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
Who in Israel decides who must enlist in the army? Israel allows Orthodox men and women to avoid IDF drafting, but imprisons conscientious objectors who refuse to enlist in the occupation army. Palestine
Will Lebanon finally pass a budget after more than a decade? Although Lebanon’s Cabinet approved a proposed 2017 state budget, the legislation still has to overcome several obstacles in parliament. Lebanon
How Israel’s president is shifting his country’s worldview Israeli President Reuven Rivlin objects to the worldview where all threats to Israel are considered through the prism of the Holocaust, as preached by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel
Abbas versus Barghouti, Round 2 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is furious at Fatah activists who called for a Day of Rage five days before he is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump. Palestine
Will Iraqi government-PMU disputes spiral into armed clashes? With the Islamic State nearly defeated in Iraqi cities, disputes between PMU-affiliated Shiite factions and the Iraqi government have surfaced, threatening future military clashes between them. Qatar
Egypt's Islamist parties are all about marriage, not politics for women The meetings organized by the Nour Party for its female members discussing marital issues have raised controversy as to the role of female politicians in the Egyptian political scene. Egypt
Russia, Turkey to talk tariffs It looks like Ankara’s retaliatory tariffs on Russian wheat will bring the two parties together in another attempt to compromise on sanctions and import taxes. Turkey
Congress-mandated panel accused of whitewashing Israeli discrimination against Christians The US Commission on International Religious Freedom is under fire from one of its own. Israel
Why region should prepare for long Saudi-Iranian confrontation Despite the efforts of smaller players such as Kuwait and Oman to defuse tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, there is little on the horizon suggesting an end to Riyadh’s determination to directly confront Tehran. Legacy: Gulf
Is conservative Iranian candidate reviving Ahmadinejad’s Cabinet? Ebrahim Raisi is increasingly leaning on officials from former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s presidency. Iran
Erdogan offers 'condolences' during Armenian genocide events Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a message of support to an Armenian genocide commemoration in Istanbul in a radical departure from previous government policy. Turkey
Will Riyadh’s new DC ambassador draw US deeper into Yemen war? While the new Saudi ambassador to Washington, Khaled bin Salman, wants to convince the Trump administration to get more involved in the war in Yemen, history may deter the US administration. Saudi Arabia
