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
Khamenei adviser calls Trump Mideast plan ‘nightmare’ Iranian officials and social media users criticized the White House plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace. Palestine
Alarm as Turkey’s ruling party moves to empower night watchmen A revived nighttime security force in Turkey may soon get the same powers as regular police, drawing protest from lawmakers and civil rights advocates. Turkey
Netanyahu wants/needs annexation before elections White House advisers Jason Greenblatt and Jared Kushner object Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's intention to annex settlements before the March 2 elections, but Netanyahu has no intention of giving up. Palestine
A $12.5 billion question: Why did Erdogan unshelve his ‘crazy project’? By reviving a controversial waterway project, Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to regain control over Istanbul — which he lost in last year’s polls — test whether the project could serve him well in an early election attempt, and eventually gratify his supporters by creating rent. Turkey
Intel: Democrats push Trump administration to crack down on Saudi prince Emboldened by the latest United Nations report implicating Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in hacking Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ phone, Democrats are pushing the Donald Trump administration to toughen up on the Saudi heir. Saudi Arabia
Pentagon: Turkey’s deployment to Libya threatens escalation The United States' top military officer in Africa has warned that Ankara's decision to send troops to Libya "risks a significant escalation." Turkey
Rival Palestinian factions unite against US 'deal of century' Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials attended an emergency Palestinian leadership meeting in Ramallah to discuss how to respond to the US administration's peace plan, and another meeting is planned this week in the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Netanyahu's land of the settlers Did Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu really think that he could fool US President Donald Trump and announce annexation of the West Bank without an angry response from the Americans? Palestine
PMU factions set conditions for next Iraqi prime minister Some pro-Iran factions of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units are demanding that candidates for prime minister meet their standards. Iraq
Hamas hikes taxes on imports, including from West Bank Hamas has imposed new customs duties on goods entering the Gaza Strip but some believe the taxes go too far, especially when they are imposed on items coming from the West Bank. Palestine
Intel: Why Russia’s warming ties with Israel may lead Moscow to embrace Trump’s peace plan Russian President Vladimir Putin pardoned a young Israeli accused of drug charges ahead of his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today. The release of Naama Issachar, who had been sentenced to 7½ years in prison, ends a bitter controversy that had plagued relations between the two countries. Palestine
Iran slams Trump’s vision for Mideast peace The Islamic Republic is fiercely opposed to Trump's "deal of the century," stating that Muslims will never allow it to happen. Palestine