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
Rabbi Amsalem Offers Alternative For Israeli Voters Rabbi MK Haim Amsalem, one of the real surprises of the Israeli elections, explains to interviewer Mazal Mualem why he rebelled against his mother party, Shas, and called on rabbinical college students to enlist in the army. Israel
Kurdish Issue Key To Erdogan’s Success Resolving the Kurdish issue is critical for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to re-establish Turkey’s role in the region, writes Tulin Daloglu. Turkey
US Fails to Use Leverage With Israel Daoud Kuttab laments that the US no longer seems able to influence Israeli politics, despite the aid and assistance it provides. Palestine
Ultra-Orthodox Parties Not in Netanyahu’s Pocket Politicians from the ultra-Orthodox Shas and Kadima center parties might be joining forces to create a bloc against Prime MInister Benjamin Netanyahu in advance of the elections next week, writes Akiva Eldar. Israel
Will Israel Miss Ahmadinejad? Nadav Eyal discusses whether Israel will benefit from a new Iranian president, who is likely to be just as committed to Iran's nuclear program and perhaps an even more formidable adversary. Israel
Palestinian Refugees From Syria Seek Refuge in Gaza Some Palestinian refugees from Syria have endured hardships and sought refuge in Gaza, reports Mohammed Suliman. Palestine
Where Are Iran’s Reformists? Sune Engel Rasmussen reports from Tehran that the reformists and green movement have been reduced to “near invisibility” in the run-up to the presidential elections scheduled for June. Iran
Embarrassment at Israeli President Shimon Peres' house Daniel Birnbaum, CEO of SodaStream, explains to interviewer Shlomi Eldar why he challenged the rules of official protocol at the president's house, and protested on behalf of his Palestinian employees who were searched like criminal suspects before meeting the president. Palestine
Who Threatens Turkey's Christians? Mustafa Akyol writes that the "Islamic-oriented" AKP government has been friendlier to Turkey's Christian communities that its secular and more nationalistic predecessors. Turkey
EU Trade Sustains Israeli Settlements in West Bank Despite the EU's outspoken criticism of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, imports from settlements are actually entrenching their existence, Dalia Hatuqa reports from the West Bank. Palestine
Can Ocalan Rein In the PKK? Any agreement between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan on the Kurdish issues will be complicated by Turkey’s policies toward Syria and Iraq, writes Denise Natali. Turkey
Iraqi Parliament Struggles to Ratify Budget Amid Political Crisis As political and sectarian crises escalate in Iraq, the country’s parliament is struggling to reach an agreement over this year’s budget, writes Omar al-Shaher. Iraq
