All Middle East
Jerusalem: Netanyahu seeks to reassure Jordan's king as tensions spikeA day after Jordan recalled its ambassador over Israel's handling of clashes at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque, Israel's prime minister called King Abdullah. But Netanyahu's diplomatic options are limited.
Iran hints at early release for detained Washington Post reporterJason Rezaian, a dual US-Iranian citizen, was arrested in July and has been held incommunicado in Tehran. Some believe his detention is part of a political war between supporters and opponents of President Rouhani.
Seeing red (lines) on Jerusalem, Jordan recalls envoy to Israel, a firstFor nearly a century, Jordan has had stewardship over Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque, Islam's third holiest site. Prime Minister Netanyahu has reiterated that Israel has no plans to change the status quo there.
Gaza flotilla raid: International court drops case against IsraelTen people died in a 2010 raid by聽Israeli commandos on the Mavi Marmara, the lead ship in an aid convoy attempting to breach Israel's blockade of Gaza. The ICC said it won't prosecute Israel, despite 'reasonable' evidence of war crimes.
In Southeast Iran, mourning the cost of a Sunni insurgencyA long-running Sunni insurgency based over the border in Pakistan's Baluchistan has left an indelible mark on an impoverished corner of Iran. President Rouhani has promised to improve the lot of citizens.
Is sectarian strife in Mideast dimming Lebanon's 'beacon of democracy'?Lebanon's parliament extended its mandate again, citing insecurity amid rising Sunni-Shiite tensions that underscore a jittery democracy's vulnerability to the violence sweeping across Syria and Iraq.
Jerusalem: Along divided city's seam, two die in third attack in as many weeksThe city's light rail system runs roughly along the dividing line between the city's Jewish and Arab sectors. Wednesday's attack by a Palestinian driver who was shot dead by police has helped raise tensions to their highest level in a decade.
Why Hezbollah leader chose Shiites' Ashura to reach out to Lebanese SunnisHundreds of thousands of Lebanese Shiites commemorated Ashura Tuesday under heavy security, a day after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah gave rare warm praise to the country's Sunni leaders.
Islamic State: Is the US-led war really helping Syria's Assad? Maybe.Activists point to increased Syrian airstrikes against the opposition since the US-led campaign began. But rebel groups are also fighting Islamic State, analysts note.
That joke isn't funny anymore: Cairo's snarky cartoonists get the messageEgypt's media have swung decisively behind President Sisi and promised to support government policy on national security. Hundreds of journalists have warned of a 'new fascism' under the guise of fighting terrorism.
Jerusalem lurches towards open conflict over Temple MountAn assassination attempt of a rabbi, a provocative visit by an Israeli MP, and a Palestinian leader saying Israeli moves are tantamount to a "declaration of war" have Jerusalem at its most perilous moment since the end of the second intifada.聽
New purge in Turkey? Government's former ally branded a security threat.By labeling the rival Gulen Movement a 'threat to national security,' Turkey has armed itself with the tools necessary to eradicate the group's extensive business, education, and media empire.
Why Jerusalem is seethingA disputed holy site was the immediate focus of the Jerusalem tensions, which spiked after the attack on a Jewish activist and the killing of his suspected assailant. But a new generation of Palestinian protesters has been in the streets for weeks.
Facing its own Islamic State-inspired militants, Iran wields a smaller stickWith the help of local Sunnis on its southeastern border with Pakistan, Iran is using a blend of force, dialogue, and money to counter Jaish al-Adl, a radical group that claims to fight for Sunni rights.聽
On isolated Gaza's southern flank, an Egyptian buffer zone takes shapeEgypt's president has accused foreign powers of abetting a deadly attack last week on security forces near the Rafah crossing to Gaza. A militant group in Sinai is suspected of involvement.
In Syria refugee crisis, Palestinian legacy weighs on LebanonEven as a conference in Germany seeks to support nations hosting Syria refugees, Lebanon fears the Syrians will follow the path of Palestinians, whose refugee communities became entrenched, and radicalized, over time.
Dozens die in Lebanon as Army clashes with Sunni supporters of Islamic StateThe fighting in northern Lebanon follows a series of unprecedented Sunni attacks against Lebanese troops in recent weeks. Sunnis in Lebanon accuse the army of being under the control of Hezbollah, a Shiite organization.
As Iraqi Kurds advance against Islamic State, villagers return to looted homesKurdish officials are urging villagers to return to their homes in land recaptured from the Islamic State, alleviating the strain on Kurdish cities while asserting their hold on oil-rich land also claimed by Baghdad.
Cover StoryFortress Israel: Can people make peace when they don鈥檛 talk?As Israelis grow skeptical about achieving peace, they have walled themselves off from their Arab neighbors.聽
In Arab-Jewish relations, there are humane acts amid hostilityVarious stories show that the relations between Arabs and Jews aren't all negative.
