Is Israel’s Arab Joint List breaking up ahead of March elections? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu campaigns in Nazareth for the Arab vote. Israel
Trump orders US Central Command to include Israel amid strategic shift The decision caps the outgoing administration's efforts to build a regional defense arrangement to counter Iran. Israel
To stop Iran’s advances toward nuclear weapons, restore JCPOA The best way to de-escalate tensions is for both Washington and Tehran to comply with the Iran nuclear deal — and go from there. U.S.
Moscow stands to gain from Hamas-Damascus reconciliation While claims that Russia is playing a large role in reconciliation talks between the Palestinian movement Hamas and the Syrian regime may be overstated, Moscow could benefit in several ways if the two sides restore relations. Palestine
GOP mega donor Sheldon Adelson buried in Jerusalem A small service was held on the Mount of Olives for Adelson, who died Monday at 87. Israel
Could Turkey-Greece talks yield positive results? Turkey has agreed to resume long-stalled talks with Greece on complex territorial disputes, but its calculus appears focused on short-term gains in its relations with the United States and the European Union. Turkey
Iran’s shows off ballistic missiles, drones in drill amid US tensions The military exercise in Iran's central desert comes as the Trump administration makes a final push to punish Tehran. Iran
Iranian forces in east Syria redeploy after airstrikes The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and its militias in Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria, are trying to avoid further losses from suspected Israeli airstrikes by redeploying, hiding inside residential neighborhoods in large cities and putting their strategic weapons in underground tunnels. Israel
Egyptian who ruled in favor of ceding key islands to Saudi Arabia voted parliament speaker Egypt’s parliament elected Hanafy Ali el-Gebaly as its new speaker, raising controversy as Gebaly chaired the Supreme Constitutional Court that validated an agreement under which Egypt agreed to transfer the strategic Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
Egypt’s Nubians get second chance at requesting compensation On the occasion of the anniversary of laying the foundation stone of the Aswan dam, the Egyptian state opened the door to the second phase of the compensation paid for the Nubians who were displaced from their lands. Egypt
Ethiopia lays foundation stone of new dam amid stalled GERD talks As yet another round of negotiations falters between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Addis Ababa announced the beginning of construction of a new smaller dam on the Blue Nile Basin. Egypt
Could Capitol Hill riots happen in Israel’s Knesset? People who worked with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argue that what happened in Washington on Capitol Hill could also happen in Jerusalem. Israel
Hamas seizes Gulf detente opportunity to get close to Saudi Arabia Hamas praised Saudi Arabia for the Gulf reconciliation, in an attempt to break the deadlock with Riyadh. Palestine
Israel turns its back on French-Egyptian Mideast initiative Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi rejected the invitation for meeting French, German, Egyptian and Jordanian foreign ministers in Cairo, citing the nationwide lockdown in Israel as an excuse. Israel
Oman moves ahead with overdue reforms Oman's leadership pushes ahead with reforms, cornered by the COVID-19 crisis and long-standing weaknesses in the local economy. Activists call for a constitutional monarchy. Oman