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
Trump offers another gift to Netanyahu The latest statement by Ambassador David Friedman on the possibility of annexing parts of the West Bank indicates that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump are tightly coordinated. Palestine
Israel's economy faces uncertain future Employment and wage figures are excellent, inflation is low and the country’s credit rating is high, but the growing deficit will require Israel’s next government to cut expenditures or raise taxes — or both. Israel
Right-wing infighting: A warning sign for Netanyahu By firing Education Minister Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu angered his loyal partners, the national-religious camp. Israel
After 50 years, Israel opens up 'Land of the Monasteries’ Israel was late in recognizing the potential of the Qasr al-Yahud site, but it hopes to do better now that the region is cleared of landmines and will open to the public. Israel
Will the AKP reinstate Kurdish peace talks to win Istanbul elections? Ruling party officials have adopted the Kurdish issue as a campaign strategy in the upcoming Istanbul elections. Turkey
Iran frees 'American-Lebanese spy' Tehran has freed Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese national and American resident, who was serving a 10-year jail term in Iran for espionage, but there is no clear indication of a wider prisoner swap deal with the US government. Iran
Ex-Tehran mayor's murder case stirs infighting among Reformists Confession to murder by Tehran's ex-mayor was perhaps the last thing Iran's already troubled Reform Movement needed ahead of key parliamentary polls next year. Iran
Istanbul mayoral candidates to debate in rare TV face-off Turkey will have its first major political debate since 2002 as the ruling party takes extraordinary measures ahead of the second vote for Istanbul mayor. Turkey
Egypt's parliament considering banking system draft law Egypt’s new Central Bank of Egypt draft law could raise the minimum capital requirement for banks tenfold. Egypt
Pentagon official says 'campaign' of Iranian threats caused US Middle East surge A “campaign” of Iranian threats against US and allied forces pushed the Pentagon to send fresh troops and weapons to the Middle East last month, a top Defense Department international policy official said at an Al-Monitor breakfast today. United States
Turkey becomes new dump for global plastic waste Due to lax regulations, plastic scrap imports to Turkey have skyrocketed since 2018; why is the AKP letting the country turn into a global wastebasket? Turkey
Summer could be 'hot' in Palestine, PM warns Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh has warned that this summer could be a “hot” one, but it is unclear whether Israel or the United States will take steps to keep temperatures down. Palestine
