Israeli left-wing parties to unite or to sink By running on one ticket, the Labor and Meretz parties could guarantee their political survival and even constitute a significant political force. By Yossi Beilin
Can a centrist party win Israel's elections? Head of the newly founded Israel Resilience Benny Gantz claims that he is neither left nor right, but he'll have to divulge more of his diplomatic agenda to win the voters he needs. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Netanyahu’s new anti-indictment weapon: his own TV channel Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has apparently decided to convict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in two cases and must now decide about a third — all while facing an orchestrated campaign by Netanyahu against him. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Conflict over Shiite and Sunni endowments erupts in Mosul Sunni Endowments in Mosul complain about Shiite domination over the Sunni religious sites in the city. By Adnan Abu Zeed
Riyadh woos Iraqis with security talks, economic projects Saudi Arabia is working to reconcile with Iraq to reduce Iranian influence in the country. By Mustafa Saadoun
In Jerusalem, Israelis celebrate nostalgia for Egyptian film music Israelis, who have remained enthralled with the outpouring of emotion in Egyptian films for decades, rediscover their passion through a series of concerts at Jerusalem’s Museum for Islamic Art. By Ilan Ben Zion
Egypt parts ways with top lobbyist days after '60 Minutes' debacle Cairo and the Glover Park Group have ended a relationship that began after the 2013 coup. By Jack Detsch
European court offers little solace to victims of Turkish state violence The European Court of Human Rights has ruled the first of many cases filed on behalf of the 130 people killed in state-sponsored violence in Cizre inadmissible because the plaintiffs had not taken their case to Turkey’s Constitutional Court. By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Israel factor complicates but won’t break Iran-Russia partnership in Syria There is speculation in the Persian-language media that Russia and Israel are collaborating against Iran and that Tehran is reconsidering its partnership with Moscow in Syria. By Hamidreza Azizi
Khamenei calls for ‘structural reforms’ in Iran’s budget Parliament speaker Ali Larijani’s comments about "structural reforms" ordered by Iran's supreme leader have led to anxious speculation about broader changes ahead. By Al-Monitor Staff
Why southern Libya overwhelmingly supports Hifter Despite negative media coverage, Libya’s military strongman Gen. Khalifa Hifter’s takeover of Sabha in the south was widely welcomed by local tribes that are tired of dealing with gangs and criminals. By Alessandra Bocchi
Cairo seeks international help to clear millions of land mines Egypt is still littered with land mines from past wars, endangering its citizens and complicating development efforts. By Amira Sayed Ahmed
Egypt planning Asian market bond launch to pay down debt Egypt is readying a road show to promote its international bonds in Asia, after three failed bond auctions in 2018 in European markets. By David Awad
As PA tightens financial noose on Hamas, citizens will suffer Upcoming sanctions on money transfer firms in the Gaza Strip — designed by the Palestinian Authority to weaken Hamas — will ultimately harm cash-strapped families and individuals. By Adnan Abu Amer
Netanyahu whitewashing far-right activists For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, all means to guarantee his electoral victory are legitimate, including embracing radical right-wing activists. By Shlomi Eldar