Netanyahu’s campaign to delegitimize the left, suppress Israeli Arabs The response of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to revelations about past visits by Knesset members to Palestinian security prisoners is a blatant attempt by him to delegitimize the left. Israel
Israelis praying at Petra shrine sparks outrage in Jordan Jordanians expressed anger toward the government after pictures and videos began circulating showing Israeli tourists praying at a Muslim shrine in Petra, forcing the government to close the site. Israel
US sanctions on a Christian militiaman reignite conflict among Iraqi Christians As the United States imposes sanctions on a Christian militiaman, conflict among Iraqi Christians flares up. Iraq
Will Peretz's gamble pay off for Labor or bury it? Labor Party chair Amir Peretz knows he needs to peel off voters from other parties and blocs, but does he have enough time? Israel
Debate arises as Egypt prepares to establish new Senate As Egypt’s parliament prepares to vote on a bill to establish a new Senate, some say it would be beneficial for the country, while others believe it would add more financial burdens on the state. Egypt
Palestinians reject Lebanon's move to regulate foreign labor The Lebanese Ministry of Labor is cracking down on foreign workers to ensure they have valid work permits, which has raised the ire of Palestinians there who say the move will affect their status as refugees. Lebanon
How Syrians in Kurdish areas get rid of extremism Following the arrest of an Islamic State cell in Hasakah in northeastern Syria, citizens were concerned about the ongoing presence of extremism in their areas despite the group’s defeat. Syria
Syrian city bans face coverings to fight crime, terror The local council in Azaz has prohibited civilians and armed forces from wearing masks and other face coverings in an attempt to make it harder to evade identification when committing a crime. Syria
Can Iran combat corruption in petroleum sector? Iran is showing a greater transparency about corruption, perhaps in part because of the problems caused by sanctions, but has a long way to defeat this scourge. Iran
Pentagon repeats warning to Israel on Chinese port deal The Donald Trump administration is repeating warnings to Israel to cancel a potentially lucrative port deal with China. Israel
What Israel-Hamas deal looks like In the framework of the Egypt-mediated deal between Israel and Hamas, the latter has promised to keep the demonstrations away from the border fence and under control. Palestine
Turkey bans independent news sites in latest move to silence opposition Following a new law restricting the online news media, a court order blocking 136 websites and social media accounts has highlighted the shrinking space for oppositional voices in Turkey. Turkey
Attack outside Cairo hospital raises questions about Egypt's anti-terror policies Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has vowed to "defeat brutal terrorism," but some are voicing concern that his anti-terror policies are the cause of an explosion in a central Cairo neighborhood. Egypt
Russia, Lebanon seek synergy in projects to rebuild Syria Moscow and Beirut each see potential benefits in working together to secure lucrative reconstruction contracts in Syria. Lebanon
Rouhani takes fire from hard-liners for defending nuclear deal President Hassan Rouhani's latest speech in defense of the Iran nuclear deal prompted a barrage of attacks from hard-liners, who have long demanded he apologize for the "humiliating" accord. Iran
Expect Turkish business world to embrace former economy czar's new party Turkey’s business leaders appear to be quietly welcoming a new political initiative to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rule as frustration grows over his inability to address economic woes. Turkey