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
What Russia Learned From the Iraq War Moscow believes that "strategic insanity" has taken hold in Washington since the Iraq war, based upon the erosion of the pillars of regional stability and its flirtation with Islamists, writes Fyodor Lukyanov. Iraq
Uncertainty Lingers Over Turkey'sNegotiations with Ocalan Tulin Daloglu writes that PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan is expected to call for the end of armed struggle in Turkey, and asks what the state is promising in return and why the government is seeking Ocalan’s blessing. Turkey
Turkey, PKK Learn From Past Mistakes Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) are striving to avoid repeating past missteps and keep the peace process on track, writes Ilnur Cevik. Turkey
Israel's Use of 'Crowd Control' Weapons Faces Scrutiny Israeli forces are using "crowd-control" weapons which can severely injure or kill, Jillian Kestler-D'Amours reports. Palestine
Obama's Roadmap for the New Israeli Government Mazal Mualem sketches a guide to the new Israeli coalition for US Pesident Barack Obama. Israel
Israel Must Integrate Ultra-Orthodox Akiva Eldar writes that Israel is being distracted from the real ultra-Orthodox issue: Integration into civil society is more urgent than being drafted into the army. Israel
Women Face Same Barriers In Morsi's Egypt Yasmine Nagaty writes that the treatment of women under Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is more of the same pattern of economic oppression experienced under Hosni Mubarak. Egypt
The Paradox of Religion In Erdogan’s Turkey Ihsan Dagi of Zaman asks whether conservatives are moving to the center; the answer is just that power is changing hands in Turkey, but not in a democratic way, writes Tulin Daloglu. Turkey
King Abdullah Seeks to Champion Jordanian Reforms King Abdullah II of Jordan is portraying himself as a champion of reform in order to head off further protests, writes Osama Al Sharif. Jordan
Why Obama Should PlaceA Wreath at Arafat’s Grave Daoud Kuttab calls on US President Barack Obama to pay his respects at the grave of Yasser Arafat when he visits the West Bank next week. Palestine
Syria, Two Years and Counting Nassif Hitti writes that time is working against Syria as the situation worsens by the day. Lebanon
Disappointment for the 'New Iraq' Ten years after the end of Saddam Hussein's regime, many Iraqis feel disappointed that not much progress has been made, writes Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Iraq
