Explainer Saudi Arabia, Turkey advance plans to revive historic Hejaz Railway Turkish and Saudi officials signed agreements as part of a Turkish push to revive the Hejaz Railway linking Turkey to the Gulf through Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Turkey
Culture 10 MENA teams at 2026 World Cup: Morocco eyes title, Iran faces visa hurdles Jordan is competing in its first World Cup, while Iraq is making only its second appearance, as teams from the region seek to advance against European and Latin American powerhouses. Iran
Israel energy minister says gas flowing to Egypt, Jordan despite shutdown reports Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen told Al-Monitor that despite security concerns and partial shut down of marine gas platforms, Israel continues to supply gas to Egypt, Jordan and Israeli consumers. Israel
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar to deepen security ties amid Iran war: What to know Gulf states and Jordan are aligning more closely as Iranian attacks persist. Saudi Arabia
Israel should protect 'old front' with Jordan To maintain the special Israeli-Jordanian ties, Israel should be sensitive to the internal pressures facing the Hashemite kingdom and promote a real diplomatic process with the Palestinians. Palestine
Israel skeptical about US strategy on IS While the US finds a new interlocutor in Israel's opposition leader, the Israeli security establishment is not reassured by President Barack Obama's latest speech, since it fears that much like Hamas, the Islamic State cannot be defeated by airstrikes alone. Iraq
Turkey faces dilemma in fight against Islamic State Turkey is not keen to have the Kurds, Shiites and the Damascus regime be bolstered in the fight against the Islamic State. Iraq
Adopting Arab Peace Initiative will take time Though a full implementation of the Arab Peace Initiative is currently unrealistic, gradual progress toward the initiative could help establish a Palestinian state. Palestine
New alliances for a 2015 Middle East peace conference? The Gaza conflict demonstrates that Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Saudi Arabia share common regional interests, which could lead them to an international peace conference based on the Arab League's peace initiative. Saudi Arabia
Maliki furious over Jordan-hosted Sunni opposition conference The Iraqi opposition conference held in Jordan put the kingdom in an awkward position with Iraq's prime minister, but some in Iraq called for considering its resolutions because they reflect actual Sunni demands. Iraq
Domestic violence increases among Syrian refugees The stresses of the war and lack of income are resulting in more cases of domestic violence among Syrian refugees in Jordan. Jordan
With Iraqi roads blocked, demand for flights from Baghdad soars The continued instability in Iraq is forcing residents to flee. With land borders blocked by fighting, people are forced to wait more than a month for plane tickets. Iraq
Who is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi? Details emerge about the years that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State, spent in Afghanistan. Iraq
Global jihad benefits from Gaza crisis As Arab states do little to intervene in Gaza, militant jihadism continues to spread throughout the region. Palestine
Jordan boosts military presence on Iraq border Jordanian officials say they can thwart any jihadist advance from Iraq. Iraq
Jordan shaken by threats from ISIS, Iraq, Syria The kingdom faces a security crisis over conflicts involving neighboring Iraq and Syria, a jihadist enclave on its border, waves of refugees, and returning terrorist fighters from both countries. Iraq
