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
How Russia maneuvers between Saudi Arabia, UAE in Yemen Moscow exercises hedging strategy in Yemen to preserve good times with Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia
Camera issue fails to capture suppression of Arab Israeli vote The cameras in Arab-majority voting stations are a ploy to excite the Likud's base while high voter rates in the settlements — where votes shouldn't even legally be cast — pose a much bigger electoral issue. Palestine
Putin’s Gulf security plan depends on Trump The Russian president plans to roll out his regional initiative to calm Gulf tensions next month — but are the United States and the EU ready to let Putin step up in the Gulf? Saudi Arabia
Is Iran’s national broadcaster being pushed to brink of irrelevance? Iran's national broadcasting monopoly IRIB continues to play a partisan role in the country. Iran
Turkey, Syrian Kurds remain at odds in safe zone visions The US-Turkish deal on a safe zone in northern Syria has averted the prospect of Turkey fighting the Kurds, but the parties have stepped into a diplomatic minefield, where the interests and objectives do not match. Turkey
Hoopla over minor Iranian election may herald big fallout in 2020 A normally negligible local election in the Iranian capital has brought the country’s political groups face to face, revealing that bigger clashes may be ahead as Iran’s 11th parliamentary elections draw near. Iran
Ramon Airport: Israel’s white elephant in the desert It’s been seven months since the festive inauguration of the Ramon Airport, which despite its hefty price tag, has failed to meet anyone's expectations. Israel
Could Algeria’s army pull a coup d’etat? As the crackdown of senior regime figures perceived as having fallen too close to the orbit of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika continues, one of its more prominent figures, retired Gen. and former Defense Minister Khaled Nezzar, has called upon the army to revolt. Algeria
Independents flood Tunisian elections Hundreds of independent lists and parties are expected to run in this year’s parliamentary elections, which will now be held after the pushed-forward presidential contest. Tunisia
Hamas raises $100,000 for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon Hamas’ recent fundraising campaign in the Gaza Strip to support Palestinian refugees in Lebanon received mixed reactions from Gazans. Palestine
How will Egypt protect its expats in Libya from IS? The killing and abduction of a number of Egyptian expats in Libya prompted the Egyptian Foreign Ministry to issue warnings not to travel there because of the inability of the Libyan state to provide protection for the Egyptians amid its prevailing state of insecurity and instability. Egypt
Rights group says Turkey sowing dissent in Syria Turkey and its ally Qatar are being accused of spreading false news and fabricated videos to stir up tension between Kurds and Arabs in Syrian areas east of the Euphrates. Syria
