Refugees in Israel dream of freedom this Passover Israelis and refugees celebrated Passover at the Holot detention center to bring attention to the refugees' lack of freedom and the conditions at the facility. Israel
Israel's opposition leader challenged from all sides Labor Party head and opposition chair Isaac Herzog is finding himself on shaky ground, coping with a corruption investigation that rivals believe is damaging to the party. Israel
Israel's ultra-Orthodox skip Passover cleaning, go on vacation The exhausting pre-Passover cleaning needed to rid observant houses of leavened bread has inspired many ultra-Orthodox families to celebrate Passover in hotels instead of at home and even led to specialized overseas vacation packages. Israel
How one Gaza crossing went from death trap to gate of hope A decade ago, crossing from Gaza at the Erez checkpoint was a nightmare, but now under Defense Ministry management the once-dangerous crossing offers a model of order and security for West Bank facilities. Palestine
Trump meets the DC foreign policy establishment Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump rolls out his "America First" foreign policy speech, leaving many unanswered questions about his plans to secure the United States and stabilize the world's trouble spots. Iraq
Obama, Congress hurtle toward showdown over Israel missile defense Lawmakers are feeling a lot more generous than the Obama administration when it comes to Israel's safety. Israel
How Egypt plans to build its next generation of scientists While Egypt is investing in high schools specializing in STEM fields to promote innovation among future generations, the efforts will only pay off if higher educational institutions improve as well. Egypt
Will Abadi resign from his party? Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi wants to form a Cabinet of nonpartisan technocrats, but his critics are pressing him to first leave the Islamic Dawa Party. Iraq
Egyptian MP says forcing Sinai residents to move will only worsen terrorism In an interview with Al-Monitor, Egyptian parliamentarian Salama Al-Roqie expressed concern that the displacement of Sinai citizens suggested by some lawmakers will worsen the spread of terrorism and that the Sinai tribes are vital in supporting the armed forces in the war against extremists. Egypt
Khamenei says US pushing 'Iranphobia' to block foreign investment Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticized the United States for removing the sanctions on paper but in effect scaring large banks from doing business with Iran. Iran
How 'almost nothing' in DC turned into something in Tehran In Iran, the remarks by the head of the Central Bank during his recent US visit that Tehran has gotten "almost nothing" from the JCPOA has become a rallying cry for hard-liners. Iran
Bashar basking in Baath Party victory The Syrian parliamentary elections organized by President Bashar al-Assad's regime consecrated the Baath Party's domination and led some critics to say Assad isn't interested in a political solution to the war there. Syria
Will Turkey bid farewell to secularism? Ismail Kahraman, the speaker of the Turkish parliament, has caused a sensation by proposing a constitution that avoids any reference to secularism as the ruling party continues to promote its Islamist agenda. Turkey
Israel's fix for dangerous Gaza route will only worsen matters Instead of widening the dangerous old road leading to the vital Kerem Shalom Crossing, Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz has decided to limit the operating hours of trucks bringing provisions into Gaza. Palestine
Why Golan settlers paid no mind to Bibi’s latest comments With the war in Syria ongoing, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent statements about Israel keeping the Golan Heights forever attracted little interest. Israel
Did Israel’s reaction to BDS drive movement's growth? Former Ambassador Gideon Meir argues that Israel has engaged itself in a high-profile battle against the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, turning it from an insignificant organization into a powerful force. Palestine
