White House whips Senate allies to block Armenian genocide resolution The White House has so far succeeded in keeping the Senate from passing a resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide, but the Trump administration is slowly running out of options. By Bryant Harris In Washington, reporting on Congress
In shift, State’s Hook says Yemen’s Houthis independent from Iran A top Trump administration Iran official praised a de-escalation proposal by Yemen’s Houthi rebels amid apparent progress in Saudi-Houthi talks to end the war in Yemen. By Laura Rozen
Is Iran's long-serving speaker retiring from politics? Iran's parliament speaker said he is not running in February's parliamentary elections and also does not plan to run for president in 2021; these statements brought jubilation to the camp of his hard-line rivals and triggered debate as to what his next steps might be. By Sarbas Nazari
Pentagon: US not considering doubling counter-Iran deployment The Pentagon is sending mixed messages on whether the United States will deploy more troops to the Middle East to counter perceived threats from Iran. By Jack Detsch
US pushes to reintegrate militants after Islamic State fight A senior State Department official told Al-Monitor the administration is working to help Middle Eastern and African countries reintegrate thousands of fighters who joined the Islamic State and its affiliates. By Jack Detsch
Intel: How Israel — and Netanyahu — stand to gain from Pompeo's Morocco visit Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in Morocco for a one-day trip aimed boosting ties with a country that the State Department deems a "critical partner" across a range of issues ahead of the visit. By Julian Pecquet
Arab party reconsiders support of Gantz over Jordan Valley annexation Talks about annexing the Jordan Valley raise concerns amid Arab Knesset members that the Blue and White party is veering right. By Shlomi Eldar
Why are Netanyahu’s associates indicted in submarine scandal, but not PM? Revelations in the submarine scandal and indictments on bribery and breach of trust have turned it into the most serious case of security corruption ever exposed in Israel. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Womens' groups welcome conviction for student's murder The rape and murder of university student Sule Cet in Ankara last year spurred activists to demand justice. Some say even harsh sentencing will not stem the rising murder rate of women. By Ayla Jean Yackley
Intel: Here’s how many US troops Trump wants to keep in Syria After months of uncertainty and ambiguity surrounding US troop levels in Syria as part of President Donald Trump’s mission to secure the war-torn country’s northeast oil fields, the Pentagon is finally disclosing a number. By Bryant Harris In Washington, reporting on Congress
Khamenei labels some Iran protesters martyrs Iran's supreme leader was uncharacteristically active in the government's response to the recent protests. By Al-Monitor Staff
Are Israeli-Arab high school students neglected? The low scores of Israeli-Arab high school students compared with Israeli-Jewish students should serve as a warning sign for the authorities, the education system and also the parents. By Afif Abu Much In Baqa al-Gharbiyye, reporting on business and tech
It's time for Israel's Gantz to assert leadership Yair Lapid and other Blue and White seniors should realize by now that Benny Gantz has become their strongest card and the brand of the party. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Israel eyes industrial zone development on Gaza border Israeli plans for industrial zones in the Gaza envelope are attracting international support and local hope that they will create thousands of jobs for Palestinians, though not everyone is on board yet. By Adnan Abu Amer
Why is delivery of S-400 missiles to Turkey delayed? The testing of the battle management and multimode engagement for the Russian-built S-400 air defense missile system in Ankara was both a technical necessity as well as an expression of diplomatic determination for full activation of the S-400s. By Metin Gurcan
Syria’s Kurdish parties do not see eye to eye While Syria's Kurds call for a unified political project to manage Kurdish territories, they remain confused about the differences between the Kurdish National Council and the Syrian Democratic Forces. By Shivan Ibrahim