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
Would Netanyahu be better off without Trump? The overly pro-Israeli policies of President Donald Trump, especially his decision to cut funding for the Palestinians, poses a threat to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to continue using the Oslo Accords as a permanent status solution and for the international community to pay for Israel's occupation of the West Bank and the building of settlements. Palestine
Al-Qaeda, foreign fighters have nowhere to go from Idlib Erdogan appeals for support to "moderate rebels," but what may ultimately matter is US-Russia common ground; Al-Monitor's award-winning lobbying series and archive now available. Syria
Iraqi Kurds stuck between Iran, US The Iraqi Kurds are worried about the US-Iran rivalry in Iraq, as it will weaken their position in the country more than ever before. Iraq
Washington ramps up diplomatic efforts to stave off Idlib operation The new US Syria diplomatic team ramps up diplomacy as it tries to bolster Turkish and European efforts to avert assault on Idlib. Syria
Low-income Turks take early crisis blows Turkey’s economic turmoil is already bruising millions of minimum wage earners, who are grappling with a flurry of price hikes and the prospect of losing jobs. Turkey
Iraq's Abadi under fire from pro-Iran political factions Pro-Iranian factions within Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units are taking advantage of the bloody events in Basra to prevent the prime minister from winning a second term, accusing him of being under US influence. Iraq
Palestinian Interior Ministry to regulate private security firms The Palestinian government is now regulating private security companies in the West Bank, seeking consistency among them and implementing basic requirements for them to receive licenses. Palestine
Top general claims IDF not ready for war According to IDF Ombudsman Yitzhak Brick, the Israeli military has invested most of its resources in the air force while neglecting the land corps, leaving Israel vulnerable to Hezbollah. Israel
Why demolishing West Bank village will cost Israel dearly Europe is warning Israel that demolishing Khan al-Ahmar, a Bedouin-Palestinian village, will constitute a war crime and lead to demands for financial compensation for facilities there provided by its members. Palestine
Turkey's Central Bank defies Erdogan, hikes interest rates Despite Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's vehement opposition to raising interest rates, the country's Central Bank took the move today that economists say is long overdue to address alarming inflation. Turkey
Erdogan makes himself ‘czar of the economy’ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to take the helm of Turkey’s sovereign wealth fund compounds misgivings over an institution that holds the country’s key public assets, but is already mired in controversy for lack of transparency and public supervision. Turkey
Iran missile strike opens door to escalation with Kurdish armed groups An Iranian missile attack on Iranian Kurdish fighters in Iraqi Kurdistan has raised the risk of intensified fighting in western Iran while heightening the chances of localized confrontations taking on an international dimension. Iraqi-Kurdistan
