How did Sistani succeed in ousting Maliki? Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani's fortitude, persistence and commitment to a more inclusive Iraqi democracy, along with his outreach to Iran, thwarted Nouri al-Maliki's attempt to serve a third term as prime minister. Iraq
Israel must end Gaza-West Bank separation policy The failure of the current talks with Hamas emphasize the urgent need for Israel to end its ''separation policy'' of isolating Gaza from the West Bank. Palestine
Is Erdogan's refusal to resign as PM unconstitutional? President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan's refusal to leave the prime minister’s post is widely seen as a flagrant constitutional breach, amassing potential legal troubles for him in the future. Turkey
Turkey, Iran seek to boost trade as mistrust lingers Turkey and Iran have activated an accord to reduce tariffs and increase bilateral trade to $35 billion in 2015, but mistrust lingers between the two neighbors, with Turkey seeking international arbitration over the price of Iranian natural gas. Turkey
Tensions rise between Sisi and business sector The relationship between President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Egypt's business community might be undergoing tensions after Sisi declared that businesspeople should donate funds to the state to support the country's economy. Egypt
Erdogan, not religion, divides Turkey Turkey’s political scene is not divided on ideology anymore, but between pro- and anti-Erdogan camps. Turkey
Lapid tries to become a statesman The Gaza war tampered with Finance Minister Yair Lapid's plan to pass a bill on housing prices, but did not delay his initiative for a regional conference. Israel
The new Gaza state Hamas soon can pride itself on imposing an agreement on Israel, which actually opens the way for a future Gaza state — when in fact it only is obtaining what was reasonable to give the Gazans many years ago. Palestine
Israel lost on all fronts of the Gaza war Not only did Israel lose its deterrence edge against Hamas, it also severely exposed its frayed ties with the US and the international community and faces a more comprehensive European boycott of settlement products. Palestine
Eyes turn to Egypt, Algeria for possible Libya intervention The Libyan parliament’s call for foreign intervention is unlikely to have any takers, and offers no guarantee at resolving the militia violence plaguing the country. Libya
Could a PM Davutoglu repair Turkey's foreign policy? Turkey’s once overambitious foreign minister is the most likely candidate to take over the AKP leadership and become prime minister, but few expect major changes in Ankara’s foreign policy orientation. Turkey
Iranian journalists reject Rouhani’s new guild The Association of Iranian Journalists have requested that President Hassan Rouhani reopen their current guild rather than opening a new guild. Iran
The collapse of Maliki’s party Outgoing Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has failed to keep his party and coalition together, through his nondemocratic approaches, while the new Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi vowed to preserve the national consensus. Iraq
Haider al-Abadi's first challenge: forming a government Nouri al-Maliki announced that he was backing down from his demand for a third term, thus recognizing the appointment of Haider al-Abadi, who will be facing major challenges as Iraq's new prime minister. Iraq
How Erdogan won the women's vote Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan frequently angers feminist groups, but 55% of women voted for him. Turkey
Egypt role in Lebanese mufti's election signals new strategy The success of an Egyptian initiative for electing a new mufti in Lebanon points to a reassertion of Egypt’s regional role and part of Cairo's strategy to combat radical Islamism. Egypt
