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
Hamas leader speaks out after controversy In an interview with Al-Monitor, Hamas official Ahmad Yousef discusses why the movement issued a statement preventing the press from dealing with him as its spokesperson. Palestine
Alevi faith protects rare goats in eastern Turkey The shy wild goats in the mountains of eastern Turkey enjoy a protected status both from the government and the still-strong traditions of the local Alevi population. Turkey
Assessing the aftermath of postponed Palestinian elections Resolving the problems that caused the suspension of the Palestinian local elections is crucial to solving internal Palestinian problems through ballot boxes. Palestine
How this new Palestinian coalition intends to fight climate change The Palestinian Coalition for Climate Justice was recently formed to address the climate change issue and raise awareness about its repercussions in Palestinian society. Palestine
Why Turkey’s pro-government media likes Trump Despite Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric, Turks appear to be supporting him for president of the United States. Turkey
Turkey's brash behavior riles Iraq Iraq worries that Turkey, emboldened by the progress of its Operation Euphrates Shield intervention in northern Syria, might be planning an "Operation Tigris Shield" for Mosul. Iraq
How Peres' funeral highlighted rift among Israeli Arabs Despite a boycott of late President Shimon Peres' funeral by Arab Knesset members, several Arab-Israeli regional council heads and mayors paid a condolence visit to his family, to wide public approval. Israel
Can Israel's becoming more Jewish make it more democratic? Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked's claim that the more Jewish Israel becomes, the more democratic it will be, actually challenges the Zionist idea of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. Israel
Yemen's education system latest victim of ongoing war More than 2,000 schools out of 16,000 across Yemen have been destroyed by Saudi-led Arab coalition airstrikes or by internal fighting. Yemen
Sadrist call to change electoral law could push local elections to 2018 Though all of Iraq's parliamentary blocs acknowledge a need to amend the electoral law, there is less agreement on what direction changes should take and no plans to make it happen. Iraq
Can Iraq reach dam agreement with Turkey to protect marshes? Recent Turkish dam projects, in particular the Ilisu Dam, affect the level of water in Iraq significantly with the marshes drying and the agricultural industry witnessing a significant decline. Iraq
Why Iran’s central bank can’t control money markets The Central Bank of Iran appears powerless to compel thousands of "unlicensed" credit and finance institutions to comply with interest rate caps, leaving much to be desired about its monetary policies. Iran
