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
Turkey's 2015 Plan: Avoid Word 'Genocide' at All Costs Turkey is preparing a diplomatic offensive to prevent the US and European countries from recognizing the events of 1915 as genocide, writes Orhan Kemal Cengiz. Turkey
Iraqi Government Bans TV Channels Over Coverage of Protest Violence The Iraqi government has banned 10 TV channels for covering the violence in Hawija, further raising political tensions in the country, writes Mushreq Abbas. Iraq
Post-Ahmadinejad Iran: A New Challenge to the West Shlomi Eldar argues that with the upcoming elections in Iran, the international community should try another, more conciliatory approach. Israel
Iran Counters Saudi Diplomacy In Lebanon The competition between the Saudi and Iranian axes in Lebanon is high as the alleged Saudi “openness” toward Hezbollah proved to be less than it appeared, writes Jean Aziz. Saudi Arabia
Why Is Obama Giving Up On Bush's Road Map? Akiva Eldar writes that the Road Map, Annapolis Declaration, and Arab Peace Initiative should be a start for the latest round of US Middle East diplomacy. Palestine
Israel's Shas in Leadership Crisis On the eve of its 30th anniversary, the Ultra-Orthodox party Shas finds itself in the opposition and in the throes of a severe leadership crisis, writes Nadav Perry. Israel
Lebanon's Future Movement Deals With Syria Conflict Hezbollah’s involvement in the Syrian conflict has been a point of controversy within Lebanon across all sects, writes Elie Hajj. Lebanon
Syria’s Chemical Weapons, Israel and Hezbollah The US statement about Syrian chemical weapons; Israel weighs in; the debate within Hezbollah about Syria. Israel
Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Wants to Accelerate Settlements In an interview with Mazal Mualem, Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon promises to help the settlements in the West Bank and to institute compulsory national service for Israeli-Arabs. Palestine
Hamas Shuts Down Gaza English-Language Club The Hamas-led government in Gaza has shut down an English-language club amid several recent steps to limit cultural activity within the Strip, writes Khaled Kraizim. Palestine
The Red Line in Syria Has Long Been Crossed Shlomi Eldar wonders why the world waits for the use of chemical weapons to launch a military operation ending the bloodshed in Syria. Israel
Saudi Wahhabi Sheikh Calls On Iraq's Jihadists to Kill Shiites A Saudi Wahhabi sheikh has issued a fatwa in which he calls on jihadists in Iraq to kill Shiites, including women and children, in another sign of the bitter sectarian conflict dividing the region, writes Haytham Mouzahem. Iraq
