Obama Administration Should Stop Conflating Syria, Iran The Obama administration is risking a breakthrough with Iran in its rhetoric on Syria. Syria
Sinai Tribal Leader Rejects Gaza Buffer Zone The head of the Sinai Tribes Union has thrown his support behind Gaza as Egypt's army tightens its blockade on the Hamas-ruled territory. Palestine
Remembering the Failures Of the Yom Kippur War The legacy of "failure" in the Yom Kippur War still affects Israel's political and military leadership. Egypt
Traumatic Memories Mar Baghdad Neighborhoods Violence and terrorism have left many Iraqis with post-traumatic stress associated with specific areas of Baghdad they continue to associate with a violent event. Iraq
Ayatollah Sistani and The Battle of Najaf A book by an aide to Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani reveals new details about the 2004 Battle of Najaf. Iraq
Turkey Decides Jabhat Al-Nusra Is a Threat A Turkish official has said Ankara will not support the al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria. Syria
Oslo Accords a Mixed Memory For Israel On the 20th anniversary of Oslo, there are no celebrations. Palestine
Abu Mazen Remains Palestine's Teflon Leader Despite all the criticism leveled at Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, he still polls the highest among Palestinian leaders. Palestine
'Diplomatic Vitality' Needed to Bring Peace to Syria While the US public awaits President Barack Obama's speech on Sept. 10, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has publicly criticized a US military attack against Syria, lobbying to continue negotiations during Geneva II. Lebanon
Would Syria Retaliate Against Turkey? Al-Monitor’s analysis coverage of a possible US military strike on Syria. Israel
Israel Waits for Erdogan Deteriorating relations with Syria, Iran and post-Muslim Brotherhood Egypt force Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to re-establish the strategic alliance with Israel. Israel
Erdogan, Istanbul Lose 2020 Olympics to Tokyo Istanbul lost its bid for the 2020 Olympics, but Erdogan may have lost more. Turkey
Women Playing Key Roles in Israeli Politics Israeli women are shattering the glass ceiling of male-dominated politics in the Knesset and preparing for the upcoming municipal elections. Israel
Israeli Druze Village Excels in Education Despite the discrimination in budget allocation and educational assistance suffered by the Israeli Arab sector, the Druze town of Beit Jann has achieved record high graduation rates. Israel
Syrian Islamist Rebels Threaten Maaloula, Christians The Aramaic-speaking village of Maaloula, a symbol of religious and sectarian coexistence in Syria, has been invaded and desecrated by Islamist opposition groups. Lebanon