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
Qatar’s first elections since 2017 reveal unexpected impact of GCC crisis Turnout in the Qatari municipal elections has declined, suggesting a Qatari citizenry that is slightly less engaged in the formal political process in the wake of the GCC crisis. Saudi Arabia
Turkey continues to freeze Kurds out of Syria peace talks Syria peace talks continue in the Kazakh capital, with regional heavyweights battling it out over who will have a spot at the negotiating table. Syria
Forget oil sanctions, end of nuclear cooperation waivers could quietly kill Iran deal While the United States' stepping up of oil sanctions has gotten more attention lately, a greater threat to the nuclear deal involves the waivers allowing cooperation with Iran on nonproliferation. United States
Iran leadership shrugs off US oil sanctions, pledges response Iran's supreme leader says the US plan to cap the flow of his country's oil will lead nowhere, pledging a "response to the US hostility." Saudi Arabia
Can Turkey avert military assault on Idlib? Damascus, Moscow and Tehran continue to exert pressure on Ankara to clear the region of jihadist elements. Syria
How will Israel's Blue and White party react to Trump’s plan? If the Blue and White party aspires to present a real alternative to the Netanyahu government, it must offer a courageous stance vis-a-vis the US Middle East peace plan. Palestine
Abbas gets new government, but has anything changed? Hamas describes the new Fatah-dominated government as illegitimate and says it will only deepen the Palestinian division. Palestine
Human rights group documents Hamas abuses Arrests in the Gaza Strip point at Hamas' harsh treatment of protesters and its civil rights violations. Palestine
Israel’s United Right party not united at all Rabbi Rafi Peretz and Knesset member Bezalel Smotrich, leaders of the United Right party, are each pushing coalition negotiations in another direction. Israel
Egypt reiterates support for Hifter to protect border Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Hifter has recently visited Egypt to discuss the latest developments taking place in Libya, in what experts say reflects Egypt’s strategic support for Libya’s national army and its counterterrorism efforts. Egypt
Netanyahu gambles on Trump against Iran Israel supports the American intention of increasing sanctions against Iran, though pushing Iran against the wall could fire up the Hezbollah front against Israel in Syria. Palestine
2020 candidates line up behind Armenian genocide bill as US-Turkey relations plummet Strained relations between the NATO allies has given advocates hope the United States will finally call the Ottoman Empire’s mass slaughter of Christians in World War I a genocide. Turkey
