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
Pompeo blames Iran flooding on regime mismanagement, offers US help While the Trump administration said that it was prepared to help Iran following extensive flooding, at the same time it blamed the disaster on "regime mismanagement." United States
Iraqi Kurdish fighters dealt setback in Pentagon budget The Pentagon is set to slash salaries for the Iraqi peshmerga in its new budget. Iraq
Will local election defeat force Erdogan to improve ties with West? Turkey needs better ties with the United States and Europe to heal the ailing Turkish economy, but experts are not optimistic that Erdogan will do this. Turkey
Uighur debate shows shifting influence in Turkish policies Differences of opinion within the Turkish security bureaucracy on how to react to China’s treatment of Uighur Turks reveal competing camps. Turkey
Controversial Iranian rapper reignites clash between Reformists, hard-liners An Iranian rapper's weed-smoking at a concert in Georgia has given Reformists another chance to attack rival conservatives, who once idolized the controversial singer. Iran
As AKP loses big cities, has Erdogan overplayed his hand? In an interview with Al-Monitor, American social anthropologist Jenny White describes the challenges that lie ahead for the abashed ruling party and the triumphant opposition after Turkey's electoral upset. Turkey
Turkey’s milestone elections shatter Erdogan’s air of invincibility Turkey's local elections on March 31 broke the glass ceiling for the Turkish opposition, ending the perception that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is invincible. Turkey
Massive march in Gaza calmer than expected despite 4 deaths The recently held "million-man return march" was relatively calm in Gaza after Egyptian peace negotiators called on Palestinian factions to maintain calm, as Israel pledged in exchange not to shoot at demonstrators. Palestine
Separate and parallel: Why are Iranian conservatives creating ‘safe havens’? The Iranian state appears to be increasingly funneling its resources into preserving and satisfying its loyal base rather than toward all-out efforts to win the hearts and minds of the broader public and enforce ultraconservative practices. Iran
Palestinian Authority blames Hamas for lack of progress The Palestinian Authority accuses Hamas of impeding the PA's diplomatic efforts in international forums by launching rockets into Israel. Meanwhile, Hamas and Israel have a tentative truce. Palestine
Why Israel aims for arrangement with Hamas According to publications, Israel and Hamas have reached an inclusive agreement for easing the Gaza blockade and restraining border violence. Palestine
Israel's year of the undecided voter Undecided voters will determine the outcome of the April 9 elections and with that the fate of the Arab Peace Initiative, which the Arab League endorsed yet again at its annual summit but has not registered on the radar of Israeli candidates or the media. Israel
