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
Iran’s Khamenei defends pre-election purge of Reformists Iran’s supreme leader called for high turnout in the country’s upcoming parliamentary vote despite wide public discontent with the candidate-vetting process. Iran
Has Netanyahu given up on annexation before the election? Right-wing parties and settlers are pressuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to defy the Trump administration and annex Israeli settlements on the West Bank now rather than after the March 2 elections. Palestine
Erdogan threatens Assad forces, seeks de-escalation in Idlib Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara will retaliate if Syrian regime forces do not pull back from Turkish observation posts in Idlib by the end of the month. Syria
PMU factions reluctant to target US interests in Iraq directly Following the assassinations of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Shiite armed factions are reluctant to engage in direct war with the United States due to the lack of military balance between them and their fear of US reactions. Iraq
Turkey’s AKP stumbles in efforts to restore economic confidence Turkey’s economic confidence indicators show the government has a long way to go in overcoming the credibility erosion it has suffered over the past two years. Turkey
How local activists are reviving life in Raqqa Three years after Raqqa was liberated from the Islamic State, civil society organizations have launched a campaign to revive the city’s cultural and popular aspects. Syria
Egypt revives idea of creating central Sinai province With the goal of developing and advancing central Sinai, Egypt appears headed toward repartitioning the peninsula, a step that some tribes oppose out of fear their families would be divided. Egypt
When will Europe propose genuine peace plan for Israel, Palestinians? If the European Union wants to stay relevant in the Middle East, it must make up its mind over the Trump administration's peace plan and advance with an alternative, viable proposal. Palestine
Recent escalations in Idlib present Russia with tall order As the situation in Idlib heats up, Russian-Turkish "marriage of convenience" gets tested, but it may be too early to call for the divorce. Syria
Did Israel’s Liberman close deal with Netanyahu’s rival? After the March 2 elections, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz will have to make a choice between Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beitenu party and the Arab Joint List. Israel
Syria clashes, Ukraine visit test Turkey-Russia relations Despite their opposing interests, analysts expect continued Ankara-Moscow collaboration following clashes between Turkish troops and Russia-backed Syrian forces. Syria
EU’s top diplomat in Iran to discuss fragile nuclear deal The EU’s foreign policy chief was in Tehran to salvage the crumbling nuclear deal at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the West. Iran