Al-Monitor Daily Briefing: Turkish airstrikes target PKK rebels in Iraqi Kurdistan

[logo]( [fb_icon]( [twitter_icon]( EDITOR'S PICKS Wednesday, May 22 | Daily Briefing [By: Amberin Zaman on Tuesday, May. 21, 2019]( Turkey 1 [Turkish airstrikes target PKK rebels in Iraqi Kurdistan]( Turkey claims its military operations against PKK rebels are more effective than ever thanks to drones. Iran 2 [How reliable is Russia as a partner to help Iran dodge US pressure?]( Iran is relying on Russia to minimize the impact of the US "maximum pressure" campaign, but Russia seems to have reservations while it also enjoys certain advantages if US-Iran tensions remain unresolved, albeit at a controlled level. Washington 3 [Democrats fret over Iran escalation risk]( Democrats are urging the Donald Trump administration to tamp down tensions with Iran following an all-members briefing. Israel 4 [Netanyahu battles judicial system, tarnishes Israel’s image]( Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is destroying Israel's image as a democratic state in a shameless battle against the Supreme Court in an attempt to protect himself from indictment. Turkey 5 [How viable is Turkey’s bid for military partnership with Iraq?]( Turkey and Iraq have agreed to work on sealing a military cooperation agreement, and although regional developments dictate the solution of bilateral crises, the volatile relationship between the two neighbors calls for tempered optimism. Egypt 6 [Award-winning book narrates migration in five letters]( Hoda Barakat's "The Night Post," which tells the story of five Arab migrants, won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction amid controversy. Lebanon 7 [Amid protests, Lebanon’s Cabinet faces difficult choices on public sector austerity]( Analysts doubt that Lebanon’s Cabinet will be able to reduce the budget deficit and salvage the long-term health of the Lebanese economy without taking unpopular austerity measures, and not taking them would lead to an even more dire economic situation. Turkey 8 [Turkey’s debt-ridden Treasury mulls risky steps to stay afloat]( Grappling with a growing budget deficit and with little room to maneuver, Ankara has come to consider some unorthodox measures, including the high-risk idea of tapping the central bank’s rainy-day cash. Israel 9 [Likud seniors silent on hate campaign against Netanyahu’s rival]( Senior Likud members are so afraid about their future Cabinet portfolios, they keep silent over the incitement campaign launched by associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against Gideon Saar. Turkey 10 [Why 'Putin's personal army' chief visited Turkey]( Viktor Zolotov, the head of Russian National Guard, also known as Vladimir Putin's personal army, paid a surprising visit to Turkey's capital. Israel 11 [Netanyahu’s dilemma: settlements versus immunity]( Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must deal with the problematic demand that he include reversing disengagement from the northern West Bank as part of a coalition agreement. Egypt 12 [What does the UAE expect from Egypt?]( Political analysts believe Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to Cairo helps solidify UAE-Egypt relations as the situation escalates in the Gulf. Iran 13 [Iran sticks to its guns: No room for talks with Trump]( Iran's president has once again ruled out dialog with his US counterpart amid mixed signals from the White House. Yet third-party mediation remains an option both sides seemingly favor. Russia / Mideast 14 [Russia may have designs on Iran's trade with Syria]( Observers wonder whether Russia will cut into Iran's trade volume with Syria. 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