At the "Friends of Syria" meeting in Rome on Thursday, Western and Arab countries pledged greater assistance to the Syrian National Coalition. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who said earlier that the U.S. wants to "accelerate the political transition in Syria," announced that for the first time, the United States will provide non-lethal aid directly to opposition fighters. The U.S. will provide food rations and medical supplies and will give an additional $60 million to the civilian opposition in security assistance. The United States will help train rebel fighters at a base in the region, but still refuses to send arms to rebel forces over concerns that they will end up in the hands of radical Islamist fighters, who have been making significant gains on the battlefield. Meanwhile, Jordan has reported a new surge in refugees entering the country as violence intensifies in southern Syria. Recently, an average of 3,000 Syrians have crossed into Jordan each night; the total number of refugees in the country has surpassed 418,000. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that the number of Syrian refugees in the region could surpass one million by next month. He said, "The humanitarian situation is dramatic beyond description. The refugee crisis is accelerating at a staggering pace."

Headlines

• Two Palestinian prisoners whose hunger strike fueled recent West Bank protests and clashes have ended their strike after Israel agreed to release them in May. Two other prisoners have been hospitalized.
• General Erdal Ceylanoglu, former commander of Turkey's land forces, has been arrested. He is among the the 300 military officers who have been imprisoned over the 1997 coup against the Islamist-led government.
• Iraqi Airways landed a flight in Kuwait on Wednesday for the first time since Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion.
• A Swiss woman, Silvia Eberhardt, who was abducted in March 2012 in Yemen has been released and arrived in Qatar. 
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A new round of talks began on Tuesday in Kazakhstan between Iran and world powers. Negotiators from Iran are meeting with the U.N. Security Council's permanent five members -- the United States, Britain, France, China, and Russia -- in addition to Germany. International powers suspect Iran of working to develop nuclear weapons, but Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. There is little optimism that this round of talks will yield a breakthrough. However, both sides have recently offered concessions. The spokesman for European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is leading the dialogue, said "We have prepared a good and updated offer for the talks, which we believe is balanced and a fair basis for constructive talks." The United States proposed limited sanctions relief, and Iran said it was prepared to make an offer. Sanctions have taken a severe toll on Iran's economy, but they have not succeeded in pressuring Iran to temper its nuclear ambitions. In fact, Tehran announced technological advances just this week.

Opposition forces in Syria see a week of significant gains

The Syrian opposition has abandoned its boycott of talks in Rome on Syria. Head of the Syrian National Coalition Moaz al-Khatib said he would lead a delegation to the "Friends of Syria" meeting in Rome this week. However, the largest faction within the coalition maintained it would not participate, saying opposition forces have waited long enough for Western assistance. On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, said the Obama administration is considering new options to increase support to the Syrian opposition, and insisted that the United States would not leave them "dangling in the wind wondering where the support is or if it's coming." Saudi Arabia has been financing the purchase of Croatian arms which it has been reportedly funneling to opposition fighters since December. Meanwhile, a deadly explosion and heavy clashes were reported in Damascus, Syria's capital. Additionally, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, clashes between opposition fighters and government forces are endangering the historic Umayyad Mosque in the northern city of Aleppo. 

Headlines

• Palestinian militants fired a rocket from Gaza into southern Israel, breaking a November truce that ended eight days of fighting. The militants said the rocket was fired in retaliation for the death of a Palestinian man imprisoned in Israel.
• Egypt's prosecution is an investigating the hot air balloon explosion and crash near Luxor that killed an estimated 18 people, mostly Asian and European tourists.
• A member of the U.N. peacekeeping force in the disputed Golan Heights between Israel and Syria has been reported as missing.
• Tunisia has arrested a suspect and an alleged accomplice in the killing of opposition leader Chokri Belaid, whose murder sparked protests and a political crisis in Tunisia. 
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Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has called for parliamentary elections to begin April 27, eliciting concerns from opposition parties. According to the presidential decree issued Thursday, the elections for parliament's lower house will take place over four stages through the end of June. The new People's Assembly will then be expected to convene on July 6. The previous body was dissolved in June 2012 after the January elections for the lower house were deemed unconstitutional. Morsi's Islamist Freedom and Justice Party, which took around 40 percent of the vote in the initial elections, expressed satisfaction with the decision while opposition parties have shown alarm. Head of the main opposition bloc, the National Salvation Front (NSF), Mohamed ElBaradei said, "Morsi's decision to go for parliamentary elections amid severe societal polarisation and the eroding state authority is a recipe for disaster." The NSF called for opposition parties to meet on Friday to discuss Morsi's announcement. 

Syria

Syrian warplanes targeted Damascus International Airport a day after attacks killed an estimated 90 people across the capital. There have been no immediate reports of casualties from Friday's attacks, which hit the towns of Beit Sahm and Shebaa near the main airport road south of Damascus. According to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, there was also fighting in the opposition held areas of Daraya and Moadamiyeh, south of Damascus. No one has taken responsibility for Thursday's car bombing that hit near the offices of the ruling Baath Party as well as the Russian embassy and killed at least 53 people and injured over 200. The government has blamed "terrorists;" the opposition has claimed the regime is responsible. Russia has accused the United States of applying a double standard for blocking a U.N. Security Council statement condemning the car bombing.

Headlines  

• Tunisia's ruling Ennahda has named Interior Minister Ali Larayedh as its candidate for prime minister, following the resignation of Hamdi Jebali Tuesday.
• The International Atomic Energy Agency reported Thursday that Iran seems to be advancing construction of a research reactor at Arak, which could be used to produce plutonium for nuclear arms.
• Over 60 people have been injured in clashes between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank during protests over four Palestinian prisoners on a hunger strike.
• Yemeni security forces shot and killed three activists on their way to a southern independence rally in Aden and 34 other people were injured in clashes. 
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Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali resigned Tuesday after failing to push through his plan for a new technocrat government. Jebali dissolved the government as political tensions heightened after the February 6 assassination of opposition leader Chokri Belaid. Jebali had said he would step down if his ruling Islamist Ennahda Party rejected his proposal. After a meeting with President Moncef Marzouki on Tuesday he said, "I vowed that if my initiative did not succeed, I would resign and I have done so." He did not rule out returning to the government, but insisted it be inclusive and free from political infighting. On Monday, head of Ennahda Rachid Ghannouchi put forward an alternative proposal for a government mixed with politicians and technocrats and said that there was consensus that Jebali remain as prime minister. The continued political instability in Tunisia has further jeopardized the country's fragile economy. On Tuesday, Standard and Poor's downgraded Tunisia's credit rating, citing "a risk that the political situation could deteriorate further amid a worsening fiscal, external and economic outlook."

Syria

According to Syrian state media, a football player was killed after two mortar shells hit the Tishreen stadium in Damascus's al-Baramkeh district. The attack came a day after two mortars reportedly exploded outside one of President Bashar al-Assad's palaces in the capital's northwestern district of Muhajireen. Opposition activists said that the Free Syrian Army fired up to seven mortar rounds at the Tishreen Palace. No casualties have been reported. Assad has two other palaces in the city. Opposition fighters previously claimed to have fired rockets at the presidential palaces, but the attack on Tuesday was confirmed by the Syrian government. Meanwhile, the death toll from Monday's rocket attack on Aleppo has risen to an estimated 31 people. According to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, it was "likely a surface-to-surface missile" that had been fired into the opposition held Jabal Badro district of the northern city. On Wednesday, Russia reported that one of two planes of humanitarian assistance it is sending to Syria has landed in the port of Latakia. On their return to Russia, the planes are expected to be filled by Russia citizens wishing to evacuate from Syria.

Headlines  

• Israeli's Tzipi Livni is the first to join Netanyahu's coalition, set to be named justice minister, saying she will "leave no stone unturned" to become part of a government "that commits to bringing peace."
• Saudi Arabia has sworn in 30 women to the previously all male Shura council, marking the first time women have been permitted to hold political office in the kingdom.
• Israel released part of a report on Tuesday on the death of Prisoner X, identified last week as Australian born Benjamin Zygier.
• U.S. think-tank the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) has released a report finding that the attainment of nuclear weapons by Iran is unlikely to trigger a Middle East arms race. 
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Opposition forces have claimed control of the northeast province of Hasaka which produces most of the country's oil. Opposition fighters have reportedly captured the town of Shadadah, near the province's capital, seizing state security and military intelligence compounds as well as the Jbeysa oil fields. The attack was led by the Islamist opposition group al-Nusra front. In three days of fighting, an estimated 100 government soldiers were killed, as well as 30 al-Nusra fighters and dozens of civilian employees of the Syrian Petroleum Company. An estimated 40,000 people have fled the town. This attack has not yet been verified, but if true, it comes amid other recent strategic gains for opposition fighters. Opposition forces captured Syria's largest hydropower dam and a military airbase in the north, along with undamaged aircrafts. Additionally, rebel fighters reported shooting down three government air force warplanes on Thursday. If verified, it could be the largest one-day loss of warplanes for the regime since the beginning of the conflict nearly two years ago. Meanwhile, government forces and opposition fighters have continued battling for Aleppo's international airport, where over 150 regime troops and rebels have been killed.

Headlines

• In a policy shift, the United States has called for the release of opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi from house arrest ahead of Iran's presidential elections.
• Egypt's main opposition bloc, the National Salvation Front, and the Salafist al-Nour Party have called for the resignation of Prime Minister Hisham Zandil's cabinet and the formation of a new government.
• Suspicions are growing over the case of Australian-born suspected Mossad agent Ben Zygier. He was reportedly involved in an Australian investigation into the use of Australian passports by Israeli intelligence.
• A police officer was killed as protests and violence escalated in Bahrain on Thursday after the death of a teenager. 
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Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr has ordered a review of his ministry's handling of a 2010 case in which an Australian man, allegedly a Mossad agent, reportedly hanged himself in a secret Israeli jail. On Wednesday, Carr admitted that the Department of Foreign Affairs knew about the detention of the man referred to as Prisoner X, who the report revealed is likely Ben Zygier. He changed his name to Ben Alon in Israel. Initial reports of his death were leaked in 2010, but the story was highly censored by Israel. On Tuesday, Israeli news organizations were forced to remove content concerning the case, but the ban was partially lifted on Wednesday after Knesset members raised questions. Israel's prime minister's office has declined to comment. According to ABC, Zygier was 34 when he died, and was married to an Israeli woman with two young children. It is unclear why he was incarcerated. He was held at the Ayalon high security prison in central Israel, in a wing constructed to hold Yigal Amir, the Israeli who assassinated former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, with a surveillance system installed to prevent suicide.  

Syria

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay addressed the U.N. Security Council Tuesday calling for action to resolve the conflict in Syria, saying the death toll is approaching 70,000. Severe fighting has continued in Damascus. The government has targeted opposition positions in the neighborhood of Jobar as well as the suburb of Daraya. Russia said it will continue its weapons supplies to the Syrian regime, saying "in the absence of sanctions" it will fulfill its "obligations on contracts for the delivery of military hardware" which it maintains are not offensive weapons, but mainly air defense systems. Meanwhile, Qatar has decided to hand over the Syrian embassy in its capital Doha to the opposition Syrian National Coalition.

Headlines

• Iran has announced it is upgrading its centrifuges ahead of renewed negotiations on its nuclear development program set to begin Wednesday.
• Hundreds of Egyptian police began a strike protesting against President Mohamed Morsi on Tuesday, shutting down headquarters at about seven provincial capitals in a rare case of open dissent.
• Egyptian security forces have flooded smuggling tunnels between the Sinai and the Palestinian Gaza Strip in efforts to shut them down, angering Hamas leaders.
• Debt stricken carrier Bahrain Air has announced it will shut down amid political unrest while leaders enter into a new round of reconciliation talks. 
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Fighting continued in Damascus on Monday with no response from President Bashar al-Assad to the opposition's offer for talks. The Syrian army has reportedly sent reinforcements to the Jobar district of the capital, east of the city center, where opposition forces were said to have overtaken the landmark Abassiyeen Square. The government deployed tanks and fighter jets struck the district over the weekend. According to an opposition activist, regime forces have continued to remain strongly rooted in the city center, but opposition fighters have pushed farther into the capital than they have since July 2012, when they temporarily held a southern neighborhood. Additionally, opposition forces captured Syria's largest dam Monday, the al-Furat dam in the northeastern province of Raqqa, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The organization's director Abdel Rahman said, "This is the biggest economic loss for the regime since the start of the revolution." Meanwhile, the opposition Syrian National Coalition's leader Moaz al-Khatib made a statement on his Facebook page in which he wrote that the Assad regime had "lost a chance to engage in a dialogue" to end the nearing two year conflict. Khatib had made an offer for talks with the government, but the government did not issue an official response. On Friday, Syria's Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi said the government was open to holding talks, but without preconditions. Khatib had called for the release of 160,000 political prisoners, beginning with women whom he pushed to be released by Sunday.

Headlines

• Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki's secular CPR party has decided to stay in the government for another week for further discussions, reversing a decision to withdraw.
• Iranian authorities have arrested two daughters of opposition Green Movement leader and previous presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, who has been under house arrest for nearly two years.
• Shelling killed six people and wounded over 50 others in an Iraqi camp, formerly the U.S. military base Camp Liberty, housing Iranian exiles from the militant group, Mujahedeen Khalq (M.E.K.).
• Israel gave final approval Sunday for the construction of 90 new West Bank homes in the Beit El settlement near Ramallah, and building could begin within days.
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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei strongly rejected an offer by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden for direct talks over the country's nuclear development program in remarks posted on his website on Thursday. Biden made the offer on Saturday saying the U.S. was ready to hold one-on-one talks with Iran "when the Iranian leadership, supreme leader, is serious." However, Khamenei maintained that talks would not solve the problem. He wrote, "You take up arms against the nation of Iran and say: ‘negotiate or we fire.' But you should know that pressure and negotiations are not compatible and our nation will not be intimidated into actions." The statement came after the U.S. Treasury Department announced new economic sanctions on Wednesday as sanctions that were enacted in August 2012 took effect. The new sanctions target companies involved in inhibiting the flow of information and cracking down on dissent such as the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting and its director, the Iran Cyber Police, the Communications Regulatory Authority, and Iran Electronics Industries which makes equipment used for jamming and monitoring. The sanctions from last summer will target companies connected with Iran's energy, petrochemical, insurance, financial, and shipping sectors. While one senior U.S. official said the move is "a significant turning of the screw" others are more skeptical. According to another senior U.S. official, "The people may be suffering in Iran, but the supreme leader isn't, and he's the only one who counts."

Syria

Heavy fighting has continued for the second day in Damascus, Syria's capital. Violence has mostly been focused on the highly contested eastern district of Jobar and the southern ring road, but other clashes were reported in Zamalka, Hajar al-Aswad, and Qaboun. According to one opposition activist, the aim for the rebel offensive is not to overtake central Damascus, but rather to take out regime sniper positions and fortifications and cut off President Bashar al-Assad's control lines from the center of the city to its outskirts. The Syrian army also said it had launched a "co-ordinated all-out offensive." Both the government and opposition forces reported making gains, and it is unclear if either side had pushed forward as of Thursday. Meanwhile, the head of the Syrian National Coalition, Moaz al-Khatib, said he would rescind his offer of talks with the Syrian government if women prisoners were not released by Sunday. Islamic leaders urged the Assad regime and opposition forces to enter into negotiations in efforts to resolve the war at a meeting of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Cairo on Thursday.

Headlines

• Political unrest sparked by the assassination of an opposition politician continues in Tunisia. Several groups are planning strikes, and the ruling Ennahda party rejected the announcement by Prime Minister Jebali to dissolve the cabinet.
• Hamas and Fatah are currently holding unity talks and are planning for presidential and parliamentary elections.

Arguments and Analysis

Syria Is Not Iraq (Shadi Hamid, The Atlantic)

If I sound defeatist, then it is likely because I am. It is worth speaking frankly, and, unfortunately, this probably requires speaking in the past tense. For Syria, it is likely too late. Notwithstanding something sudden and entirely unexpected, the international community will not intervene. That does not mean that the Syrian people are doomed. They will likely "win" in the end, but their victory, if we can even call it that, will have come at a much greater cost - in the sheer number killed - than was necessary. It will have come at the cost of a country destroyed, of sects polarized beyond any hope of reconciliation, of Salafis and Jihadists ascendant, of a state too torn and divided for real governance. As has been reported elsewhere, the Syrian opposition feels that it has been not just forgotten, but, worse, betrayed. They are unlikely to forget this anytime soon. Anti-Americanism, a given among regime supporters, has slowly taken root among the opposition as well. The Syrian protest movement's Friday theme for October 19, 2012 was"America, has your spite not been sated by our blood?" In due time, the Obama administration's inability or unwillingness to act may be remembered as one of the great strategic and moral blunders of recent decades. Hoping to atone for our sins in Iraq, we have overlearned the lessons of the last war. I only wish it wasn't too late.

Moving towards Political Participation: The Moderation of Moroccan Salafis since the Beginning of the Arab Spring (Mohammed Masbah, German Institute for International and Security Affairs)

"Salafis, including former "Salafi-Jihadis", have become a presence in the public sphere through their participation in the protests - side-by-side with secular forces - of the so called 20 February Movement. There are also numerous indications that Salafis will play a role in shaping Morocco's future political landscape, albeit while proposing less radical objectives than what they used to profess. The trend is leading towards greater acceptance of political plurality, more cooperation with moderate Islamists, and less aggressive attitudes towards seculars and Western governments. Most importantly, they are explicitly renouncing violent means in the domestic power struggle. Moroccan Salafis have begun aiming at assuming a political role, attempting to influence policy-making, and are increasingly prepared to play by the rules of the democratic game - thus following the example set by their peers in other Arab countries such as Egypt."

--By Jennifer Parker and Mary Casey

Iranian police have arrested former Tehran prosecutor and ally of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Saeed Mortazavi. Mortazavi was the head of Iran's Social Welfare Organization until he was removed in January due to pressure from Iran's parliament, the Majlis. In a controversial move, Ahmadinejad rehired Mortazavi as the official caretaker of the organization. No official reason was given for Motazavi's arrest. Iran's semi-official news agency, Fars, said Mortazavi may have been arrested due to accusations of torture and murder of anti-government protesters after the controversial 2009 reelection of Ahmadinejad. Mortazavi was placed under sanctions by the United States in 2010, and has been described by Human Rights Watch as a "serial human rights abuser." However, analysts say the arrest was likely tied to the escalating feud between Ahmadinejad and the parliament. The arrest came a day after Ahmadinejad released a secret video in parliament where Mortazavi allegedly discussed a fraudulent business deal, implicating Iran's highly influential Larijani family. The move was unprecedented, as allegations of corruption are not often aired in a public forum. The parliament became chaotic and protested of the video. Ahmadinejad was kicked out by Ali Larijani, the parliament speaker. Before his arrest on Monday, Mortazavi said, "A person was attempting to do trades that seem illegal. I merely reported this case to the government."

Syria

The National Coalition of Revolutionary and Opposition Forces gave support Monday to last week's surprise offer by its leader for talks with President Bashar al-Assad, and added that the president could avoid trial by resigning and leaving Syria. To step up pressure on Assad, al-Khatib said he was willing to meet with Vice President Farouq al-Shara. In the offer, Sheik Ahmad Moaz al-Khatib said he would engage in dialogue with Assad if the government released 160,000 political prisoners and renewed all expired passports of Syrian diaspora members. The statement was initially met by criticism within the coalition, which had maintained that Assad step down as a precondition for talks. Assad has yet to officially respond to the invitation, but on Sunday, an aide to the president, Ali Haidar, said the government is open to talks with opposition members who reject violence. He added that the government was open to address the passport issue, but not necessarily the release of prisoners. Syria's pro-government newspaper Al-Watan said the statements from the opposition are "two years late." A prominent lawmaker from Assad's ruling party, Fayez Sayegh, said that the opposition should enter into dialogue with the government without preconditions. The United States has expressed strong backing of talks between the opposition and Assad in hopes of ending the nearly two year conflict that has killed over 60,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.

Headlines

• Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has arrived in Egypt in the first trip by an Iranian president to the country since the 1979 revolution.
• Iran and world powers reached an agreement announcing talks on Iran's disputed nuclear program. The dialogue will resume on February 26 in Kazakhstan.
• Kuwait's Information Ministry announced three arrests Tuesday of former opposition lawmakers who insulted the emir, in an escalating crackdown on political dissent.
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On Thursday, Syria made a formal complaint to the United Nations and declared its right to self defense after Wednesday's Israeli strike on Syrian territory. Russia, Iran, Lebanon, Hezbollah, and the Arab League also condemned the attack. Syria's ambassador to Lebanon said that Syria had "the option and the capacity to surprise in retaliation." However, many analysts believe the Syrian military is too taxed by internal fighting to retaliate. The details of the attack are still unclear, and it is uncertain if there was one strike or two. Anonymous U.S. officials reported a warplane hit a military convoy carrying arms to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Conversely, Syria claimed the strike targeted a scientific research facility. Israel has continued to refrain from comment, which some say is strategic. Lebanon reported more Israeli warplanes have flown over southern Lebanon on Friday. Departing U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in her final press interview in the position, warned that Iran has increased military and financial aid to the Syrian government and said the administration believes that Russia has continued to supply funding and military assistance. For the first time, Russian and U.S. officials along with U.N. and Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi are all set to meet together with opposition Syrian National Coalition officials on the sidelines of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Munich on Saturday. However, Russia has not yet confirmed the meeting. 

Headlines  

• An explosion outside the U.S. embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara on Friday killed at least two people and wounded others in what was believed to be a suicide bombing.
• A Bahraini police officer has been imprisoned for seven years for killing a protester on February 14, 2011, the first fatality of the country's uprising.
• The United States warned Iran that its plans to upgrade the centrifuges at its enrichment plant in Natanz would be "another provocative step" and will lead to further isolation.
• Egypt's opposition is planning new protests for Friday after a group of lead rival politicians pledged to renounce violence. 
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Gulf states pledged hundreds of millions of dollars in Syria aid as the Syrian government and opposition forces traded blame over mass killings in Aleppo. Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia each pledged $300 million at the International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria in Kuwait on Wednesday. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon addressed the group:"I appeal to all sides, and particularly the Syrian government to stop the killing" and called for more humanitarian aid. The United Nations was seeking $1.5 billion total in pledges and $1 billion for humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. The remaining money would go to the 4 million Syrians who are still inside the country and need assistance. Meanwhile, the Syrian regime and opposition forces are accusing one another of what appeared to be summary executions of dozens of people, almost all men in their 20s and 30s, whose bodies were found along a river in the Bustan al-Qasr district of Aleppo. At least 50 bodies were found, but estimates of the number killed reach over 100. Syrian state media, SANA, reported that the victims' families "have identified a number of the killed, stressing that the Nusra Front abducted them because of their refusal to cooperate with this terrorist group." The Local Coordination Committees, an opposition activist group, said 80 bodies were found and blamed the government for the mass killings. About half of the victims identified by Tuesday night were from opposition controlled districts, and some local residents blamed government checkpoints on the opposite side of the river.

Headlines  

• Reversing its decision after the Palestinian status upgrade at the United Nations, Israel said it will transfer tax and customs revenue to the Palestinian Authority to ease the economic crisis, but stressed the decision was "a one-time event."
• The Lebanese army has reported increased activity of Israeli planes over Lebanese air space as Israel has expressed greater concern recently over the loss of government control in Syria. 
• Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has flown to Germany on a trip shortened by Egypt's worsening crisis, but has unveiled a plan to amend several constitutional articles.

Arguments and Analysis

Does Jordan's election change anything? (Julien Barnes-Dacey, The European Council on Foreign Relations)

"Last week's parliamentary elections in Jordan have been widely hailed as a success. Domestic and international observers have praised the integrity of the vote and the turnout figure of 56.5 percent has been taken, by some, as a popular endorsement of King Abdullah's reform track. The Royal Palace is likely enjoying a moment of renewed confidence following a difficult year, particularly as fears about the spread of instability from Syria are also dampening opposition activism. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the King hailed a "wonderful election outcome."

Yet while the general integrity of the electoral process was a positive improvement on past elections, in and of itself, the vote may not actually mean that much. Following two years of low level - but nationwide - protests provoked by a lack of substantial political reform or the tackling of state corruption, the country remains in a precarious position. Much will now depend on the King's willingness to push through bolder measures aimed at cementing a more inclusive order if further unrest is to be avoided."

Why Palestine Should Take Israel to Court in The Hague (George Bisharat, The New York Times)

"If Palestinians succeed in getting the I.C.C. to examine their grievances, Israel's campaign to bend international law to its advantage would finally be subjected to international judicial review and, one hopes, curbed. Israel's dangerous legal innovations, if accepted, would expand the scope of permissible violence to previously protected persons and places, and turn international humanitarian law on its head. We do not want a world in which journalists become fair game because of their employers' ideas.

If the choice is between a Palestinian legal intifada, in which arguments are hashed out in court, and an actual intifada, in which blood flows in the streets, the global community should encourage the former.

Indeed, Palestinians would be doing themselves, Israelis and the global community a favor by invoking I.C.C. jurisdiction. Ending Israel's impunity for its clear violations of legal norms would both promote peace in the Middle East and help uphold the integrity of international law."

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has called for a "national dialogue" after five days of deadly violence across the country. Morsi's declaration raises concerns about the strength of the central government and the country's democratic transition, as the economy continues to decline. On Sunday, Morsi declared a month-long state of emergency and curfew in Port Said, Suez, and Ismailia, all along the Suez Canal, after an estimated 49 people died in protests and violence last week, mostly in Port Said. Riots were ignited on Saturday after a court issued death sentences for 21 people for their roles in riots at a soccer match last year that left 74 people dead. On Sunday, tens of thousands of people rallied in Port Said calling for independence from Egypt. Clashes have also erupted in Cairo's Tahrir square between police and anti-government protests who gathered on Friday, January 25 for the second anniversary of Egypt's revolution which ousted Hosni Mubarak. Demonstrators in Tahrir are accusing Morsi of hijacking the revolution and are calling for the repeal of the Islamist backed constitution, which was approved in a referendum in December 2012. Morsi has invited representatives from 11 of the country's political forces for talks at the presidential palace on Monday, but it is unclear if the opposition will attend.

Syria

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's chances of retaining power are getting "smaller and smaller" in a transcript of an interview with CNN. As a long-time Syrian ally, Medvedev's remarks were the most pointed yet. However, the prime minister maintained that the United States, or any other country, must not decide whether Assad stays in power. U.S. President Barack Obama, in interviews with The New Republic and "60 Minutes," said he has been struggling with whether the U.S. military should intervene in the Syrian conflict. Obama's statements came after world leaders gathering in Davos, Switzerland said they wanted the United States to be more involved in issues including the conflicts in Syria and Mali. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius warned that Syria could fall into the control of Islamist militant groups if the international community doesn't do more to support the Syrian opposition. Fabius spoke at the opening of a meeting with Western and Arab countries and senior members of the Syrian National Coalition on Monday. The United Nations is struggling with dealing with the humanitarian crisis from the Syrian conflict. It is expected to make an appeal at a conference in Kuwait this week for donations to fill an over $1 billion gap in funding for assistance for those who have been displaced by fighting.  

Headlines  

• The United Arab Emirates has ordered the trial of 94 people accused of plotting to overthrow the state.
• With a presidential elections five months away, Iranian authorities have arrested an estimated dozen journalists in the past two days for their ties to "anti-revolutionary" media.
• Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who has been in a coma since 2007, has shown significant brain activity according to Soroka Medical Center. 
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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday and defended how she handled the September 11, 2012 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. Clinton accepted responsibility for the security lapses in Benghazi, saying she feels "responsible for the nearly 70,000 people who work for the State Department," but would not accept the blame. She said she did not personally see the security requests for Benghazi, which were handled by security professionals within the department. Accusations over the initial Obama administration response to the attack came into question by Republicans prior to the November 2012 presidential elections, and compelled Susan Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, to remove herself from consideration to succeed Clinton as Secretary of State. Clinton asserted there was too much focus on the characterization of the attack rather than efforts to prevent a reoccurrence. Critics said Clinton's testimony failed to bring any more clarity to the attacks. Republican Senator John McCain said her answers were "not satisfactory" and Republican Senator Rand Paul said Clinton should have resigned after the attack. 

Syria

Syrian warplanes hit opposition held areas around Damascus on Thursday after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the enemies' of President Bashar al-Assad insistence on overthrowing the government is an obstacle to peace. Lavrov's comments came Wednesday after suggestions that Russia might change its stance on Assad after it began evacuating some of its citizens. Lavrov maintained that no large-scale evacuation is necessary. He accused Western and Arab countries that have recognized the opposition Syrian National Coalition for undermining political efforts to attain a peaceful solution to the conflict that began in March 2011. Meanwhile, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, government fighter jets hit the Damascus suburb of Daraya with eight airstrikes Thursday near a military air base. Additionally, government forces reportedly shelled the town of Aqraba in a battle over a strategic road connecting the capital with the Damascus International Airport.

Headlines

• Yair Lapid, head of the new centrist Yesh Atid party, which surprisingly won an estimated 19 seats in Israel's Knesset elections, said he will not form an "anti-Netanyahu bloc."
• Pro-government tribal candidates gained seats in Jordan's parliamentary election Wednesday after a Muslim Brotherhood boycott.
• Bahraini Princess Noura Bint Ebrahim al-Khalifa is facing torture charges for abusing protesters detained in the government crackdown on the uprising that began in February 2011.
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Israelis have begun voting Tuesday in a general election likely to ensure a third term for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a coalition leaning further toward the conservative right, and away from peace with the Palestinians. As of 2:00 p.m., 38.3 percent of eligible Israelis had voted, up by four percent from the 2009 elections, but turnout from Arab Israelis is only estimated at about 10 percent. Thirty-two parties are competing for seats in the 120-member Knesset. Final opinion polls show Netanyahu's Likud party alongside Avigdor Lieberman's ultranationalist Yisrael Beitenu party leading, taking 32 seats, however Likud has recently lost ground to the far-right party of Naftali Bennett, Habayit Hayehudi, or Jewish Home. Bennett, Netanyahu's former chief of staff, has rejected a two-state solution to the Israeli and Palestinian conflict, and has been an advocate for Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Israel's center and left parties failed to present a unified bloc strong enough to present a challenge to Netanyahu. The Labor party is expected to take about 17 seats in the Knesset, but the party's leader, Shelly Yachimovich, said they would not join Netanyahu's coalition. Campaigns leading up to the election veered from traditional issues such as the peace process with the Palestinians and Iran's nuclear program, toward domestic issues such as the economy and housing prices. Most polls close at 10:00 p.m. and preliminary results are expected as early as two hours later, but the final outcome should be known by Wednesday morning.

Syria

Russia has sent two airplanes to Lebanon to evacuate about 100 Russian citizens from warring Syria. It is unclear if the effort signals the beginning of a large scale-evacuation. There are an estimated 30,000 Russians living and working in Syria. Russia has remained an ally to Syria throughout the conflict sparked in March 2011, and has maintained support for President Bashar al-Assad and blocked two U.N. Security Council Resolutions on Syria. According to a Russian diplomat, many areas of Damascus are safe, and this is not an evacuation. He said, "We are simply helping people who have gone to the Russian consulate in Damascus requesting assistance." He continued, however, that these planes would likely not be the last and other officials have attested to contingency plans. Russia has about a dozen naval vessels off the coast of Syria, and they could be used in the event of a large-scale evacuation, according to officials. Meanwhile, an estimated 56 people have been killed in a week of fighting between opposition fighters and Kurdish forces in northeast Syria. The Kurdish minority has used the security vacuum from the nearing two-year conflict to establish greater autonomy, but has remained distant from the increasingly Islamist dominated Sunni opposition. Additionally, an estimated 42 people, including women and children, were killed in a suicide car bombing Monday in the town of Salamiyah in Hama province, apparently targeting pro-government militia. 

Headlines

• Three car bombings in and near the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on Tuesday have killed 17 people and injured dozens of others.
• According to Algeria's foreign minister, 37 foreigners died, five hostages are missing, and 29 militants were killed after a siege on the In Amenas gas plant ended over the weekend.
• After failed talks on Jan. 16 and 17, the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran will meet again on February 13 in Tehran to discuss the country's disputed nuclear program.
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