Egyptian women fight for right to top judicial positions As both the Ministry of Justice and the National Council for Women push for the appointment of female judges to Egypt’s State Council, the State Council continues to adamantly reject such appointments. Egypt
Turkey’s Islamist ‘old guard’ joins Erdogan opponents The National View, the pioneer movement of political Islam in Turkey, has joined the opposition in its efforts to unseat President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in next month’s elections. Turkey
Electoral commission attack destabilizes shaky situation in Libya The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the May 2 attack on Libya’s High National Election Commission headquarters in Tripoli, raising more security concerns for the upcoming elections. Libya
Palestinians to partner with Damascus on refugee camp reconstruction Palestinians in Syria are eagerly awaiting the end of hostilities in the Yarmouk refugee camp and its surroundings so the Syrian regime can begin reconstruction in the area. Palestine
Israeli play digs into Hamas tunnel "In the Tunnel," a satirical play by Israel's Gesher Theater, asks its audience to decide every night if there is hope for a solution at the end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel
Netanyahu banks on escalation with Iran The Israeli prime minister expects political windfall from revealing "an open secret" about Iran’s past nuclear program. Israel
Turkey’s pro-Kurdish HDP names jailed leader as presidential candidate Turkey’s top Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas, the only person who could deprive President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of his ambition, is officially joining the presidential race from his prison cell. Turkey
In Iran, religious titles lie at heart of political games Despite pushback from senior figures such as Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the politicization of clerical ranks in Iran continues unabated. Iran
Turkey gears up military might to host live-fire war games The Ephesus joint combined military exercise — the Turkish military’s most prominent annual display — will reveal much about the operational effectiveness of the country's armed forces in the aftermath of the July 2016 coup attempt. Turkey
Was Abbas' speech at top Palestinian council meeting his last? Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' April 30 PNC speech was widely condemned and faced accusations of anti-Semitism, and it may indicate he no longer feels political restrictions. Palestine
Palestinian succession war heats up after Abbas' controversial speech Senior Fatah leaders have suggested that Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah temporarily fill the role of Palestinian president as a compromise to prevent succession battles between the movement's various factions. Palestine
Preparations in place for Iraqi parliamentary elections Iraqi election officials are keeping a close eye on the voting process this week, as some clerics and activists raise concerns about possible corruption and critics question the reliability of the country's new electronic voting system. Iraq
Saudi Arabia, Iran vie for economic influence in Iraq Saudi Arabia is seeking to enter the Iraqi market aggressively, along with a political presence, and increase the competition with its opponent Iran in the Iraqi arena. Saudi Arabia
Gaza’s budding modeling sector struggles against tradition In spite of the negative and abusive comments she receives, Reham al-Kahlout’s family supports her as she becomes a pioneer in the Gaza modeling sector. Palestine
Culture Alert: Fairs and fears of the future The Middle East culture scene in May includes street festivals, book fairs and visions of a dystopian future. Palestine
Israeli centrist leader challenges Netanyahu on his own turf Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid’s combined media attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is intended to present him as a major player in the diplomatic and security arena. Israel
