Cairo Protest Scorns Constitution, Condemns Morsi's Power Grab Protesters took to Tahrir Square by the thousands to protest President Mohammed Morsi's power grab and to demand that the draft constitution be scrapped, Mohanad Sabry reports from Cairo. Egypt
Freedom, Not Handouts, Will Save Palestine Despite being reduced to begging for financial assistance, the Palestinian Authority has plenty of economic resources to stand on its own, writes Sam Bahour. Donor countries would be well advised to hold Israel accountable for its stranglehold and free Palestine to help itself. Palestine
Head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad Praises Relationship with Iran In an exclusive Al-Monitor interview by Lena Odgaard, Ramadan Shallah, the head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, discusses Israel's Gaza operation and his own relationship with Iran. Palestine
Morsi Speaks as Egypt Rushes Constitution-Making Process Mohammed Morsi takes to the state-run TV airwaves to reiterate his defense of his presidential decree that granted him sweeping, unchecked executive powers, Mohannad Sabry reports for Al-Monitor. Egypt
US Still Wary of Sending Arms To Syrian Opposition, Says Envoy Robert Ford, US ambassador to Syria who left Damascus in February, said the Obama administration has not decided whether to provide arms to the Syrian opposition and that the US priority remains a political deal, reports Barbara Slavin from Washington. Syria
Turkey's Davutoglu Under Fire For Failed Mideast Policies Pressure is mounting on Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu for Turkey’s failed Middle East policies, including calls from a leading opposition parliamentarian for his dismissal, writes Tulin Daloglu. Turkey
Iran Sends Message on Gaza, Syria In the Gaza conflict, Iran reveals that it has the wherewithal to shift the equation and provide some payback, even in areas where its adversaries hold sway. Palestine
New Alignment Forms To Oppose Morsi Decree Sara Khorshid reports from Cairo on how Morsi's decree has forged a new alignment — among democrats of the 2011 revolutionaries who overthrew President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and former Mubarak supporters. Egypt
Morsi Refuses to Back Down As Thousands March on Tahrir Thousands of protesters rallied at Tahrir Square demanding that President Mohammed Morsi cancel his decree granting himself sweeping executive powers, reports Mohannad Sabry. Egypt
Will New Syria Opposition Survive? Denise Natali argues that an opposition strategy that does not address the deep-rooted sectarian conflict in Syria between Sunnis and Alawites and their regional backers is doomed to failure. Syria
Why Iran Still Controls Gaza Daniel Nisman argues that Iran has made gains from the Gaza conflict through influence among more extreme Islamist groups in Gaza, as well as in Syria, raising questions about Israel’s deterrent capabilities. Iran
US Can Deter and Contain Iran, Brzezinski Says Zbigniew Brzezinski says the United States has “no implicit obligation to follow like a stupid mule” an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear sites and that a US or an Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic would be “the worst option” should negotiations fail, Barbara Slavin writes for Al-Monitor. Iran
Iran and Hamas Winners In Gaza Conflict Although Iran and Hamas emerged as victors from the Gaza conflict and Israel and the Gulf states were set back, recurring war will undermine stability for the entire region, writes Seyed Hossein Moussavian. Palestine
Morsi’s Power Grab Should Be No Surprise President Mohammed Morsi's decree assuming sweeping executive powers is consistent with the philosophy and practice of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, Nervana Mahmoud writes for Al-Monitor. Egypt
Gaza Is Not Egypt Despite its 2005 disengagement from Gaza, Israel still controls the Strip's land, naval and aerial borders, This means it remains responsible for the economic and humanitarian situation of its residents, writes Akiva Eldar. Palestine
Showdown Set for Tuesday Over Morsi Declaration Clashes continued in Egypt with further confrontations expected, Mohannad Sabry reports from Cairo for Al-Monitor. Egypt
