On Iran, Bibi Will Not Take 'Yes'For an Answer Prime Minister Netanyahu's impatient attitude towards recent diplomatic moves with Iran raises fears that he is not willing to take "yes" for an answer regarding a settlement on the Iranian nuclear program, writes Akiva Eldar, Senior Analyst at Ha’aretz. It's time for Israel to renounce its own nuclear ambiguity policy and start making some progress. Originals
New Report Finds It Is Time To Upgrade US-Turkey Ties The United States and Turkey have found themselves growing increasingly aligned amid the Arab uprisings of the past 16 months. Laura Rozen writes that a new report argues for an upgrade of US-Turkish relations, one that recognizes Turkey’s growing importance on the world scene and appreciates the complexity of Turkish democracy. Turkey
Israel Faces Challenges From Boycott Campaign While opposition to Israel is hardly new, the current campaign among Western civil society groups and on college campuses dates to the collapse of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in 2000 and the second intifada. Barbara Slavin on the rise of the Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment (BDS) movement. Israel
Obama's Afghan Exit Has Been Oversold The deal signed by President Obama in his pre-dawn appearance in Afghanistan isn't nearly as dramatic in its substance as the choreography in Kabul would suggest. But it will neutralize his critics, who must now argue either for staying longer or getting out sooner. Originals
Iran and al Qaeda: More Enemies Than Allies Newly released correspondence from Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Pakistan contradicts U.S. assertions that al-Qaeda has a close relationship with Iran. Barbara Slavin on how being "the enemy of my enemy" doesn't necessarily make the two friends. Iran
Eight Films That Portray Another Side of the Mideast With so much news focused on the violent strife that plagues the Middle East, heartache and despair sometimes seem the pre-eminent themes of the region. From Iran to Lebanon, Al-Monitor looks at films that instill hope in their audiences — and show the other side of life. Originals
Election Could Change France's Tone Toward Iran With domestic politics dominating French thinking, Shahab Mossavat writes, a new man in the Elysée Palace could turn down the rhetorical heat on Iran. That may allow for dialogue under conditions more conducive to agreement. Iran
The Fight for the Fertile Crescent The struggle for Syria today is a struggle, in reality, that extends over a chessboard running from Baghdad to Beirut, says Ambassador Nassif Hitti, Head of the Arab League Mission. And the repercussions, no matter what the outcome, will definitely reach Beirut, Baghdad and beyond, into the entire Middle East. Syria
Saudi Arabia Turns Blind Eye To Rising Youth Suicide Rates A young Saudi man's March 2012 public suicide was caught on video. Madawi Al Rasheed writes that in line with its policy of denial, the regime’s response has been to blame the victim, invoking psychological disorders and Western influence in an attempt to depoliticize the wave of public suicides and ignore the demands of Saudi Arabia's youth. Saudi Arabia
Kurdistan’s Man In Washington Preps For New Role Back Home Qubad Talabani, the longtime Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) envoy to Washington, will move to Kurdistan this summer after a twelve-year run representing Iraqi Kurdistan here that has seen the US invasion and withdrawal from Iraq, Laura Rozen reports. Iraq
Syria's Last Chance for Peace Hoping to avert a civil war, the United Nations has accelerated efforts to stave off the bloodshed and encourage a peaceful political transition via the “Annan Plan.” As Syria spirals deeper into violence, the plan is rapidly unraveling, but still represents the last, best chance for avoiding widespread conflict in Syria, writes Mona Yacoubian. Originals
Syria's Kurdish Quagmire Even as the Syrian crisis deepens, Kurdish groups have not become the decisive minority to help overthrow the Assad regime. Most demand Kurdish rights in the Syrian state, but superseding those desires are nationalist goals that have become part of regional proxy wars, sectarian tensions, and competing cross-border nationalism. Denise Natali analyzes this crucial time for Kurds in the region. Originals
Could Iran Nuclear Talks Founder over Sanctions Relief? President Barack Obama signed an executive order Tuesday that bars anyone who violates existing U.S. sanctions against Iran and Syria from gaining access to U.S. financial and commercial systems. Barbara Slavin and Laura Rozen analyze whether Iran will get the sanctions relief it is seeking from nuclear talks scheduled for later this month. Turkey
