Obama: Syria chemical attack would cross US 'core national interests' President Obama is consulting with allies and advisers over what the US response would be if the Syrian Government did in fact attack a rebel village with chemical weapons. Syria
Syrian Alawites horrified by rising death toll Most Alawites remain steadfast in their support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but many are quietly horrified at the high number of Alawite men dying in combat. Syria
Could the presidential campaign be good for Turkish democracy? Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s two main opponents in the presidential elections have shown themselves to be legitimate contenders. Turkey
US, Iran don't need to cooperate in Iraq Cooperation between the United States and Iran in the fight against the Islamic State should not include any concessions in the ongoing nuclear negotiations. Iraq
Herzog stands by Netanyahu on Gaza In an interview, Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog explains that he backed the operation in the Gaza Strip in the interest of solidarity, but when the dust settles, nothing will have changed between him and the prime minister. Israel
Ayatollah Khamenei, Assad spoke of reforms Iran's former ambassador to Syria conceded in an interview that the Syrian government made mistakes in the first stages of the Syrian protests and revealed that Iran's supreme leader wrote a letter to Syria's president urging reforms. Syria
8 months in, clashes in Anbar continue Houses and shops have been completely destroyed in Anbar as a result of the clashes between the Iraqi army and members of armed factions. Iraq
Did an Israeli drone strike militants in Egypt? Eyewitnesses say an Israeli drone struck Egyptian militants in the Sinai Peninsula on July 23, despite Egypt’s official assertions that it was responsible for the strike. Egypt
From town squares to Twitter: Turkey's civil rights movement Two social media campaigns swept Turkey this week, sparking discussions of social media’s reformist, rather than revolutionary, role in the country. Turkey
Israel fears terror spillover from Gaza to West Bank The growing economic crisis in the West Bank coupled with Hamas assaults on Israel and the destruction in Gaza risk provoking more terror attacks in the West Bank. Palestine
Israeli defense minister rejected demands to retake Gaza The pragmatic line advocated by Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon on the Gaza incursion has earned him the esteem of many in the general Israeli public but might have cost him the support of the far right. Israel
Only Israel can break through diplomatic impasse The continued conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is not due to an Arab rejection of Israeli existence, but to Israel’s rejection of Arab acceptance. Palestine
Israel, Hamas accept 72-hour Gaza truce Egypt brokers three day truce, but both Israel and Washington expressed wariness about whether the cease-fire will hold, and uncertainty about next steps. Originals
Kerry says 'indiscriminate' Syria chemical attack 'undeniable' US Secretary of State John Kerry has said that the delayed access for UN inspectors to the chemical attack sits is due to the Syrian Government shelling the areas in an attempt to destroy evidence. Syria
Beyond US strikes, signs of intensifying UN diplomacy on Syria Obama administration officials have said that the goal of military action in Syria would be to uphold the universal prohibition of chemical weapons and not regime change, citing that the conflict must be resolved politically. Syria
Satterfield to temporarily helm US embassy Egypt David Satterfield, current head of the Multinational Force & Observers mission in Egypt, will temporarily helm the US Egypt mission following the departure of ambassador Anne Patterson. Egypt
