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
Intel: Democrats wade into legal gray area with Iran war powers vote The House passed a resolution 224-194 seeking to limit President Donald Trump’s ability to conduct future offensive military actions against Iran. United States
Killers target activists performing logistics for Iraqi protests Iraqi protester activists — and journalists covering the protests — are being killed in greater numbers by unidentified armed groups in an apparent attempt to curtail the demonstrations. Iraq
Can Israel, Hamas keep it calm after US killing of Soleimani? For Israel, the return of deterrence is tainted with the possibility of a nightmare scenario. Palestine
Intel: How Russia is helping Iraq build up its air defenses amid US-Iran escalation Following the latest hostilities between the United States and Iran inside Iraq, Baghdad has reportedly resumed negotiations with Moscow over reinforcing its air defenses. Iraq
Rouhani adviser says US claims on plane crash ‘media war' Iranian officials claim they are working with Ukrainian authorities to investigate the plane crash in Tehran but claim US accusations that they shot the plane down themselves is a “media war.” United States
Iraqi protesters decry Iranian and US interference Over three months since anti-government protests began in Iraq, attention has shifted to geopolitical fears of regional war. Iraq
Russian Jews not Jewish enough for Israel's chief rabbi In maligning immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef ignores that contrary to his ultra-Orthodox congregants, they contribute to Israel's economy and risk their lives serving in the military. Israel
Israel’s Meretz party giving up on Arabs Despite the support it gained in the September elections within the Israeli-Arab communities, the Meretz party list will not include an Arab candidate in a realistic slot. Israel
Trump's threat to Iran's antiquities sets off global uproar With 24 recognized sites, Iran is most heavily represented Middle Eastern country on UNESCO's list of world heritage sites. United States
Erdogan's ties with Turkish army gets alarmingly personal The extraordinary personalization of Turkey’s civilian-military relations is deinstitutionalizing the Turkish military structure and causing internal power struggles within the army ranks. Turkey
Will Carlos Ghosn be safe from prosecution in Lebanon? Lebanese businessman Carlos Ghosn escaped from house arrest in Tokyo and headed to Lebanon, where the judiciary is now weighing whether his past visit to Israel could be considered an act of normalization. Lebanon
Small West Bank school holds firm despite settler attacks To get an education, the students in Yanoun, a Palestinian village near Nablus, must deal with attacks by Israeli settlers on the way to school and even in their homes. Palestine