Al-Qaeda-affiliated emir arrested in Lebanon Majid bin Mohammad al-Majid, the emir of the Abdullah Azzam Brigades in the Levant, was arrested by the Lebanese army, and he is hospitalized. Lebanon
Ahmad Tibi: Netanyahu does everything to prevent an agreement Knesset member Ahmad Tibi warns Israel that PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will not concede on East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine nor on the refugees issue. Palestine
Israeli actors refuse to perform across Green Line This week’s refusal by three Israeli theater stars to perform across the Green Line raises the dilemma of commitment to one’s art or one’s conscience. Palestine
Harrowing end to 2013 for civil society in Egypt It’s been a harrowing end to 2013 for activists, journalists and opposition, who have faced crackdowns, arrests, imprisonment and death when opposing or even just working under the rule of the military-backed government that ousted Mohammed Morsi. Egypt
Despite prisoner release, any Israeli settlement construction may end talks Palestinian Authority Minister for Prisoner Affairs Issa Karake has declared that if Israel insists on more settlement construction following the latest prisoner release, the negotiations will be over. Palestine
Is Erdogan’s survival detrimental to Turkish democracy? The Turkish prime minister is using his executive powers in what seems a desperate effort to alter the legal system to protect himself and his government against further corruption allegations. Turkey
Was Jesus a Palestinian, a Jew or both? The Israeli Foreign Ministry was quick to respond to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' claim that Jesus was Palestinian. Palestine
Death of Gaza child renews fears of war The recent Israeli shelling of the Gaza Strip, which led to the death of a 3-year-old girl, has renewed residents’ fears of another military confrontation. Palestine
Jordan readies for possible framework agreement Jordan is taking care to make its positions clear ahead of an expected US “framework proposal” in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Palestine
Another year, another chance for spring 2014 will be a time for the Middle East to assess the promises and falterings of the Arab Spring and rebuild the confidence of the people to push forward together. Lebanon
Does Erdogan's attack on judiciary reflect his view of Turkish democracy? The Erdogan government's evasion of the corruption investigation increases the risks to Turkey's unity and peace. Turkey
Turkey's Kurds want explanation, apology for Roboski massacre The emotional estrangement of Turkey’s Kurds has deepened over Ankara’s failure to bring to account those responsible for the killing of 34 Turkish Kurdish youths in 2011 and the continued imprisonment of Kurdish members of Turkey's parliament. Turkey
Ending Iraq's demonstrations won't solve Sunni crisis The Sunni demonstrations may not last much longer, but their end will not mean that Iraq’s sectarian problems have been addressed. Iraq
Issawi’s release places individual hunger strikes in spotlight Samer Issawi's release set off exuberant celebrations in the streets, but more importantly has refocused the spotlight on his fellow hunger strikers in prison. Palestine
Peace, not Pollard, is the issue Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attempt of pulling Jonathan Pollard into the US diplomatic efforts in the peace process testifies to Israel seeking to serve its own interests rather than a peace deal with the Palestinians. Israel
Dayan: 'Kerry causes damage by insisting on a solution now' While some in the Israeli right looked for an alternative to the two-state solution, former Yesha head Dani Dayan prefers the status quo since ''there is no solution to the conflict at the moment.'' Palestine
