After Jordan, Emirates also furious with Netanyahu Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not only managed to get into a diplomatic row with Jordan, he also succeeded in angering the Emiratis. Israel
Iran operating new advanced centrifuges, nuclear watchdog finds According to an International Atomic Energy Agency report, Iran is now using IR-4 centrifuges to enrich uranium in violation of the nuclear accord. Iran
Lawsuit filed to close pro-Kurdish party after lawmaker stripped of parliamentary seat Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu, a pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party deputy known to focus on human rights abuses, was stripped of his parliament seat and a lawsuit was filed to close the party March 17. Turkey
Netanyahu courts Arab voters as 'Abu Yair' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has adopted a new strategy for the Arab public: cynically rebranding himself as "Abu Yair." Israel
Northeast Syrian women to participate in meetings on tribal matters Some women in the autonomous, Kurdish-led statelet welcome the move. Syria
Turkey issues warrants for over 100 accused of Gulen ties The Turkish prosecutor's office ordered the arrest of 118 people suspected of ties to the outlawed Gulen movement. Turkey
Turkey ignores its own record, denouncing press clampdown in US protests Turkish officials have denounced the crackdown on journalists in the United States, drawing criticism given Ankara's own record on press freedom. Turkey
Minorities in Turkey on edge amid threats, attacks Vulnerable groups have faced intimidation or worse in recent weeks in what both the government and the opposition warn are efforts to stoke conflict, though they disagree on who’s to blame. Turkey
Libya’s warring parties agree to resume cease-fire talks, UN says The United Nations Support Mission in Libya said the rival governments would resume talks over securing a lasting truce in the war-torn country. Libya
Intel: US returns acquitted Iranian scientist, no apparent prisoner swap The United States has returned an acquitted Iranian scientist to his home country after holding him for months in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. Iran
Anti-Saudi blocs in Iraqi parliament want to sue Iraqi political forces said they intend to enact a law to sue Saudi Arabia and have Riyadh compensate for the damage caused by suicide attacks carried out by Saudis in Iraq, which would embarrass the Mustafa al-Kadhimi government that is making a new start in Iraqi-Saudi economic relations. Iraq
Intel: SDF commander reports progress on Kurdish reconciliation talks in Syria Mazlum Kobani, commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, announced Friday that the first stage of reconciliation talks with rival Kurdish National Council has “gone well” and that “the second phase has begun.” Syria
Coronavirus shambles IDF plans for a super digital army Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi’s plan of turning the IDF into the world’s most digital army is currently being foiled by coronavirus-induced budget cuts. Israel
Netanyahu, Gantz criticized over emergency COVID-19 bill Many Israelis feel that a bill extending emergency powers to fight a possible second wave of the novel coronavirus goes much too far. Israel
'Palestinian Lives Matter,' shout Israeli protesters over killing of Iyad Hallak The killing of autistic Palestinian man Iyad Hallak is arguably a perfect example of brutality by a police force that sees all Arab civilians as suspects. Israel
Palestinians draw parallels between disabled man's killing, US police violence against black people When an Israeli soldier shot to death a disabled unarmed Palestinian, it triggered an angry reaction around the world and especially in the United States, which has been dealing with its own police brutality against unarmed black men. Palestine