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
Opposition to US consulting firm reveals Erdogan’s weak spots Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears as the savior of the Turkish economy after revoking the decision to work with McKinsey and thereby preventing American involvement — all at the expense of his son-in-law’s professional reputation. Turkey
Ongoing blockade will cause Gaza to explode in the face of Israel, Hamas warns Employees are being laid off and shops are closing down in the cash-strapped Gaza Strip, while the World Bank warns that the economy is collapsing after a decadelong blockade. Palestine
Has Iran's influence increased in Palestinian arena? Shortly after the Palestinian Islamic Jihad named Ziyad al-Nakhalah to be its new secretary-general and elected member of the political bureau, Nakhalah threatened Israel and launched an intra-Palestinian initiative in his first political discourse. Palestine
Tunisia’s bold move to end racial discrimination Activists hailed the Tunisian parliament’s recent approval of a law criminalizing racial discrimination, although they believe the road is still long to completely eliminate racism that is deeply rooted in Tunisian society. Tunisia
Why Palestinians put money in banks instead of investing The Palestinian Monetary Authority recently announced that customer deposits in local banks have reached $12.2 billion, a large amount that some economists question, given the deteriorating economy in the Palestinian territories. Palestine
Mixed marriages between Arab, Jewish celebrities cause uproar in Israel Even the politicians fighting against religious coercion in Israel had openly racist reactions to the wedding of Arab TV star Lucy Aharish and Jewish actor Tzahi HaLevi. Israel
Commentary: Netanyahu’s view on Golan Heights Most Israeli prime ministers in the past 25 years participated in negotiations over an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, and it is likely that such negotiations will be launched again in the future. Israel
Saudis skeptical about Russia's oil production prospects Saudi Arabia's projection that Russian oil production will dwindle significantly triggered a backlash in Moscow, which says it has options up its sleeve that will prove Riyadh wrong. Saudi Arabia
Bahrain opposition calls for boycott of upcoming elections November elections may do little to end the standoff between Bahrain's Sunni-led government and leaders of the country's Shiite majority. Saudi Arabia
Does Bibi use Iran as dodge for occupation policies? Akiva Eldar calls out Israeli prime minister for “Iran-phobia”; Netanyahu weighs elections; Gazans reject the PA; Israel, Qatar seek to prevent war in Gaza; Israeli barriers keep Palestinians from olive trees. Qatar
Turkish-Saudi rift could hinge on US reaction to missing journalist The disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident journalist and Washington Post contributor, has created a triangle of fault lines between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States. Saudi Arabia
Analysis: Turkish economic crisis recalls Erdogan's 2002 rise — but don't expect replay An economic crisis in 2001 paved the way for the political ascent of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but that doesn't mean the current crisis will now lead to his downfall, given the momentous changes that Turkey has undergone under his rule. Turkey
