How Russia sees protests in Lebanon, Iraq Russian officials have adopted a wait and see approach to the ongoing protests in Lebanon and Iraq, but the stance has some principles Moscow follows. Iraq
Pompeo confirms Israel’s nightmare scenario on Iranian nuke The scenario Israel's security and intelligence chiefs feared the most is now becoming reality: Iran is being pushed to the wall by the United States and therefore is shortening its "breakout time" toward a nuclear bomb. Israel
Seeking to restore relations on Capitol Hill, Erdogan to visit Trump in Washington With US-Turkey ties in disarray, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has confirmed his Nov. 13 meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington, where he may seek to win over allies in Congress. Syria
Is it time for a historic paradigm shift in the Persian Gulf? Could this be the moment for the countries in the Gulf region to realize they have a lot in common and take steps to reduce conflict? Gulf
Hamas' Sinwar ramps up threats against Israel Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's recent belligerent and threatening speech reflects frustration over the stalemate in talks with Israel, partly due to the Israeli political crisis. Palestine
Could Netanyahu be pardoned in exchange for quitting politics? Instead of seeking an immunity law, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might explore the possibility of a pardon deal, in exchange for exiting Israel’s political life. Israel
Likud supporters behind Netanyahu, blame police for persecution For Likud supporters, the affair of state witness Nir Hefetz only proves once again that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being persecuted by the police. Israel
Egypt launches development projects in north, south Sinai In a new step toward the effective development of the Sinai Peninsula, the Egyptian government announced the launching of agricultural and residential development units for Egyptian citizens from different governorates. Egypt
Is release of two prominent journalists a sign of normalization? The release of two well-known journalists from prison shouldn’t lead anyone to believe and hope that Turkey is becoming less autocratic. Turkey
Lebanese protesters take their uprising to the doorsteps of political elite Protesters across Lebanon have begun to move toward a strategy that targets public institutions. Lebanon
Turkish government fears compensation claims for Armenian genocide A resolution passed by the US House of Representatives recognizing the 1915 Armenian genocide has stirred up Turkish concerns of Armenian demands for compensation. Turkey
Jordanian diplomatic gambit wins citizens' release from Israel Jordan’s decision to recall its ambassador to Israel seems to have produced impressive results in getting two Jordanian detainees back home. Israel
What messages lie behind Assad’s visit to southern Idlib? Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s recent visit to the front line in southern Idlib province raised controversy and questions among opposition forces about Assad's goals and what messages he might have been sending — and to whom. Syria
With Qatar’s money, Israeli gas set to bring Gaza light Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has finally given his consent for Qatar to pay to extend an Israeli gas pipeline to the Gaza Strip's power station — a project that's expected to ameliorate the electricity crisis there while boosting Qatari influence in Gaza and giving Hamas standing as a successful mediator. Qatar
Israelis are losing trust in the police The trust that Israelis have in law enforcement is showing signs of sharp decline, with the police receiving the lowest marks of all the various state agencies. Israel
