Iraq Sends Mixed Signals on Syria Iraqi Shiites have not been quick to endorse the Syrian uprising, partly out of fear of the rise of Salafist groups, writes Mushreq Abbas. Iraq
Jordanians Head to the Polls With Little Enthusiasm Jordanians showed little enthusiasm for the elections on Wednesday, signaling a potentially low turnout, Fernande van Tets reports. Jordan
Qatar's Brotherhood Ties Alienate Fellow Gulf States Sultan Al Qassemi analyzes how Qatar’s relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood is affecting its ties with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the region. Qatar
Conditions in Israeli Prisons Take Toll on Palestinian Families Palestinians thrown into Israeli prisons are deprived of the rights their Israeli counterparts receive, with families often kept apart for decades with no hope of reuniting, writes Linah Alsaafin. Palestine
Saudi Conservative Women Feel Marginalized by Shura Council Snub Saudi Arabia was hailed this month for appointing 30 women to its Shura Council, but leading conservative women have expressed disappointment at not being included in the royal list, Ahmed al-Omran writes. Saudi Arabia
Palestinians Smiling, If Unsure About Israeli Election Results Daoud Kuttab assesses the mixed reactions of Palestinians to the Israeli elections. Palestine
What Was the Israeli Election Really About? Akiva Eldar breaks down the meaning of Israel's election results and finds both a crisis of leadership and a crisis of faith in democracy. Israel
Should Lebanon Amend The Taif Accords? Mohammad Harfoush analyzes the history of the Taif Accords and asks whether they should be amended given the current political climate. Lebanon
Iraqi Kurds Press Ahead With Pipeline Plans Despite protests from Baghdad, the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq is moving ahead with plans to develop the infrastructure for an oil pipeline to Turkey, reports Abdel Hamid Zebari. Iraq
US Seeks To Be 'Great Power,' Not a Superpower Clovis Maksoud analyzes US President Barack Obama's inaugural address. Lebanon
Bibi, King of Swing! Some parts of the press dubbed him King Bibi, but these elections are a resounding vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, writes Ben Caspit. Israel
Is Iranian Hyperinflation a Mirage? Djavad Salehi-Isfahani suggests that the conventional wisdom of so-called Iranian hyperinflation caused by crippling Western sanctions deserves a closer look, as there is lack of connection between devaluation, printing of money and inflation in Iran. Guessing wrong on the impact of sanctions can be costly for US policy. Iran
Elections in the Land Of The Israeli Voter From soccer stands to upscale Tel Aviv, our Israel Pulse columnists went into the field to talk to voters: Ben Caspit from Bloomfield Stadium in Jaffa on "The Political Soccer Match of All Time;" Shlomi Eldar from Umm al-Fahm on "Apathy and Alienation on the Arab Street;" Akiva Eldar from Netanya on "The New Immigrant Vote;" and Mazal Mualem from "The Tel Aviv Bubble." Israel
Egypt’s Revolution, Two Years On Bassem Sabry analyzes Egypt’s progress on the two-year anniversary of the revolution that led to the removal of Hosni Mubarak from power. Egypt
Whispers of Change In Turkey's Syria Policy Tulin Daloglu reports on how, beneath the rhetoric of Turkey's hard line on Syria, there are signs that Ankara might be willing to call on Syria's opposition to show greater flexibility in dealing with the Syrian government. Syria
Turkey Seeks 'Interdependence' With Iraqi Kurdistan Turkish officials seek to set the record straight that Ankara seeks interdependence with, not independence for, Iraqi Kurdistan, writes Tulin Daloglu. Iraq