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
New Syrian Institution Helps US Deliver Humanitarian Aid A senior US aid official tasked with coordinating humanitarian assistance to Syria says he is “all for” prolonging the Syria war if it leads to a “democratic Syria.” Syria
Can Erdogan Keep PKK Peace Process on Track? The Kurdistan Workers Party attempted to showcase its force in Sirnak’s Cizre province on Sunday, June 23, creating concern that the PKK is violating the negotiation parameters. Turkey
Washington Pushes Israel And Palestinians to Negotiate US Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to jump start negotiations for a final status agreement instead of a more feasible interim agreement might prove dangerous should he fail. Palestine
Erdogan’s Proposed Gaza Visit Reignites Controversy Despite opposition from Israel, the United States and the Palestinian Authority, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Gaza is set to take place by July 5. Palestine
Netanyahu Loses Control Over Likud Convention Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saw the extreme right infiltrate his party, but instead of putting up a fight, he demonstrated apathy and flaccidity. Israel
Erdogan Doesn't Have Luxury of Suspending PKK Negotiations Although the Gezi protests led to debate on the position of the Kurds between the government and the protesters, they helped the government to refocus on the peace process with the Kurds. Turkey
Sinai Continues to Simmer, Threatens to Boil Over Tensions are running high in the Sinai between supporters of President Mohammed Morsi and Islamist forces disillusioned by his failure to implement sharia. Egypt
Iraqi Defense Ministry Asks KRG To Return Saddam-Era Weapons The Iraqi Ministry of Defense has filed a lawsuit against the Kurdistan Regional Government, claiming that the latter has failed to return Saddam-era weapons and military equipment. Iraq
Can Israel's Settlers Be Persuaded To Exit the Occupied Territories? Yedidia Stern, a religious Jew, believes that Israelis are finally ready to make a democratic decision on the fate of the territories. Palestine
Turkey Protest Violence All Too Familiar to Kurds Media coverage of police brutality in the Istanbul protests presents an opportunity for the country to address the violence Kurds have faced for decades. Turkey
Why Kerry Wants a Fast Reboot Of Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks US Secretary of State John Kerry wants a quick resumption of Mideast peace talks, hoping to elicit some flexibility from Israel and to head off UN countermeasures by the Palestinians. Palestine
Who Will Be in Rouhani’s Cabinet? Tehran is abuzz with speculation about who will be in the next Iranian government. Iran
