Al-Monitor Daily Briefing: Saudi crown prince capitalizes on photo ops in Asia

[logo]( [fb_icon]( [twitter_icon]( EDITOR'S PICKS Monday, February 25 | Daily Briefing [By: Bruce Riedel on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019]( Gulf 1 [Saudi crown prince capitalizes on photo ops in Asia]( Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's walk on the Great Wall of China, visits to Pakistan and India and the appointment of a Saudi princess as ambassador to Washington distract attention from the Khashoggi killing and the war in Yemen. Iran 2 [For Iran, the latest Sochi summit was not just about Syria]( Iran used the recent summit in Sochi with Russia and Turkey not merely to signal a willingness to expand its diplomatic role in Syria, but also to maneuver on other issues. Israel 3 [Could new Israeli party topple Netanyahu’s Likud?]( For the first time in years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is confronted with polls that place his Likud party second and not first. 4 [Iraq's ancient city of Ur: source of law, site of wonder]( Tourists are slowly beginning to return to the ancient Sumerian city of Ur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, raising hopes among some locals. Turkey 5 [Turkey may help Moscow with Afghan negotiations]( Russia is increasing its mediation efforts in Afghanistan as the United States plans its exit. Washington 6 [Pentagon tries to reassure Kurdish allies amid Syria pullout confusion]( With the Islamic State down to its last few miles in Syria, the Pentagon hopes to get the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces to assist with the American withdrawal. 7 [Iraq’s two leading parliamentary movements amp up coordination]( The Fatah and Sairoon movements have stepped up their efforts to see that the Cabinet is completed and for the government to properly face the issues ahead. Israel 8 [Israeli diplomats cheer European debate on anti-Zionism]( On the backdrop of rising violence against Jews in Europe, Israeli envoys are relieved to hear Europeans argue about whether anti-Zionism is a form of anti-Semitism. 9 [IS targets truffle hunters across Sunni regions]( Many civilians and local security forces have been kidnapped or killed in recent weeks while looking for white truffles, mostly in desert and mountainous areas of Sunni-dominant provinces. Palestine 10 [Hamas, Israel fight intelligence war]( In light of ongoing investigations with suspected collaborators with Israel, Hamas’ security forces have managed to seize tracking chips Israel allegedly tried to smuggle into the Gaza Strip. 11 [Iran threatened by Russia-Saudi oil pact]( Oil dealings between Moscow and Riyadh raise suspicions in Tehran, but Iran may soon learn they have a silver lining. Turkey 12 [Erdogan FC: A soccer dream deferred]( Turkish media recently reported the founding of a soccer team called the Presidency Sports Club, but in less than a day all traces of the team had vanished. It's not likely the end of the story. Israel 13 [Israeli Arabs engaging in electoral campaign]( The merger of the Hadash and Ta’al parties reflects growing willingness within the Israeli Arab population to become a meaningful part of Israel’s society and electoral map. Palestine 14 [Gazans reluctant to import from Egypt despite Hamas’ encouragement]( Although Hamas reduced fees imposed on goods entering the Gaza Strip, it seems local traders are hesitant to import from Egypt, which imposes high fees on traded products. Iraq 15 [Iran questions Iraq's promise to import oil despite sanctions]( In a surprising statement, Iran's oil minister recently complained that Iraq is abiding by the US sanctions and canceling some energy deals with Iran. Palestine 16 [The PLO is counting its expatriates]( The PLO is launching a comprehensive census of Palestinian expatriates to obtain a qualitative database. 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]( © 2019 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