Lebanon's Christian mediators The newly formed Lebanese government has until mid-March to agree to a ministerial statement, as signs suggest that Christian parties could serve as mediators to the Sunni-Shiite dispute. Lebanon
Hamas denies secret message to Netanyahu Hamas officials denied that Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh sent a secret message to his Israeli counterpart, but debate continues within the movement about a dialogue with Israel. Palestine
After Acre blast, fears of vigilantism Following an alleged act of sabotage that led to the explosion of a residential building, killing five, the city of Acre is trying to keep one of Israel’s most important tourist destinations calm. Israel
Egypt internationalizes dam dispute with Ethiopia A recent poll reveals that 87% of Egyptians agree that the issue of the Renaissance Dam should be internationalized. Egypt
The peril of escalation in Syria Edward Dark writes that Aleppans will pay the price for any escalation in the war; the UN Security Council votes for humanitarian assistance and calls for greater cooperation to confront al-Qaeda in Syria; 16 female journalists cover the Middle East; and exorcism in the Gaza Strip. Palestine
The coming Turkish spy state A proposed law turns the MIT from an "intelligence-gathering" organization into a "powerhouse" outranking many Turkish ministries. Syria
The Arab Spring meets the United Arab Republic The 56th anniversary of the United Arab Republic is a time to regain the dynamism of the Arab Spring. Palestine
Obama, Erdogan speak for the first time since graft probe US President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke on Feb. 19 for the first time since the corruption scandal emerged, with Obama stressing the importance of "a strong, mutually respectful bilateral relationship" with Turkey. Turkey
Obama's Erdogan predicament Eighty-four influential Americans, including former senior US government officials, have written to US President Barack Obama, urging him to speak out against Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s anti-democratic practices. Turkey
How much nuclear power does Iran need? Iran could clarify the bottom line on enrichment with an up-to-date assessment of its needs for nuclear power in domestic energy production. Iran
Turkey's elections likely to increase political turmoil Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to keep the heat on his political opponents heading into the March 30 local elections. Turkey
Is Muqtada al-Sadr retiring or repositioning? After Iraqi Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr declared his intention to withdraw from politics, signs suggest that it may have been a move aimed at political repositioning before the upcoming elections. Iraq
German rapper, now jihadist still alive in Syria Deso Dogg, aka Abu Talha al-Almani, was thought to have been killed in an airstrike, but recent videos reveal that he is alive and active among jihadists in Syria. Syria
Lapid wins superficial victory over drafting ultra-Orthodox The ultra-Orthodox leaders cry out in public against the new law requiring their enlistment in the army, but behind the scenes, they're discretely satisfied. Israel
Ultra-Orthodox draft law defuses Israel's 'existential threat' The ultra-Orthodox draft law proposes a gradual enlistment process, which will not lead to an equal sharing of the burden, but will help the ultra-Orthodox overcome the obstacles between them and the modern world. Israel
Palestinian teen dies in exorcism A teenage Palestinian girl has died while undergoing an exorcism, a widespread practice in Gaza's environment of poor government control and health education. Palestine
