Why the Turkish government seized this Armenian church The Justice and Development Party’s rhetoric and legislation differ on the expropriation of Armenian churches in Sur, causing further frustration among locals and diaspora Armenians. Turkey
Are Amman-Ankara ties in crisis? Deep divisions remain between King Abdullah and President Erdogan, who have not met in more than three years. Jordan
Can Egypt's parliament learn from Israeli Knesset? Egyptian member of parliament Sayed Farag has sparked controversy with his call for a parliamentary delegation to visit the Knesset to discuss pending issues between the two countries and take advantage of Israel's military experience. Egypt
Why Iraq's Kurds are united in Baghdad and divided in Erbil Despite their internal divisions, Kurdish parties are united in the face of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's plan to reshuffle the Cabinet. Iraq
Gaza women revive henna tattoo tradition Traditional henna tattooing has resurfaced among women in the Gaza Strip as a potential source of living. Palestine
How the once-moderate Likud was radicalized Over the past few years, the Likud has abandoned its image as a liberal, center-right party, becoming more radical and identifying with the extreme Israeli right. Israel
Can the Islamic State be defeated without Kurds? Turkey insists Rojava's People's Protection Units must be excluded from the fight against the Islamic State on the Menbic-Jarablus front. Syria
Congress ponders 'Marshall Plan' for Egypt Lawmakers are split over whether they have a friend in Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Egypt
Private collectors fuel demand for looted Mideast antiquities Archaeological experts say social dislocation and terrorism are increasing the ability of organized gangs to traffic artifacts to clients in Europe, Asia and the United States. Yemen
Saudi-Iran rivalry spills into UN Human Rights Council While Iran was unhappy with the renewal of Ahmed Shaheed’s mandate as special rapporteur for Iran, it appears to be even more irritated over how Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar voted in favor of the measure at the UN Human Rights Council. Saudi Arabia
Despite criticism, Rouhani calls for more international deals President Hassan Rouhani warns that opportunities arising from the nuclear deal won't last forever and Iran must take advantage of them and engage with the world. Iran
Egyptian activists bemoan 'attack on media' The arrest of the deputy head of Egypt's press syndicate has prompted more journalists to become increasingly vocal about restrictions on press freedoms. Egypt
Can Turkey break its Russian gas habit? With no end to bilateral tensions in sight, Turkey is making plans to significantly cut down Russia’s majority share of its natural gas supply. Turkey
Has Israeli army become defender of democracy? In the case of the IDF soldier who shot a Palestinian assailant on the ground, it was Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot who defended categorically the army ethics and values of democracy. Palestine
Why more Israelis are shying away from interaction with Palestinians A new survey by the Israeli Democracy Institute reveals that Jewish Israelis perceive the violent conflict with the Palestinians as unrelated to the occupation. Palestine
Struggle for Jerusalem takes on new form The Israeli Ministry of Tourism has released a map of Jerusalem’s Old City that omits many Christian and Muslim sites, fueling claims that Israel is trying to politicize tourism in the holy city. Palestine