Was shoot down of Syrian plane linked to Turkish elections? Is it possible to disentangle the shooting down of a Syrian plane on March 23 from the Turkish local elections on March 30? Syria
Erdogan threatens to extend ban to YouTube, Facebook Prime Minister Erdogan has threatened to ban Facebook and YouTube as the next step in his crackdown on the Internet, as elections loom in Turkey. Turkey
US takes selective offense against Israeli defense minister The United States reacts with outrage to Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon’s criticism of US policy, but is silent about Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman’s delegitimization of 1.6 million Arab citizens. Palestine
Syria’s victory in Yabrud may be game changer At least for now, the recapture of Yabrud by Syrian government forces appears to have tilted the military and political balance in favor of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Israel
Iraqi Shiite militants return from Syria, aggravating security crisis Some Iraqis now worry that Shiite militants who are fighting alongside the regime in Syria will eventually return to Iraq once the Syrian crisis is over, a situation some fear might aggravate the security situation in Iraq. Iraq
Senior Fatah Leader links Israeli prisoner release to UN push Senior Fatah official Abbas Zaki warns in an exclusive Al-Monitor interview that the Palestinians will resume their efforts to join UN agencies if Israel fails to free the last group of Palestinian prisoners as per their agreement to hold peace talks. Palestine
Iran resumes monetary aid to Hamas Dramatic regional events have sparked a warming of Hamas-Iran ties, but Hamas' relations with Hezbollah remain cool. Palestine
Prominent Reformist: We can’t blame everything on Ahmadinejad In an extensive interview, prominent Reformist Abbas Abdi criticized fellow Reformists for not taking responsibility for the 2005 and 2009 elections that brought Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power. Iran
Can Erdogan take cover behind Turkish military? Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan may be trying to turn his own political struggle into a war of survival for Turkey. Syria
Israeli diplomats go on strike at crucial moment Israel's international standing requires all possible diplomatic efforts, but years of low salaries and disregard for their working conditions have forced the Foreign Ministry's staff to declare a general strike. Israel
Turkey shoots down Syrian plane as elections heat up Turkey's political opposition warns Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that "a thief cannot be a hero." Syria
Iranian mock aircraft carrier for production of movie According to Iranian media the mock-up of a US aircraft carrier that was revealed by American intelligence officials is for the production of a movie about the downing of an Iranian airliner by the US Navy in 1988. Originals
Fatwa emerges in Turkish corruption allegations What is the role of political Islam in the allegations of corruption against the government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan? Turkey
Egypt says cooperation continues with Ethiopia on Nile Basin projects In an interview with Al-Monitor, Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdul Muttalib says that Egypt has not stopped bilateral cooperation with Ethiopia over the Renaissance Dam dispute. Egypt
Egypt turns to Israel to address shortage of natural gas Egypt is willing to pay Israel four times the price of natural gas it once sold to Israel in a bid to stave off a worsening energy crisis. Egypt
Growth in Iran's non-oil exports linked to sanctions relief Iran may finally be ready to expand its non-petroleum exports, especially if there is progress in the nuclear talks. Iran
