Netanyahu, Abbas rush to meet, but Americans say 'not so fast' The Obama administration is not keen on a summit meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Mahmoud Abbas, fearing that without proper preparations, it could upset the already fragile situation. Palestine
Congress pursues 'death by 1,000 cuts' strategy against Iran deal A look at the Middle East issues Congress will be addressing the week of Sept. 28. Syria
Will US, Russia find common ground in Syria? A common enemy, the Islamic State, should be the first step in an expanded international coalition; does Iraqi Kurdistan face the prospect of "administrative breakup"? Iraq
Israeli culture minister decries Western culture Culture Minister Miri Regev belittled Western education to appeal to her constituency, but these populist declarations contradict the social mobility achieved by Mizrahi women through university studies, including her own. Israel
Lebanese foreign minister: We cannot be the only ones receiving refugees In an interview with Al-Monitor, Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Gebran Bassil talks about the Syrian refugee crisis and the effects of the presidential vacancy on his country. Lebanon
Rouhani blasts Saudi 'ineptitude' for hajj tragedy In a wide-ranging conversation with senior representatives of US media, Hassan Rouhani said the nuclear deal, if implemented, could be “something to build on” in US-Iran relations and efforts to resolve other regional conflicts, but offered no details. Saudi Arabia
Iranian officials call for change in hajj administration After a stampede that killed at least 131 Iranians and with more than 300 still missing, Iranian officials have called for a review to change the administration of hajj pilgrimages for it to be put under the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Saudi Arabia
Is Iraqi Kurdistan splitting apart ... again? Political and economic tensions are chipping away at the autonomy, stability and unity of Iraqi Kurdistan as diverse local populations are calling for political reforms and an end to corruption. Iraq
What Israel should do about Iran Israel, if it fully takes into account the Mideast's yawning Sunni-Shiite divide, could benefit from reconsidering its point of view on Iran. Palestine
Amid slump in oil prices, Iran focuses on mining Faced with a slump in oil prices, Iran turns to its vast mineral resources. Iran
Confidence crisis hits lagging Turkish economy Turkey's economy is weakening further amid plummeting investor and consumer confidence. Turkey
Turkey major conduit for Syrian 'blood antiquities' Turkey is a major transit country used by the Islamic State for trafficking looted antiquities, but authorities have not been forthcoming about their seizures. Syria
Hebron activists challenge IDF narrative on shooting Hebron residents who documented the incident in which a young Palestinian woman was shot by an IDF soldier in Hebron contradict the IDF's story. Palestine
What will it take for US to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks? Any negotiations over an Israeli unity government must include a demand by the Zionist Camp for a clear path leading to negotiations, based on the 1967 lines, with stringent security measures and at least a qualified acceptance of the Saudi initiative. Palestine
Israel looks to respond to stones with bullets Rather than offering new diplomatic horizons, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has extended the West Bank’s open-fire orders against Palestinian youth throwing stones also to East Jerusalem, thereby separating Jerusalem's two intertwined zones. Palestine
Is Al Jazeera Hamas' voice to the outside world? Hamas has made a habit of giving Al Jazeera exclusive glimpses into its operations, and the news group has been facing criticism for it. Qatar
