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
Netanyahu, master of 'alternative facts' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long made use of "alternative facts" when dealing with settlement construction and building by Israeli Arabs and Palestinians. Palestine
Trump’s Middle East fans get caught up in global blowback Political leaders from Israel to Saudi Arabia are quickly finding out that siding with Trump comes at a price. Saudi Arabia
Iran’s president: We’re neither xenophiles nor xenophobes Amid continuing criticism by hard-liners over the US visa ban, Iran’s president has lashed out, asserting that independence is not equivalent to isolation. Iran
Gulf of mistrust mars Kuwaiti initiative for Iran-GCC dialogue Despite Kuwait’s reported initiative to resolve tension between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council, it appears that the two sides are not yet ready to address the deeper causes of conflict and tension. Legacy: Gulf
Will Turkish-Greek tensions escalate over Aegean islands, fugitive officers? A Greek court’s decision to deny Turkey’s request for the extradition of suspected Gulenist officers who had fled to Greece after the failed coup, coupled with new tensions on the Aegean Sea, could reignite old disputes between Ankara and Athens. Turkey
Who will dictate religious discourse in Egypt? Tensions are building as the Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments and Al-Azhar Mosque are competing over who gets to determine the topics imams discuss in mosques. Egypt
How unsolved murders serve power struggles in Turkey High-profile trials and political murders have become tools in Turkey's power struggles, doubling also as a means to intimidate dissidents. Turkey
Does Syria really want to reconcile with Kurds? The future of Syrian Kurds is uncertain, but they have at least made it obvious that things must change. Syria
Shiite militias open offices in Iraq's liberated Sunni areas The Popular Mobilization Units are expanding their domination in Sunni-majority areas liberated from the Islamic State, raising concerns among the local population. Iraq
Iranians react harshly to US visa ban Iranian officials and media react harshly to US President Donald Trump’s executive order to ban the entry of Iranian citizens to the United States. United States
Why did Russia offer autonomy for Syria’s Kurds? Draft constitution from Russia seeks to decentralize Syrian state authority, limit presidential powers; Turkish forces struggle in two-front campaign against both the Islamic State and Syrian Kurds; Al-Monitor offers in-depth reporting on Syrian Kurdish region. Iraq
Russia offers outline for Syrian constitution Russia’s three-pronged plan for Syria’s constitution addresses secular and Kurdish concerns, as well as governmental structure, including limits on presidential power. Syria
