Why Abbas needs Hamas Despite attempts by Hamas to topple Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the latter knows that he must preserve the Fatah-Hamas unity government at all costs, as the West Bank and the Gaza Strip risk becoming two Palestinian states. Palestine
The next battle for the Turkish judiciary No matter who wins the race for seats in the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors, the result will still be far from an “independent and impartial judiciary.” Turkey
Iranian police commander concedes mistakes in 2009 protests The Iranian police commander in charge of the Special Unit of the Law Enforcement Forces said some mistakes had been made. Iran
SMS-spamming by companies sparks vigilante texting in Israel Israeli companies have been spamming their consumers with text messages, recalling a tactic Hamas used during the Gaza war. Israel
Erdogan will try to pull off balancing act at NATO summit President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to be a media focal point during the NATO summit, where Turkey will find itself in a difficult position as a country both directly affected by the crises on the agenda and reluctant to take any decisive action. Turkey
Fighting on Golan border puts Israel on the spot Israel has intercepted a drone over the Golan Heights, but turned a blind eye to a Syrian warplane near its border, highlighting the complex reality of the war in Syria and the difficulty in calculating what is in Israel's best interest. Israel
Who does Obama talk to in Turkey? With Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expecting to hold onto his power over the Justice and Development Party and the government, will the US administration be able to engage with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu directly? Turkey
After minister's impeachment, critics of Rouhani grow louder Iranian Science Minister Reza Faraji-Dana has been impeached for alleged ties to the 2009 election protests. Iran
Turkey confronts alleged spying by allies Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says any intelligence organization will inevitably spy against others, but the Turkish Foreign Ministry has taken a stronger line. Turkey
Underage and trapped: female Iraqi factory workers need help A tougher framework is needed to protect Iraqi girls who are working illegally in factories, as many are being exploited, harassed and sexually abused. Iraq
Hariri’s visit sign of Iranian-Saudi rapprochement Saad Hariri's return to Lebanon coincided with a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and appears to be part of Riyadh's plan to invest in fighting terrorism and promoting moderate Islam. Saudi Arabia
Gazans reject Israel's calls to disarm Gaza's factions appear to be united in rejecting Israel's demand that the area should become a weapons-free zone. Palestine
Egyptian official: Poverty main cause of overpopulation Egypt’s growing population and declining economic growth are increasingly problematic for the country's development. Egypt
Israel, Turkey exchange diplomatic cold shoulders The absence of an Israeli representative at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's inauguration points to the frosty relationship between the two countries. Israel
PKK forces impress in fight against Islamic State The PKK and its affiliates have proven to be the most capable Kurdish fighting force in confronting the Islamic State. Iraq
Iran cleric explains he's not opposed to 'filtered' 3G phones Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi has clarified his position on mobile Internet access after his ruling that 3g phones were un-Islamic made international news. Iran
