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
Egypt expands law granting domestic products preference Egypt’s parliament has approved amendments to a law that gives preference to domestic products instead of imported ones in government contracts, drawing mixed reactions from local experts. Egypt
Israel to withhold PA tax funds to compensate victims of kite attacks Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to deduct money from Palestinian tax revenues to compensate the Israeli victims of kite-borne arson along the Gaza border. Palestine
Congress seeks to insulate Oman from Yemen instability As the 3-year-old proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran continues to destabilize Yemen, Congress seeks to shore up security in neighboring Oman. Saudi Arabia
Manbij plan raises expectations but not mood in US-Turkey relations Just days after Ankara and Washington announced their agreement on a road map for Manbij, Syria, differing interpretations are threatening setbacks in their fragile progress toward rebuilding ties. Syria
Iraq to tackle vast vote recount amid claims of extensive fraud As the Iraqi Cabinet and parliament investigate allegations of widespread fraud in the recent election, the winning parties await the potential fallout, worried about losing parliament seats. Iraq
Iran ups pressure on other countries to keep nuclear deal alive Iran’s foreign minister penned a letter to his counterparts around the world to call for a united stance against US unilateralism. United States
Turkish exports to Syria revived under shadow of war Turkey remains Syria's leading supplier of goods despite the ongoing war, with exports standing at some $1.4 billion last year. Syria
How a Turkish general's smile is now a key election issue Turkey's opposition parties are harshly criticizing the presence of military officers at election campaign events in support of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey
Knesset blocks bill to deem Israel 'state for all its citizens' Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein rejected this week a law proposal presented by the Arab Joint List redefining Israel as the state of all its citizens. Palestine
Why US recognition of Golan Heights annexation would hurt Israel The US-backed campaign for recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights could become a real obstacle on the way to peace with Syria. Palestine
How Iran's Telegram ban will kill jobs The move by the Iranian authorities to ban Telegram impacts not just access to information but also top political priorities such as job creation. Iran
PA worried by potential Hamas-Israel truce The Palestinian Authority fears the proposed long-term truce between Hamas and Israel under the pretext of the humanitarian crisis would lead to separating the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, and then to passing "the deal of the century." Palestine
