Erdogan links Crusades with present-day terror Turkey’s president looks to the past, rather than to his own failed policies; Aleppo offensive imminent; is Israel employing a double standard in its dealings with Turkey? By Week in Review
Can the Chinese save Israel's tourism industry? As security concerns continue to weaken the Israeli tourism sector, Israel's Tourism Ministry is investing heavily in efforts to expand its still nascent Chinese market. By Yuval Avivi
US election 2016: Can a VP pick help Trump look more 'presidential'? The presumptive Republican nominee has many choices for his vice presidential pick, but will that matter? By Reeves Barbour
Will new 5-year plan solve Iran's economic problems? Iran's incoming parliament is set to debate the government's ambitious five-year development plan, but will the plan be enough to address the country's economic needs? By Bijan Khajehpour In Vienna, reporting on Iranian politics
Why does Turkey suddenly need so many bankruptcy trustees? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's battle against the Gulen movement is making some people very rich — and bankrupting others. By Ufuk Sanli
How UN summit disappointed its Turkish hosts Turkey refused to sign a joint statement at the end of the first World Humanitarian Summit it hosted in late May, wary of an international investigation into gross human rights abuses in its conflict-torn southeast. By Sibel Hurtas
How to end cycle of violence between Palestinians, Israelis The latest attack in a Tel Aviv market raises questions about the factors pushing Palestinians to commit such acts of violence against Israelis and illustrates the need for talks about applying the two-state solution to end the cycle of violence between both parties. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Will Iraqi-Kurdish conflict break out in Ninevah? Now that the Kurdish peshmerga forces have succeeded in ousting the Islamic State from crucial parts of Ninevah province, they're more determined than ever not to see the area slide back into the hands of the Iraqi forces. By Mohammed A. Salih
How these female engineers intend to fix Gaza’s roads Three engineers from Gaza came up with a new technique for asphalt roads, hoping to fix the poor conditions of streets in the Gaza Strip. By Rasha Abou Jalal In Gaza City, reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Will this mobile library drive Egyptian kids to read? An Egyptian teacher has been roaming the villages of Egypt in his vehicle, distributing books and telling stories, in a bid to bridge the cultural gap between the villages and cities. By Ahmed Hidji
Gazans lament loss of permits to visit Al-Aqsa during Ramadan Al-Monitor spoke to the members of a group from the Gaza Strip who visited Jerusalem and prayed at Al-Aqsa Mosque on the eve of Ramadan, before the travel permits of hundreds of Gaza residents were suspended following the Tel Aviv attack on June 8. By Shlomi Eldar
Erdogan's take on terror attacks nicely fits AKP agenda Despite the wide Western condemnation of the two latest terror attacks in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is pointing the finger of blame westward in accordance with his party's narrative of persecution and defiance. By Cengiz Candar
Russian, Syrian defense ministers arrive in Tehran for 'strategic meeting' The defense ministers of Russia, Syria and Iran met in Tehran to discuss the latest regional developments and methods to "fight terrorism." By Arash Karami
Father of Tel Aviv attacker: If I had the chance, I'd ask Khaled why he did it The father of Tel Aviv attacker Khaled Mahmara told Al-Monitor he did not know about the intentions of his son. By Shlomi Eldar
New outlook on culture raises Tunisian hopes, fears The Tunisian Ministry of Culture has an increased budget and committed leadership, but some worry it might squeeze civil society's role in the arts. By Sarah Souli
Will Arab-American voters rally around Clinton? Arab-Americans tend to vote Democratic in presidential elections, but will the community coalesce around Hillary Clinton despite the attraction of Bernie Sanders’ views on the Middle East? By Barbara Slavin