Algerian-Moroccan Border Remains Closed Amid Disputes The land border between Algeria and Morocco remains closed in light of smuggling operations and political disputes, with both sides eagerly awaiting a resolution, writes Kaci Racelma. Originals
Gaza-Sinai Tensions Limit Egypt-Hamas Cooperation Tension between the Gaza Strip and the Sinai has prevented their respective governments from partaking in economic partnerships that could benefit both countries, writes Omar Shaban. Palestine
Israeli Occupation Brings Down Fayyad Daoud Kuttab reviews the outgoing Palestinian prime minister, highlighting that despite his best intentions, Salam Fayyad failed to produce a change without an end to the occupation. Palestine
Hamas Military Wing Damages Gaza Heritage Site Hamas’ military wing sparked uproar when it bulldozed parts of a 3,000-year-old harbor to make way for a training zone, Abeer Ayyoub reports. Palestine
Will Presidential System Move Turkey Forward? Pinar Tremblay argues it is in the best interest of Turkey and the AK Party to design accountable, transparent institutions as the basis for a future presidential system or governance model. Turkey
Arab Venezuelans Divided Over Election to Replace Chávez As Venezuela goes to the polls Sunday to elect a successor to the late President Hugo Chávez, Ali Hashem examines whether they will they vote to keep the policies of a government that featured a number of Arab Venezuelans. Lebanon
Turkey’s Kurdish Initiative May Affect Syria's Kurds Cengiz Candar writes on the relationship between Turkey's peace initiative and its policies in Syria. Syria
Liberated Prisoners Recall Experience in Gaza Central Prison Ahead of Palestinian Prisoners’ Day on April 17, former prisoners visit the site of a well known prison in Gaza where they were detained and recount their experiences to Khaled Kraizim. Palestine
Former Mossad Agent: Israel Has No Regional Master Plan The former Mossad chief in Iraqi Kurdistan says Israel’s relationship with Iraqi Kurds was never meant to harm Turkey’s territorial integrity or its security, writes Tulin Daloglu. Israel
Iraq's Baathist Legacy Refuses to Fade Away Iraq’s attempt to rid itself of the legacy of the former ruling Baath Party must account for the fact that many former party employees will be worse off as a result, writes Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Iraq
A Holocaust Remembrance Day For Evacuated Gaza Settlers Daniel Ben Simon spent the Holocaust Remembrance Day with Ganei Tal settlement evacuees, for whom the disengagement from Gaza is more than a memory. Palestine
US ‘Nation Building’ Destructive Instead of Reconstructive US ‘nation building’ in the Middle East has resulted mostly in destruction of infrastructure and political and national institutions, writes Geoffrey Aronson. Originals
The 'Nice Guy' ImageOf Israel's Finance Minister Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid faces the impossible task of maintaining his popularity while implementing budget cuts, writes Nadav Perry. Israel
Turkish-US Ties Gain New Depth Ankara and Washington share too many concerns in the Middle East for any one issue, including Turkey's interest in getting Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza, to get in the way, writes Semih Idiz. Turkey
Lebanon’s Shiites BeginTo Question Hezbollah Following the funerals of Hezbollah fighters killed in Syria while fighting for the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, some Lebanese Shiites are questioning their exact role in the conflict, writes Elie Hajj. Lebanon
Is Israel Heading Toward Apartheid? Akiva Eldar contends that Israel's discrimination against the Palestinians contradicts the intentions of its forefathers. Palestine
