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
Doha's overtures unlikely to lure Cairo from Gulf bloc Recent statements by Qatari officials reflect a shift in Doha’s stance toward Egypt, but Cairo is unlikely to take any steps toward reconciliation without approval from the Gulf countries blockading Qatar. Qatar
Pentagon acknowledges higher number of US troops in Syria The United States now officially has 2,000 troops in Syria, up from 500 previously, despite the Islamic State’s collapse. Syria
Netanyahu left without any cards to play Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated several times the principle of reciprocity in talks with Palestinians, yet he himself is willing to offer them nothing. Palestine
Yemen’s new, dangerous post-Saleh power vacuum The death of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh further complicates the conflict that has left Yemen in the throes of a humanitarian crisis. Saudi Arabia
Russia’s multilayered Syrian diplomacy worries Iran Mistrust and differing objectives continue to mar Iran-Russia relations, even as the two countries move forward on Syria. Saudi Arabia
Iran reacts to Trump's 'very dangerous' Jerusalem decision In reaction to Trump’s move to declare recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Iranian leaders warned that they won’t tolerate aggression against holy sites. Palestine
Pro-Erdogan groups call for Brett McGurk's arrest A no-name group claiming to work against the US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen has called for the arrest of US diplomat Brett McGurk, the most recent American to be targeted by supporters of the Turkish president. Turkey
Fear of Netanyahu paralyzes Likud leadership Some senior Likud politicians may feel that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must quit over the ongoing investigations, but no one is brave enough to say it aloud. Israel
#MeToo movement is stillborn in Turkey The #MeToo movement has focused on violence in Turkey with significant support, but the attackers are neither named nor punished, and sexual misconduct is still a taboo subject, so its victims often suffer alone in shame. Turkey
US sanctions-busting trial fails to shock Turkish markets Turkey’s financial markets remained relatively calm in the face of bribery confessions and other allegations targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey
Hamas warns West Bank arrests could derail reconciliation Hamas is accusing the Palestinian security services in the West Bank of continued political arrests against its members despite the reconciliation agreement with Fatah. Palestine
Palestinians cancel Capitol Hill Christmas over Trump remarks The Palestinian mission in Washington abandoned attempts to court the White House and Congress with the mission's first-ever Christmas party on Capitol Hill after it was announced that President Donald Trump would make a major statement on the status of Jerusalem on Wednesday. Palestine
