All Middle East
Israel's 'unchallengeable' Netanyahu calls elections at prime momentIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called early elections yesterday, appearing to count on his experience and high public support to ensure a third term.
Will Palestinians accept Romney's outstretched hand?Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is trying to step back from harsh remarks made about Palestinians earlier in the campaign.
Morocco admits to police abuse, tarnishing model response to Arab SpringMorocco was lauded for its response to last year's democracy protests, but there have been regular accusations of abuse from detained protesters. Two weeks ago, the justice minister admitted it.
Can a dying language revive Lebanon's Christian population?Lebanon's Maronites used to play a crucial role in the region, but their power and sense of identity are waning. One organization hopes to reverse that by reviving their ancient language, Syriac.
- Hamas election boycott leaves West Bank Palestinians with only one choice
Campaigning begins today for West Bank local elections this month. Hamas might have done well in some cities, like Nablus, but its boycott means rival Fatah is already the de facto winner.
In Libya, a patchwork of militias keeping the peace, and straining itThe murders of US Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans in Benghazi last month were a reminder that militias can make for poor security forces.
Turkish villagers thrust into center of Syria-Turkey tensionsResidents of the Turkish border town of Akçakale buried their dead and blamed their government in Ankara for not acting sooner to stop Syrian shelling.
Iran's currency: Why did the rial tumble so precipitously?US sanctions played a role. However, Iranians aren't blaming the US, they're blaming their own government.
For Libyans, Amb. Stevens was simply 'Chris'US Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens, who was killed last month, made a rare and powerful difference as a US diplomat through his accessibility to Libyans.
- Rioting forces UN staff to abandon Syrian refugee camp in Jordan
The UN evacuated staff from the Za'atari refugee camp twice in the last day. With winter weather bearing down on the roughshod camp, the conditions refugees rioted against will only worsen.
In Libya, the man who would avenge Amb. StevensFahed Bakoush shot some of the last footage of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens. He and other young activists have since help oust a violent militia from Benghazi.
Most Jordanians say no to more Syrian refugeesWith the number of Syrian refugees in Jordan topping 100,000, 65 percent of Jordanians oppose allowing any more to enter the country, insisting their cash-strapped country is at capacity.
Israel scrambles Palestinian 'right of return' with Jewish refugee talkSome 856,000 Middle Eastern Jews fled their home countries after Israel's founding. If Palestinian refugees are to be considered for compensation, these Jews should be, too, Israel argues.
- Activists: Now, yes now, is the time for US to push for MidEast peace
Israeli-Palestinian group OneVoice is bucking conventional wisdom and trying to drum up support in America for another presidential push toward a final agreement.
Netanyahu's simple bomb graphic confuses the nuclear expertsIsraeli Prime Minister Netanyahu sought to simplify the Iranian nuclear issue with the diagram he brought out on the UN podium, but experts say he actually made it more confusing.
Egypt pursues blasphemy cases as Morsi defends ban at UNSeveral blasphemy cases moved forward this week in Egypt. President Morsi defended curbing free speech in an address Wednesday at the United Nations.
Obama-Netanyahu tensions: Not as bad as 5 other US-Israel low points Will US-Israel relations fray over Iran? Not likely – they've seen worse.
Ahmadinejad: Iran 'could have behaved better,' IAEA has 'double standards'At a dinner last night, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran was open to concessions on its nuclear program, though he decried the IAEA's lack of oversight of Israel's nuclear facilities.
FocusAnti-Islam video clip spotlights difference in global free speech limitsIf the makers of the film 'Innocence of Muslims' – a clip of which sparked violent protests across the region – were Egyptian, they could be imprisoned.
FocusMiddle East protests: Signs of hope, challenge for fledgling democraciesThe amplification of extreme voices is one consequence of budding democracies in the Middle East, but citizens insist that those voices remain on the fringe.
