Why Israel refuses to complete West Bank security fence Israeli settlers and right-wing political parties fear that the West Bank security fence will serve as a proposed border line in future negotiations with the Palestinians. Palestine
Are Palestinian armed factions forming joint army? Hamas and the Islamic Jihad’s military wing have claimed responsibility for the recent rockets fired into Israel, raising talk about the potential that factions may form a joint armed operations room. Palestine
Jordan protests thrill, unnerve Palestinians The successful protests against an income tax hike in Jordan are a source of both inspiration and worry for Palestinians, who depend on the stability of their friend and neighbor. Palestine
Israeli soccer fans divided over who's to blame for canceled match Israelis blame anyone they can for the cancellation of Argentina’s national soccer team and its star Lionel Messi’s visit to Israel: the Palestinians, BDS, Minister of Sports Miri Regev. Palestine
Gaza crisis threatens to set West Bank ablaze While the demonstrations along the Gaza border fence continue, the number of casualties will grow, sparking ever larger protests in the West Bank. Palestine
Medical shortages threaten lives of Gaza’s wounded With shortages of medication, supplies and beds, hospitals in the Gaza Strip are unable to provide those wounded in the Great Return March protests with necessary treatment. Palestine
Egypt expands law granting domestic products preference Egypt’s parliament has approved amendments to a law that gives preference to domestic products instead of imported ones in government contracts, drawing mixed reactions from local experts. Egypt
Israel to withhold PA tax funds to compensate victims of kite attacks Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to deduct money from Palestinian tax revenues to compensate the Israeli victims of kite-borne arson along the Gaza border. Palestine
Congress seeks to insulate Oman from Yemen instability As the 3-year-old proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran continues to destabilize Yemen, Congress seeks to shore up security in neighboring Oman. Saudi Arabia
Iraq's Christians, Muslims agree to revive site of ancient church A lunch meeting between a Christian tour group and local Muslims during Ramadan resulted in an initiative to save one of Iraq’s oldest churches. Iraq
Manbij plan raises expectations but not mood in US-Turkey relations Just days after Ankara and Washington announced their agreement on a road map for Manbij, Syria, differing interpretations are threatening setbacks in their fragile progress toward rebuilding ties. Syria
Iraq to tackle vast vote recount amid claims of extensive fraud As the Iraqi Cabinet and parliament investigate allegations of widespread fraud in the recent election, the winning parties await the potential fallout, worried about losing parliament seats. Iraq
Iran ups pressure on other countries to keep nuclear deal alive Iran’s foreign minister penned a letter to his counterparts around the world to call for a united stance against US unilateralism. United States
Turkish exports to Syria revived under shadow of war Turkey remains Syria's leading supplier of goods despite the ongoing war, with exports standing at some $1.4 billion last year. Syria
How a Turkish general's smile is now a key election issue Turkey's opposition parties are harshly criticizing the presence of military officers at election campaign events in support of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey
Knesset blocks bill to deem Israel 'state for all its citizens' Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein rejected this week a law proposal presented by the Arab Joint List redefining Israel as the state of all its citizens. Palestine
