Al-Monitor Daily Briefing: Why have recent mass Palestinian protests been limited to Gaza?

[logo]( [fb_icon]( [twitter_icon]( EDITOR'S PICKS Friday, April 6 | Daily Briefing [By: Daoud Kuttab on Thursday, Apr. 5, 2018]( Palestine 1 [Why have recent mass Palestinian protests been limited to Gaza?]( The recent mass protests along the Gaza-Israel border raise questions as to why similar events aren't happening in the West Bank. Turkey 2 [Turkey offers death benefits to its Syrian anti-Kurdish allies]( Kudos bestowed on Turkey's Free Syrian Army allies for their performance in Operation Olive Branch appear to have earned the fighters additional financial and medical support from the Turkish government. Russia / Mideast 3 [Energy, military cooperation dominate Putin’s visit to Turkey]( Turkey anticipates even deeper ties with Russia as the two countries embark on massive development projects and a major military contract. Israel 4 [Netanyahu moves to co-opt Independence Day celebrations]( Despite the tradition of the Knesset leading the April 18 festivities as a gesture of Israeli unity, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to preside over the celebrations himself. Egypt 5 [As Egypt tightens grip on IS, it's also strangling Sinai residents]( The Egyptian army has laid siege to the Sinai Peninsula in an effort to combat terrorism, but its actions are disrupting the lives of more than 250,000 residents. Palestine 6 [Fatah fosters ties with Ankara]( The Fatah movement has been growing closer to Turkey while its ties with Cairo seem to be deteriorating. Washington 7 [US ramps up counter-WMD spending amid Mideast proliferation threats]( The Pentagon is putting $6 million into countering weapons of mass destruction in five Middle Eastern countries, as US special operations forces take control of the fight. 8 [Beirut renames seaside avenue after Saudi benefactor]( Will King Salman Avenue bring Lebanon more Saudi tourists, or does it just represent the failures of the Lebanese political system? 9 [Iranian conservatives ask supreme leader for reforms]( Conservative officials and activists aligned with former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wrote an open letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the need for reforms. Palestine 10 [Who's to blame for failed Palestinian reconciliation?]( The recent accusations by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas blaming Hamas for orchestrating the attack against Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah seem to have terminated hopes of a Palestinian reconciliation in the near term. Turkey 11 [Turkey ramps up pharmaceutical expansion]( Amid a wave of government-driven nationalism, Turkey’s latest “national” project is to develop a strong pharmaceutical sector. Iran 12 [Late Iranian president's son on road to become Tehran mayor]( Mohsen Hashemi, the oldest son of late Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, may become mayor of the country’s capital. Israel 13 [Humiliated Netanyahu scapegoats pro-democracy NGO]( Frantic to extract himself from his immigration failure, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accusing a US-based nongovernmental organization called the New Israel Fund of sabotaging an agreement with Rwanda. Palestine 14 [Abbas' decision to ban official travel to Gaza sparks controversy]( Following the bombing that targeted Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah during his visit to Gaza, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas banned PA officials from traveling to the strip. Palestine 15 [Aspiring filmmaker brings visual tricks to Gazans]( With basic equipment, aspiring filmmaker Mahmoud Alzaq takes his YouTube followers on a journey of visual tricks and illusions. STAY CONNECTED [fb_icon_footer]( [twitter_icon_footer]( [instagram_icon_footer]( [rss_icon_footer]( CONTACT US [Support & Contact]( [Advertise](mailto:advertise@al-monitor.com) NEWSLETTERS [Subscribe]( TERMS OF USE [Visitor Agreement]( [Privacy Policy]( © 2017 Al-Monitor. All Rights Reserved. If you no longer wish to receive these emails you may [unsubscribe or manage your preferences]( at any time. Al-Monitor · 1850 K St NW · Suite 1225 · Washington, DC 20006 · USA