A thaw in Turkey’s relations with Egypt? Gulf Cooperation Council reconciliation may have set in motion Ankara’s desire for a reset with Cairo. Egypt
Biden's deputy secretary of state nominee OK'd by Senate committee The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved moving Wendy Sherman's nomination to the full Senate, with some Democrats and Republicans who had disagreed with her on the Iran deal voting to confirm her anyway. United States
Biden's CIA nominee stresses China over Iran during Senate hearing Ambassador William Burns said that China is the biggest challenge for the United States, but that Iran and Russia cannot be overlooked. Regional
Post-COVID Mideast economies look to the Gulf and Egypt The region took a hard hit from the pandemic, and it’s far from over, but Egypt and Saudi Arabia are managing better than expected. Regional
For Israel, more unknowns than knowns with Trump The Israeli right and defense establishment have found it hard to determine with any certainty what direction US President-elect Donald Trump will take on policy. Palestine
Abadi enlists neighbors to support unified Iraq Iraq is shoring up political and economic relations with neighboring states to prepare for rebuilding after the defeat of the Islamic State. Saudi Arabia
Will PA, Jordan seek out closer relations? A recent meeting of Palestinian Authority and Jordanian officials could set up a path to rapprochement. Near East
Israelis wary, Palestinians despairing over Tillerson appointment Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson’s ties with Arab countries worry Israeli officials, while Palestinians despair that the Trump administration is an extension of the current right-wing Israeli government. Palestine
Hezbollah, Israel both mum on recent escalation Despite an escalation in Israeli attacks against Hezbollah in Syria, an all-out confrontation between them seems unlikely for the near future. Israel
Jordan faces tough path ahead as next Arab summit host Jordan will face a number of diplomatic challenges in March at the Arab League summit meeting in Amman. Gulf
Dollar-hungry Turkey eyes Middle Eastern markets Scrambling to overcome a foreign exchange crunch, Turkey’s government has outlined incentives to prop up exporters, and while Middle Eastern markets figure high on the target list, Ankara’s political conflicts with neighbors present an obstacle that needs to be addressed. Iraq
Has Fatah put Dahlan secession to rest? The extent of Arab and international support for Fatah and Mahmoud Abbas was on display at the movement’s seventh congress. Palestine
Will Trump be open to dialogue with Islamists? While President-elect Donald Trump took a strong stance against Islamists during his campaign, his openness to Turkey’s Justice and Development Party-led government shows that the coming administration’s approach to Islamists is still unknown. Egypt
Turkish soap operas turn Istanbul into Paris of the East Popular Turkish TV series are filling state coffers by attracting tourists from as far away as South America. Turkey
Saudi Arabia losing ground to Iran Saudi influence in the region has been on the decline for a number of reasons, and the kingdom has now suffered another setback in Lebanon with the election of President Michel Aoun, an ally of Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia
What recent Houthi moves in Red Sea mean for Israel Houthi assaults against US and UAE vessels should indicate to Israel that control of Red Sea waters might be at stake. Saudi Arabia