US missile shipment delay should teach Israel lesson Now that the White House policy of scrutinizing arms shipments to Israel is out in the open, Israel might begin to understand the price it will pay for rejecting a diplomatic process with the Palestinians. Palestine
Can Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE form Arab security alliance? With the Islamic State (IS) out to change the regional order, Gulf states ought to establish a security alliance to prevent this from happening. Saudi Arabia
Iraqi prime minister’s task not an easy one Amid the security, political and social unrest, the tasks of Iraq’s prime minister-designate, Haider al-Abadi, will be hindered if the people do not unite. Iraq
Egyptians tolerating cuts in subsidies — for now The government mobilized its police forces to prevent any massive protest against its reduction in fuel subsidies; road infrastructure improvements also helped soften the blow of increased prices for consumers. Egypt
Would Gul battle Turkey’s 'parallel state'? Outgoing President Abdullah Gul’s distinction between Gulenist wrongdoers within the state and innocent members of the community shows the difficulty of dismantling the “parallel state” without crippling democracy and social peace. Turkey
Wary of lifting Iran sanctions, EU overrides own courts Although some Iran sanctions have been officially declared to be placed in manifest error in EU courts, it appears they will stay in place. Iran
Clinton Middle East advisor may join State team Rob Malley, Former Middle East advisor to President Bill Clinton, may join the State Department Middle East team as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. Originals
Roundup: Hale for Lebanon, Palestinian PM reconsiders resigning; US trained Syria rebels Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah reportedly reconsiders his resignation, President has nominated Mike Hammer, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and former NSC spokesman, to be US ambassador to Chile Middle East peace envoy David Hale US Ambassador to Lebanon, and more. Originals
Aleppo's Christians in Syrian crossfire Christians in Aleppo fear an uncertain fate; Iran’s decisive role in the appointment of Haider al-Abadi as Iraqi prime minister-designate; battle for Arsal may not be over yet; Netanyahu is Israel’s "weakest prime minister" ever; lobbying profiles of Gulf countries to be released. Iraq
Some urge US to pursue bigger nuclear deal with Iran Former US government officials including former White House and State Department Iran official Dennis Ross have said the US should pursue a comprehensive deal which may recognize Iran's right to enrichment but at the same time be acceptable to the United States. Iran
Envoy: US 'appalled' by reported killing of priest in Syria US envoy to Syria Robert Ford has condemned the killing of Catholic Priest Father François Mourad and stated that "unprovoked violence against civilians is completely unacceptable" Syria
Obama tells Morsi: US does not favor any Egypt group In a July 1 phone call to Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi, President Obama stressed that democracy is about more than elections and urged Morsi to take steps to show he is responsive to the concerns of protesters. Egypt
White House: US not 'urging' Morsi to hold early elections The White House has stressed that the United States does not favor any particular group in Egypt and that only Egyptians can determine the future. Egypt
Amid regional instability, Turkey focuses on domestic agenda Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party are engrossed in the transition to a presidential system, but unrelenting developments in the Middle East will leave Ankara facing major regional problems. Syria
No room for Gul in Erdogan's Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s plans for the presidency do not involve power sharing, but pushing Abdullah Gul out of the political realm entirely bodes ill for Turkish democracy. Turkey
Will US Middle East policy change after the Gaza war? After the Gaza war, the challenge for the Obama administration will be to stabilize the region, prevent an intifada and create a basis for future progress. Palestine
