Palestinians keep wary eye on reconciliation agreement Several Palestinian groups have taken to the streets of the West Bank and Gaza to pressure Hamas and Fatah to swiftly implement the recent reconciliation agreement in light of past failures. Palestine
Why does Israeli Labor chief sound like Netanyahu? The statements of Labor Party leader Avi Gabbay these last few days more so resemble the proposals by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than the peaceful principles of Zionism visionary Theodor Herzl. Palestine
Knesset’s winter session to focus on nationalism Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will advance in the coming months a controversial NGO Transparency law, the Greater Jerusalem law and other nationalistic bills. Israel
Egypt hopes for economic boost from Palestinian reconciliation Economic opportunities in the Gaza Strip following the Fatah-Hamas deal could prove beneficial to Cairo, yet the fragile security situation poses potential obstacles. Palestine
Ottoman fez gets face-lift in Beirut Two Lebanese designers are collaborating to reinvent the traditional tarboosh and give it a 21st-century look. Lebanon
Why did Saudi Arabia save Yemen's ex-president again? Saudi Arabia has once again rushed to the aid of Yemen's ailing ex-president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, leaving many wondering why the kingdom continues to back the ineffective leader. Saudi Arabia
Deal with Iran boosts Turkey’s hopes of trading in national currency Turkey has long sought to increase the use of its national currency in trade with Russia, China and Iran, but due to significant trade imbalances with the others, only Iran appears to offer a viable prospect. Turkey
Khamenei: Iran won’t be first to abandon nuclear deal Despite US President Donald Trump’s threat to kill the nuclear deal, Iran’s supreme leader said that Tehran won’t abandon the deal before the other side does so. United States
Trump’s new Iran policy seeks perennial conflict The Trump administration’s new Iran strategy not only shuts the door to diplomacy with Iran but also alienates ordinary Iranians. United States
Egyptian government making headway in fight against Cairo's 'black cloud' While finding solutions for clearing the black cloud of smog produced from burning rice straw in Cairo, the Egyptian government is hoping to simultaneously create a boon for Egypt’s economy. Egypt
Russia sandwiched in Syria between Israel, Iran Russia has many irons in the Mideast fire, and it must attend to them all to keep from getting burned. Israel
A unified Cyprus seems too much to ask Despite long and dogged efforts, hopes for a unified island of Cyprus diminish as too many factors seem to favor the status quo. Turkey
Turkish court accepts 'absurd' indictment of rights activists Amnesty International's Turkey leaders are among 11 human rights defenders indicted on terror charges for holding a workshop on information security and stress management, and the trial is set to begin Oct. 25. Turkey
Israeli Labor chief rules out alliance with Israeli-Arab party Israeli Labor Chairman Avi Gabbay surprised his party members when he announced that there was no possibility of forming a coalition with Arab Joint List party members, something that could restrict Labor's political prospects. Palestine
Russian defense minister arrives in Tel Aviv as Israel strikes Syria Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman explained to visiting Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu Israel’s red lines in Syria. Israel
Film about interfaith dialogue opens in Egypt to praise "The Sultan and the Saint," an award-winning film about interfaith dialogue at the height of the Crusades, has found an enthusiastic reception in Egypt, where the true story played out. Egypt
