Turkey's Foreign Policy Straddles East and West Semih Idiz writes that while Turkey has intensified its anti-Western rhetoric to curry ties with the Arab and Islamic world, it is still invested in deepening ties with NATO and furthering its bid for EU membership. Turkey
Hamas and Fatah No Closer To Settling Their Differences Fatah and Hamas, despite their conciliatory language during the latest Gaza Strip conflict with Israel, aren't about to reconcile, writes Dalia Hatuqa from Ramallah. Palestine
Turkey’s Border Crisis Tulin Daloglu reports from a refugee camp on Turkey’s border with Syria that the time has come for Turkey to accept international assistance to deal with Syrian refugees. Turkey
Is Jordan-Palestine Confederation Back on Negotiating Table? While Jordan long ago ceded any claims to the West Bank, it remains a key player to any political breakthrough, writes Daoud Kuttab. Palestine
Liberman Resigns — Like a Fox Avigdor Liberman has resigned immediately from his post as foreign minister — a plan which, writes Ben Caspit, may return him to the head of a new Israeli government in March 2013. Israel
Alexandria Votes on Egypt's Constitution Conversations with voters in Egypt's second-largest city showed the constitutional referendum is about more than approving or rejecting the controversial document, Maggie Fick reports from Alexandria. Egypt
Opposition Says Irregularities Mar Egyptian Voting Egyptians voted on a draft constitution Saturday, some waiting for hours to cast their ballots and complaining of poor organization. Mohannad Sabry reports from a Cairo polling station. Egypt
Student Deaths Threaten To Renew Sudan Unrest The death of four students, allegedly at the hands of security forces, risks unleashing a new wave of anti-government unrest as Sudan struggles to contain internal divisions and a growing economic crisis, Reem Abbas writes from Khartoum. Sudan
New Jerusalem Neighborhood Threatens Territorial Solution The plans for a new Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem will preclude any possibility of a territorial solution along the lines of the Clinton Parameters and render those proposals for Israeli-Palestinian peace null and void, writes Akiva Eldar Palestine
Referendum Will Divide, Not Unite, Egyptians The referendum that begins Saturday on the Egyptian constitution will likely further divide Egyptians no matter the outcome, writes Maggie Fick from Cairo. Egypt
Former US Official Urges Military Intervention in Syria Former US State Department official Fred Hof called for US military assistance to depose Syrian President Assad and praised the new Syrian opposition group, while noting that the al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra “terrifies” many Syrians, Barbara Slavin reports from Washington. Syria
Egypt’s Judicial Crisis Intensifies Ahead of Constitutional Referendum The crisis between President Mohammed Morsi and Egypt’s judiciary has intensified after Eastern Cairo Attorney General Mustafa Khater publicly embarrassed the president by releasing all 137 suspects detained after the recent clashes between his opponents and supporters. Egypt
Morsi Amends Referendum Law To Limit Opposition Votes The decision to amend Egypt’s referendum law to prohibit absentee balloting seems designed to ensure passage of the controversial draft constitution supported by President Morsi, Mohannad Sabry reports from Cairo. Egypt
Gambling With Kurdistan And Checking Baghdad Baghdad's deployment of troops to Iraq’s disputed territories has renewed concerns about armed conflict between the central government and the Kurdistan region, writes Denise Natali. Iraq
Presidential Race Begins in Iran Analysts are already predicting Iran's likely presidential candidates from figures perceived as likely to cooperate rather than compete with Iran’s leader, writes Shahir Shahidsaless. Iran
Lebanese Port City of Tripoli Catches Breath Between Battles The Northern Lebanese city of Tripoli has witnessed brutal sectarian fighting that has killed at least 17, reports Fernande van Tets from Tripoli. Lebanon
