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
Is Russia behind Syria's security apparatus reform? The latest changes at the top levels of Syria's military and intelligence structures point to Russian influence, but was it Bashar al-Assad's game plan all along? Syria
Tehran says it will stick to phased reduction of nuclear deal commitments Iran told a French envoy that it will continue to scale back its commitments under the nuclear deal unless the other signatories honor their end of the deal. United States
Turkish-US talks on northern Syria stall as S-400 crisis peaks US envoy for Syria Jim Jeffrey tells the German Marshall Fund that a residual force of US troops will be staying in northeastern Syria for an "indeterminate time"; this decision appears to have been made in part to protect the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units from Turkey. Syria
Palestinian PM turns to Jordan first The Palestinian prime minister’s visit to Amman has given a boost to the potential that Jordan can provide a serious alternative to economic dependency on Israel. Palestine
Moroccan medical students protest privatization of medical education The government’s decision to privatize medical education has caused protests among medical students in public schools that have been ongoing since late March. Morocco
Oman to open embassy in West Bank Oman recently decided to open an embassy in the Palestinian territories, and many Palestinians believe the step is aimed at silencing the Palestinian Authority in the wake of Oman’s relationship with Israel. Oman
Why Likud members follow Netanyahu The charisma of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his discourse about persecution by the country's elites encourage Likud supporters to identify with him. Israel
Iraqi Kurdistan Cabinet finally sees daylight after 9 months The new prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government has a Cabinet now, with all but one ministerial position filled. Iraq
Is Iran’s influence in Iraq waning? Iran is formalizing its relationship with Baghdad as a strategic step in lessening the negative economic effects of US sanctions, but the pro-Iran PMU integrating into Iraqi armed forces leave some Iraqi leaders uneasy. Iraq
Is Netanyahu concerned about anti-Semitic rulers? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu befriends far-right leaders, such as Hungary’s Victor Orban, and keeps silent when his close ally, President Donald Trump, invites to the White House an anti-Semitic cartoonist. Israel
Will Trump follow suit if Israel attacks Iran? Ahead of the 2020 US presidential elections, President Donald Trump might decide to back Israel militarily, if it decides to attack Iran. Israel
Former economy czar’s resignation from Turkey’s ruling AKP sparks talk of rival party Ali Babacan resigned from Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party, unleashing a fresh wave of speculation that he might form a rival center-right party. Turkey
