Middle Orient

MIDDLE ISRAEL: There are currently two main blueprints for postwar Syria: Assad’s and Vladimir Putin’s. Bibi Netanyahu can only dream of this: 21 straight years in power, absolute electoral victories, no coalition talks, no judiciary to battle and no media to curse. The side effects of this political monopolism – …

During the past two days, the Syrian regime sent military reinforcements to its forces stationed in the Sayyida Zainab area, south of the capital, Damascus. These reinforcements included dozens of soldiers equipped with light and medium weapons, in addition to armoured vehicles. They came against the background of escalating tension …

Turkey is rich in fertile land, water and skilled farmers. But its agricultural industry is in sharp decline, blamed by critics on failing government policies, spiralling costs and meagre state support. For five generations, Ahmet’s family has farmed the rich agricultural land of Thrace in northwestern Turkey.

The aid community is bracing for significant shortfalls ahead of a donor conference that starts Monday in Brussels and is being co-hosted by the United Nations and the European Union. Pledges were already dropping off before the coronavirus pandemic mainly due to donor fatigue. Officials fear that with the global …

Erdogan’s interference with the central bank is badly damaging foreign investor confidence in Turkey, threatening hard-currency crunches that could send the Turkish lira to new lows. The turbulence rattling Turkey’s financial markets since the shocking removal of the central bank governor March 20 has caused significant losses for foreign investors, …

Iraq is cooperating on border security with Syria, Russia and Iran. Iraq’s Joint Operations Command has secured about 140 kilometers (87 miles) of the border with Syria against Islamic State militants in coordination with Russia, Iran and the Syrian regime. Despite the terror group’s defeat in July 2017, IS continues …

The United Nations said the operation in al-Hol interfered with humanitarian services, but the US military, which supported the operation, said the disruption was minimal. Violence has increased greatly in the camp this year. Northeast Syrian security forces conducted a security raid on Sunday at the notorious al-Hol camp housing …

A political campaign targeting the Iraqi National Intelligence Service poses new challenges for the state’s key institutions. Iraq’s intelligence service has warned it will prosecute those leveling baseless accusations against it, tarnishing its reputation and questioning the patriotism of its officers and employees.

Knowing he is politically vulnerable, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is silent on Washington’s intention to return to the nuclear deal with Tehran. Israel finds itself irrelevant and inconsequential as the race against the Iranian nuclear threat enters its most important leg. As was the case on the eve of the …

“This agreement is somewhat ambiguous, and on the other hand, in some cases, Iran has had bitter experiences in dealing with other countries. It has pros and cons.” Iran is celebrating a new agreement with China. But what is inside the new 25-year plan? According to Fars News in Iran …