New Israeli Defense Minister No Threat to Netanyahu's Policies Israel's next defense minister, Moshe Ya’alon, is not expected to challenge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the Iranian threat or the Palestinians issue, writes Mazal Mualem. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Lebanese Elections: Three Scenarios As Shiite, Sunni and Christian considerations threaten to disrupt and even cancel the Lebanese elections scheduled for this summer, Jean Aziz outlines the three potential paths developments could take in the near future. By Jean Aziz (Lebanon Pulse)
Visiting Nablus Since Last Intifada Shows Renewed City After 10 years, Shlomi Eldar returns to Nablus and discovers it different from the city he remembers from the second intifada. By Shlomi Eldar
Three Powerful Men Decide Turkey's Future Kadri Gursel writes on the three men who are critical to Turkey’s future: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan; Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned head of the Kurdistan Workers Party [PKK]; and Fethullah Gulen, exiled head of the Gulen Sunni movement. By Kadri Gürsel
Iran's Man in Iraq and Syria Iranian Quds Forces leader Qasem Soleimani, who played a central role in post-2003 Iraq, has taken a different slant in his approach to the Syrian conflict, writes Mushreq Abbas. By Mushreq Abbas
No Prospects for Palestinian Currency With Israeli maintaining control of the Palestinian economy and internal divisions stalling reconciliation, a Palestinian currency seems little more than a dream, writes Omar Shaban. By Omar Shaban
Davutoglu Should Give Up 'Military Solution' in Syria Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is getting nowhere in his bid to have the European Union lift the arms embargo on Syria, and he should realize his pursuit of a military solution there is only prolonging the conflict, writes Semih Idiz. By Semih Idiz
The New Muqtada al-Sadr Seeks Moderate Image in Iraq Iraq’s Muqtada al-Sadr started his political career as a radical Shiite cleric but has transformed himself into a force of moderation and stability, writes Mustafa al-Kadhimi. By Mustafa al-Kadhimi
Palestinian Athletes Suffer Under Gaza Blockade After years of Israeli blockade and repeated military offensives, Gaza's athletic facilities as well as the athletes themselves struggle to function, reports Hazem Balousha. By Hazem Balousha
Lebanon Foreign Minister Creates Stir Over Syria Lebanon’s foreign minister, Adnan Mansour, draws criticism from both his own government and the Gulf states by calling for the reinstatement of Assad’s Syria in the Arab League, writes Elie Hajj. By Elie Hajj
Iraqi Oil Pipeline Through Aqaba In Final Stages Iraq is reaching the final stages of a project that would bring oil from Iraq through Aqaba to Jordan and Egypt, reports Omar al-Shaher. By Omar al-Shaher
Is Morocco a Model or a Mirage? Neither of these two polar-opposite views, model or mirage, does justice to Morocco's uniquely mixed picture or prospects, writes David Pollock. By David Pollock
Palestinians Find Little Justice In Israeli Military Courts Palestinians in the West Bank are subject to Israeli military courts, which offer them little chance for justice, writes Jillian Kestler-D'Amours. By Jillian Kestler-D'Amours
Netanyahu Sets Scene For Obama Visit Israel's prime minister has stepped up demands for US support while minimizing the visibility of the settlement issue in preparation for the US president's upcoming visit, writes Clovis Maksoud. By Clovis Maksoud
Unprecedented Turns On Turkey's Kurdish Question The Imrali Process is providing unexpected hope for a resolution to the Kurdish question in Turkey, writes Cengiz Çandar. By Cengiz Candar
Lebanese Maronites Hope Patriarch is Next Pope For the first time since Lebanese independence, many Lebanese Maronites think that there is a real chance that their patriarch becomes pope, writes Jean Aziz. By Jean Aziz (Lebanon Pulse)