Is this Iranian man charged in US actually a 'hostage'? After an Iranian man was charged in a US court for violating laws on Iran, a conservative analyst accused the United States of seeking to obtain the release of two Iranian-Americans held in Iran. Iran
Will Egypt-Hamas fallout hurt Palestinian reconciliation? Hamas appears to be making an effort to repair relations with Egypt, but it’s unclear whether the road runs both ways. Palestine
Where are Israeli-Palestinian security talks headed? Discreet talks between Israeli and Palestinian security officers, aimed at reaching new understandings regarding Israel’s military activity in Palestinian cities, lead nowhere for the moment. Palestine
MP says Iran shuttered embassies over lack of funding According to one Iranian parliamentarian, financial issues were behind Iran's closing of a number of embassies, for which the Foreign Ministry has long complained of a lack of funding. Saudi Arabia
Is Iran becoming a major regional arms producer? If the current trajectory of arms deliveries continues, it appears that countries such as Iran, Russia and China are set to become the Middle East’s main weapons suppliers. Iraq
The Israeli cat transfer scheme Israeli Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel had to retract his scheme to expel street cats to another country and accept the state veterinary plan of sterilizing them. Israel
Egyptian state takes on independent trade unions After Egypt recently declared independent trade unions invalid, many groups said they will fight the decision on the grounds that it violates the constitution. Egypt
Will Syrian Kurd self-rule trigger Turkish action? Experts argue that Turkey might not react to the announcement of the Federal Democratic System of Rojava and Northern Syria by Syria’s Kurds, as Ankara is currently embattled with its own Kurds on the inside. Syria
Is the PA denying Gazans passports? Palestinians in Gaza are wary of a potential closure of the Bar Association, acting in its capacity as Foreign Ministry, in light of its recent controversy with the State Audit & Administrative Control Bureau. Palestine
Why Breaking the Silence is prime target for Israeli right The Israeli NGO Breaking the Silence draws more fire than any other anti-occupation organization because it defies an Israeli taboo: discussing the activities of the military. Israel
The effort to break Breaking the Silence The Israeli right wing appears to be succeeding in wrongly portraying the campaign of Breaking the Silence as a threat to the state and the Israeli military. Israel
Unemployed Iraqis join in looting of antiquities As security chaos persists and jobless rates soar, little can be done to protect Iraq's thousands of archaeological sites from illegal excavations. Iraq
Has there been a breakthrough in Hamas-Egypt ties? A Hamas visit to Egypt ended on a positive note, which might push the Egyptians to stop the incitement campaign against the movement. Palestine
How Israeli politicians are exploiting Brussels attacks Just as he did after the attacks in Paris, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his colleagues on the Israeli right are keen to point out connections between the terrorism striking Europe and Israel's domestic security issues. Israel
Bosporus 'bulls' defy terrorist threat Turkey’s financial markets have continued to rally despite a string of bloody terrorist attacks, but their festive mood could sour at a stroke. Turkey
Head of Iran's state TV skips 10 days of work ... or did he? Iran's national television is once again caught up in rumors, this time about the resignation of its president. Iran
