Olive Branch wins Erdogan friends at home, but risks standoff with US

Despite the success of Ankara's Syrian military operation in closing Turkish ranks around him, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has raised the possibility of a military confrontation between Turkey and the United States.

Syria

Jordan, Israel resume frosty relations

It appears that Jordan has quietly accepted Israel’s apology for the killing of two Jordanians by an Israeli Embassy guard in Amman without the perpetrator being put on trial.

Palestine

Israel moves forward with gradual annexation of West Bank

The latest proposal to apply Israeli law on West Bank higher education institutions is part of the settlers’ strategy to gradually annex Palestinian lands.

Palestine

Qatar visit to the US aims to break Gulf gridlock

Qatar is using a high-level visit to Washington to get the Donald Trump administration’s support to broker a deal to end the monthslong Saudi-led embargo.

Qatar

Trump puts Israeli-Palestinian security coordination at risk

Threats by US President Donald Trump to cut aid to the Palestinian Authority endangers the so-called Dayton Force and their security coordination with Israel.

Palestine

Is US bailing on Syrian Kurds?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ignores appeals for restraint in northern Syria, appears to have gotten Washington to end support for the YPG.

Syria

US military aid to Egypt under scrutiny on uprising’s anniversary

The Donald Trump administration has taken a harder line on military assistance to Egypt as President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi moves away from Washington.

Egypt

Yemen’s southern separatists take case to Congress

Yemen’s UAE-backed secessionists have hired a US lobby firm to build support for their cause as they threaten to overthrow the UN-backed government in Aden.

United Arab Emirates

Turkey says US account of Trump-Erdogan call not 'accurate'

A telephone conversation between the Turkish and US leaders has turned into a "he said-he said" affair as the gulf widens between the NATO allies over Syria.

Syria

Europe emerges as new sponsor of Mideast peace

The European Union reassured Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about European support for a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, but will the United States and Israel allow other parties to be involved in the Middle East peace process?

Palestine

US-Palestinian rift nothing for Israel to celebrate

Israel shouldn’t rejoice over rift between the United States and the Palestinians as previous US administrations helped repeatedly to ease tensions and end violent clashes.

Palestine

Russia’s role in Turkish incursion into Syria is tricky

Turkey’s ironically named Operation Olive Branch, its latest quest to crush the Kurds on its border, will likely affect Moscow’s carefully engineered Syrian peace process.

Syria