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
Time to Stop the Bleeding in Syria Clovis Maksoud comments on the need for international support to end the conflict in Syria. Lebanon
Gaza Hospital Performs Strip's First Transplant Al-Shifa hospital in the Gaza Strip has performed the territory's first-ever transplant, courtesy of international assistance, Rami Almeghari reports. Palestine
Anger at Israeli Detention Of Palestinian Activist Linah Alsaafin reports on last week's arrest of Palestinian activist Hasan Karajah by Israeli forces. Palestine
Armenian Women in Istanbul Subject to Racist Attacks The attacks on elderly Armenian women in Samatya show that racism is alive in Turkey as a latent threat, but also serves as a demonstration that Turkey now has a civil society that immediately stands up against racism, writes Cengiz Çandar. Turkey
How Did Yachimovich Lose The Israeli Center to Lapid? Yair Lapid, leader of Yesh Atid and the big winner in the Israeli elections, succeeded where Labor leader Shelly Yachimovich failed, by accurately capturing the frustrations and hopes of centrist voters, writes Mazal Mualem. Israel
Lebanon Seeks More Aid For Syrian Refugees Lebanon is looking to the international community for aid to cope with the influx of Syrian refugees, writes Nasser Chararah. Lebanon
Shultz Opposes Containment, Backs Diplomacy With Iran Venerable US statesman and former secretary of state George Shultz has modest goals for Egypt and Syria, but urges a combination of bilateral diplomacy and more robust action short of war to deal with Iran. Iran
Maliki Threatens "Division" To Pressure Opponents Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has played the "division" card as a threat in dealing with Iraq’s sectarian and political factions, writes Mushreq Abbas. Iraq
Does Dress Code Signal 'Hamasization' of Gaza? Daoud Kuttab writes on the controversy over the new dress code at Al-Aqsa University in Gaza. Palestine
CHP Raises 'Turkish Question' In Dealing With Kurds The Republican People’s Party has characterized a political solution to the Kurdish question as compromising Turkey’s secular national identity, writes Kadri Gursel. Turkey
Lebanese Elections Linked To Syria, Regional Crisis Although regional crises threaten to postpone upcoming Lebanese parliamentary elections, the international community is insistent upon elections taking place on time, writes Mohammad Harfoush. Lebanon
Tunisian Salafis on the Rise Mischa Benoit-Lavelle reports from Tunis on the rise of Salafis in Tunisia and the possibility of the country becoming a terrorist training ground. Tunisia
