of Mohammed Morsi's and the Muslim Brotherhood's collapse in Egypt. Palestine
Iraqi Federal Court Delays Ruling on Term-Limit Law The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court has yet to rule on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's challenge of a term-limit law, which leads some to believe the court is awaiting the results of the 2014 elections. Iraq
Viability of Yemen’s New Political Parties Questioned In the wake of the 2011 revolution, the Yemeni political scene has witnessed the emergence of many new parties, yet it remains to be seen how viable and effective these new forces will be. Yemen
Morsi Defies Egyptian Military, Demonstrators President Morsi refuses to budge despite the pressure put on him by the military, protesters and President Obama. Egypt
Israeli Knesset Member Calls For Boycotting Settlement Goods Tamar Zandberg, a young left-wing Knesset member from the Meretz Party, believes that her struggle against Israeli settlements preserves the legitimacy of a sovereign Israel in the international arena. Israel
