Middle East crises loom in background as NATO leaders gather in Washington While this year's summit is expected to focus largely on the ongoing war in Ukraine, Iran's military support for Russia and Turkey's strategic balancing act with Moscow are expected to weigh on NATO leaders gathered in Washington. Washington Pulse
US, Israel hold second virtual meeting on Rafah Biden administration officials have denied offering to green-light an Israeli invasion of Rafah if Israel holds off on retaliating against Iran. Washington Pulse
One year on Sudan’s war: 14,700 killed, 8.6M displaced, 4.9M face starvation As the war in Sudan enters its second year, the humanitarian situation is worsening by the day with no prospects of an imminent end of the hostilities. North Africa Pulse
State Department staffer resigns over Biden's handling of Gaza Annelle Sheline is the second State Department official to publicly resign since Oct. 7, citing the erosion of US credibility on human rights in the Middle East as a result of the war. Washington Pulse
Gazans Unmoved by Obama Visit Gaza's Palestinians have expressed mostly pessimism and frustration in response to US President Barack Obama's visit, reports Mohammed Suliman. Palestine
Obama Makes His Case for Israel To Resume Peace Efforts President Barack Obama appealed directly to the Israeli people to recognize that settlements in occupied territory hurt peace prospects, Akiva Eldar reports. Palestine
Why Obama Didn't Leave a Wreath On Arafat’s Grave Shlomi Eldar responds to Daoud Kuttab’s call to President Barack Obama to leave a wreath on Yasser Arafat’s grave. Palestine
Erdogan Softens Zionism Remarks As Obama Lands in Israel Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s attempt to clarify earlier remarks on Zionism may aim in part to repair ties with the United States, which have also been strained by Ankara's refusal to hand over an al-Qaeda official to US authorities, writes Tulin Daloglu. Israel
Palestinians Tire of Israeli 'Games' on Settlements Palestinians are tired of being fooled, and want President Barack Obama to press Israel on its illegal settlements, Daoud Kuttab writes. Palestine
Obama's Real Reason For Visiting Israel President Barack Obama’s visit to Israel is not motivated by a desire to win over the Israeli public, writes Akiva Eldar, but rather by the need to salvage the standing of the United States as an influential power in the region. Israel
Iran, Not Peace Process, Obama's Real Agenda in Israel President Barack Obama's visit will not revolve around peace but around war, argues Ben Caspit, as the US president comes to synchronize the atomic clocks on Iran. Israel
Obama: The Master Of Iran's Red Lines Israelis should be assured by President Barack Obama on Iran, Meir Javedanfar writes from Tel Aviv. Iran
Palestinian Disappointment Ahead of Obama's Visit Some Palestinians are planning creative protests for President Barack Obama's visit to the West Bank, Lena Odgaard reports. Palestine
Obama’s March Madness in the Middle East President Barack Obama will realize on his trip this week that Israeli and Palestinian leaders do not have an interest in a peace process, writes Alon Pinkas. Palestine
What Carter Can Teach Obama About Mideast Peace-Making If President Barack Obama has no set objectives in his forthcoming trip to the region, he should learn from Jimmy Carter and get serious about Middle East diplomacy, writes Geoffrey Aronson. Israel
What Russia Learned From the Iraq War Moscow believes that "strategic insanity" has taken hold in Washington since the Iraq war, based upon the erosion of the pillars of regional stability and its flirtation with Islamists, writes Fyodor Lukyanov. Iraq
