Algeria a Complex Ally In War Against al-Qaeda The French intervention in Mali will push Algeria off the fence in dealing with terrorism in Mali and the region, writes Bruce Riedel. Algeria
Turkey Cannot Defend Record On Press Freedom Kadri Gursel writes that by criminalizing any press article that seems sympathetic to the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK), the Turkish government worsens its image as a leading violator of press freedom. Turkey
Terrorist Attack Linked To Turkey’s Syria Policies Kadri Gursel argues that Revolutionary Peoples’ Liberation Party-Front [DHKP-C] suicide bombing at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara is a response to Turkey’s policies in Syria. Turkey
US Misses the Point on Egypt, Morsi The government of President Mohammed Morsi continues to violate the rule of law and thereby is contributing to a cycle of violence, writes Sara Khorshid from Cairo. Egypt
Bin Laden Relative Arrested In Turkey Before Bombing While there's no connection between the arrest of Osama bin Laden’s son-in-law, Suleiman Abu Gheith, days before the suicide bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, and the bombing itself, both incidents put the focus on Turkey’s role in combating terrorism, reports Tulin Daloglu. Turkey
Week in Review: Turkey Terror Attack; Syria Political Solution Al-Monitor’s coverage and analysis of the terrorist attack on the US embassy in Turkey and the possibility of a new opening for a political solution to the Syrian crisis. Syria
Turkish Suicide Bomber Did Not Act Alone Semih Idiz ponders some of the questions about the terrorist attack on the US embassy in Ankara, such as who provided the explosives and was there any support from outside Turkey? Turkey
UN Panel Condemns Israeli Settlements Clovis Maksoud argues that Israel must be recognized as an occupying power in the West Bank and Gaza as a prelude to meaningful negotiations. Palestine
Israel Rewrites Rules of Game To Deal With Syria Prime Minister Netanyahu is grappling with the profound strategic challenges posed by the potential disintegration of Syria, including dealing with chemical weapons and the prospects for a regional conflict, writes Ben Caspit. Israel
The Ankara Bomber: A Pro-Assad Communist Mustafa Akyol profiles Ecevit Şanlı and the outlawed People's Revolutionary Liberation Army-Front (DHKP-C), one of Turkey's infamous Marxist-Leninist terror organizations, responsible for the suicide bombing at the US Embassy in Ankara on Feb. 1. Turkey
Syrian Jihadist Groups Take Conflict To Lebanon Friday’s deadly clash in Arsal, Lebanon, signals a dangerous escalation in confrontations between the Lebanese Army and Sunni Jihadist groups connected to those fighting in Syria, writes Jean Aziz from Beirut. Lebanon
Economy Trumps Palestinian Issue In Israel Nassif Hitti writes that addressing the Palestinian question would help tackle the economic concerns that dominated Israel's elections. Israel
Syria Considers Taking Up Dialogue With Opposition Syrian official sources are considering taking up the offer for talks with opposition leader Moaz al-Khatib, head of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Antoun Issa reports from Damascus. Syria
Turkey: No Country for Journalists Semih Idiz writes that the Turkish government needs a sense of urgency to address the lack of press freedom. Turkey
Terrorist Attack at USEmbassy in Turkey Tulin Daloglu reports from the scene of a suicide bombing at the US Embassy in Ankara. Turkey
Divisions Increase Among Palestinian Factions in Syria Rifts in Fatah al-Intifada have emerged as support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime ebbs and flows throughout various Palestinian refugee groups in Syria and Lebanon, writes Mohammad Harfoush. Palestine