Questions Obama Didn't Answer The questions that US President Barack Obama chose not to answer in a recent interview with Milliyet offer clues about potential troubles ahead in US-Turkish relations, writes Cengiz Candar. By Cengiz Candar
Islamic Jihad: Yes to PLO, No to PA Islamic Jihad has expressed its willingness to join a renewed PLO, but has insisted it will not participate in elections or Palestinian governments, writes Daoud Kuttab. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Week in Review: US Resets Diplomacy in Middle East Al-Monitor’s coverage and analysis of a newly assertive US diplomacy toward the peace process, Iran and Syria. By Week in Review
Tunisia on Edge as Protests Continue Mischa Benoit-Lavelle reports from Tunis that Tunisia’s Ministry of Interior is under scrutiny following the killing of leftist politician Chokri Belaid. By Mischa Benoit-Lavelle
Tzipi Livni Flirts With Role In Netanyahu’s New Government Hatenua leader Tzipi Livni is hinting that she is moving closer to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government, despite her vicious attacks on him in the campaign, writes Mazal Mualem. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Danny Ayalon Pivots On a Palestinian State Shlomi Eldar wonders why former Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon suddenly supports a Palestinian state. By Shlomi Eldar
Fatwas Allow Artificial Insemination For Wives of Palestinian Prisoners The Razan Infertility Center in Nablus recently announced that the wives of four Palestinian prisoners have become pregnant via artificial insemination using smuggled sperm, reports Naela Khalil. By Naela Khalil
New Book Says Israeli Census 'Denationalizes' Palestinians Dalia Hatuqa reviews a new book, Unfree in Palestine, which discusses how Israel deploys the census to disenfranchise Palestinians. By Dalia Hatuqa
Israeli Poet Longs for Iraq He Never Knew Ronny Someck, an Israeli poet born in Baghdad, responds in an interview with Jacky Hugi to the call by Sheikh Moqtada al-Sadr for Iraqi Jews to return home. By Jacky Hugi
Deputy Speaker Makari: 'We Do Not See Stability in Lebanon' Speaking to Al-Monitor's Elie Hajj, Lebanon's Deputy Speaker Farid Makari explains why he believes the European Union will likely implicate Hezbollah's military wing in the murders in Bulgaria, but not classify Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. By Elie Hajj
Visit of Lebanese Patriarch to Syria Sparks Controversy Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai recently visited Syria, in a move that sparked controversy among Lebanon's already divided political circles, writes Elie Hajj. By Elie Hajj
Hezbollah Goes on Defense In Response to Bulgaria Bombing After a period of apparent indifference on Hezbollah's part regarding recent accusations that it was behind last summer’s Burgas bombing, Nasser Chararah argues that the party will soon adopt a strategy of defense. By Nasser Chararah
Terror Attack in Algeria Thwarted, But More May Come After the assassination of a Tunisian opposition figure, and a recently thwarted attack near its border with Tunisia, terror attacks are more likely in Algeria, writes Kaci Racelma. By Kaci Racelma
Hezbollah Prepares to Make Its Case On Bulgaria Indictment Hezbollah will respond on Feb. 16 to Bulgarian accusations that the group is responsible for the Burgas bombing in July, writes Jean Aziz. By Jean Aziz (Lebanon Pulse)
Iraqi Kurdistan Takes Steps To Improve Road Safety Traffic accidents remain a major problem in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, as the government takes a number of steps to address the issue and improve car safety, writes Abdel Hamid Zebari. By Abdel Hamid Zebari
Chill in US-Turkey Ties Will Pass Semih Idiz analyzes the latest exchanges between the US and Turkey and sees no lasting damage to bilateral ties. By Semih Idiz