New Turkish parliament to be more inclusive Following Turkey's general elections on June 7, Armenian, Syriac, Yazidi, Roma, Kurdish, and Alevi deputies are entering parliament, for the first time ever or after an extended absence. By Sibel Hurtas
Ex-Obama adviser: Missile defense may avert GCC proliferation Retired Gen. James Cartwright, a former commander of US Strategic Command, says that missile defense could persuade Persian Gulf states to forswear nuclear weapons despite their concerns about an upcoming nuclear accord with Iran. By Barbara Slavin
What's ahead for Saudi Arabia? Saudi's King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud has made a number of crucial changes during his first months in power, from taking military and policy risks to a reshuffling of parliament. By Bruce Riedel
Former Ahmadinejad vice president arrested Hamid Baghaei, former vice president for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is the second Ahmadinejad era Cabinet member to be arrested on alleged corruption charges. By Arash Karami
The last of Iraq's hand-woven carpets Once an Iraqi trademark and a sought-after speciality, it seems like the handmade carpet industry in Iraq is drawing its last breath. By Wassim Bassem
Pro-government media blame 'external forces' for AKP’s loss Unable to accept defeat, journalists who supported Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party see foreign and domestic plots behind Sunday’s elections. By Semih Idiz
Diyarbakir celebrates after HDP election breakthrough The historic Kurdish breakthrough in Turkey’s parliamentary elections sparks boisterous celebrations across the southeast and boosts hopes for a negotiated settlement of Kurdish grievances. By Mahmut Bozarslan
Will Israel’s Erez crossing supersede Rafah? It looks like Israel is allowing more people to cross into the West Bank from Gaza through the Erez crossing, which has raised questions about the possibility of the Erez crossing replacing the Rafah crossing. By Asmaa al-Ghoul
Likud MK: Any concession could empower Hamas In an interview with Al-Monitor, newly elected Likud Knesset member Yoav Kish argues that any territorial concession under current circumstances will end up with Islamic extremists taking control of that land. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Street vendors expelled from downtown Cairo Authorities in Egypt are clamping down on street vendors, imposing fines and expelling them to spaces outside the main commercial areas in cities. By Lorena Rios
Anti-boycott call rings hollow as village awaits demolition Israeli plans to demolish the Palestinian village of Susiya and other similar acts will not generate support for the government's campaign to stanch the growing movement to boycott settlement products and in some cases products made in Israel. By Akiva Eldar
Ultra-Orthodox protest businesses open on Sabbath The ultra-Orthodox sector is rallying thousands of consumers in its battle against businesses that operate on Saturdays. By Mordechai Goldman
South African Jews, not Israel, suffer from boycott The BDS movement has been active in South Africa for years, but it's the local Jewish community, not Israel-South Africa bilateral trade relations, that are paying the price of the boycott calls. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Former Iran ambassador: Saudis must accept Houthis In an interview with Al-Monitor, Seyed Ali Asghar Ghoreishi, former Iranian ambassador to Yemen, discussed the nature of Iran's support for the Houthis, elements necessary to end the fighting in Yemen and the possibility of extremist groups seizing large sections of territory in Yemen. By Rohollah Faghihi
Is Hamas preparing for long-term truce with Israel? Hamas’ military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, has been implementing a series of military measures signifying a possible truce with Israel, but is not ruling out the possibility of a deadly confrontation. By Adnan Abu Amer
Rouhani: Saving environment starts with sanctions removal Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has been criticized for linking possible help for the country's environmental problems with sanctions relief from a nuclear deal. By Arash Karami