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
German court convicts ex-Syrian regime officer in historic case Eyad al-Gharib, a former low-ranking officer in Syria's intelligence services, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for aiding and abetting crimes against humanity. Syria
Lebanon’s vaccination campaign stumbles at launch As politicians skip the line to receive their coronavirus vaccine, questions arise about the quantity of vaccine doses Lebanon has and will receive and if it’s enough to inoculate the local and refugee population. Lebanon
West-East dilemma closes in on Erdogan As Erdogan teeters between the West and the Russia-China axis, it will be his goal of securing his political future at home that determines which direction he takes. Turkey
World Bank warns Lebanon after politicians, staff cut line for vaccine Lebanese lawmakers have denied any wrongdoing, say underlying medical conditions were the reason for their early shots. Lebanon
Iran begins restricting short-notice nuclear inspections Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif tweeted that Iran has halted its implementation of the Additional Protocol. Iran
Settler movement takes over Jewish National Fund The decision by the Jewish National Fund to start purchasing land in the West Bank marks another victory for the right-wing and the settlement movement. Israel
Palestinian Christians to get at least 7 seats in legislative elections President Mahmoud Abbas issues a decree to allocate at least seven seats in the next Palestinian Legislative Council to Christian citizens in a move that recognizes the importance of Palestine's dwindling Christian community. Palestine
France maintains order as visitors flock to Jerusalem's Tombs of the Kings A 2,000-year-old funerary compound in Jerusalem has been marked by controversy since its reopening to the public in 2019. Palestine
Khamenei says Iran may enrich uranium to 60% Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments follow Iran's announcement last month that it was enriching uranium to 20%. Iran
Lira slides as Erdogan defends former minister’s economic policies In response to criticism from the opposition, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has defended the record of his son-in-law and former finance minister, sparking a 1% slide in the Turkish lira Monday after weeks of steady gains. Turkey
Israeli ambassador demands Saturday Night Live apologize over vaccine joke Israel's ambassador to the United States and United Nations is upset with the comedy show for joking that Israel is only vaccinating Jews. Israel
Sullivan says US communicating with Iran on detained Americans According to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, the administration has "begun to communicate" with Iran over the handful of Americans held in the country. United States
