Al-Monitor Daily Briefing: Putin sees opportunity in Syria's COVID-19 crisis

If you have trouble reading this email, [view it in a browser](. [logo]( [fb_icon]( [twitter_icon]( EDITOR'S PICKS Thursday, April 2 | Daily Briefing [By: Daniel Hoffman on Wednesday, Apr. 1, 2020]( 1 [Putin sees opportunity in Syria's COVID-19 crisis]( Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the dispatch of medical assistance to help Syria combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, but his real objective is far from altruistic. Turkey 2 [Turkey offers fresh money to companies, seeks donations for the poor amid coronavirus crisis]( While enhancing monetary expansion measures to prop up companies and banks against the coronavirus crisis, Ankara is calling for donations from the public to support the poor. Gulf 3 [Saudis risk losing last Republican defenders with oil price war]( The oil price war places the Saudis at risk of losing their previously stalwart defenders on Capitol Hill, the last line of defense against legislation targeting the kingdom. Palestine 4 [East Jerusalem medical community braces for spike in coronavirus cases]( East Jerusalem hospitals are preparing for the potential of overcrowding if the mitigation efforts to restrict coronavirus patients fails to lower those affected. Israel 5 [What can we learn from the left's disappointment in Gantz?]( The left-wing camp is disappointed after perceiving Blue and White leader Benny Gantz as a 2020 model of late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. 6 [Iraq to exhume bodies from Yazidi mass graves]( Iraq is uncovering and exhuming the mass graves of Islamic State victims, primarily Yazidis. Iraq 7 [Iraqi PM-designate may be on futile mission to win Iranian support]( Iraq's Prime Minister-designate Adnan al-Zurfi is on the verge of losing his nomination while simultaneously trying to appease the United States and Iran in his Cabinet formation. Israel 8 [Despite Israeli help to contain virus, Palestinian PM spreads conspiracies]( Even as Israel and the Palestinian Authority are cooperating to prevent both the spread of the coronavirus and an economic crisis in the Palestinian territories, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh is promoting conspiracy theories against Israel. 9 [Iranian officials send mixed signals on coronavirus fight]( Iran’s president once again projected a positive picture on his government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, contradicting alarms raised by health officials. 10 [Israeli health minister urges quarantine on ultra-Orthodox city]( Israel's Heath Ministry has urged Netanyahu to call for a lockdown in an ultra-Orthodox city overwhelmed by COVID-19. Syria 11 [Turkey appears to want more than Syria’s oil]( Like Moscow and Washington, Ankara seems to be coveting the oilfields of Deir ez-Zor in Syrian Kurdistan, which Kurds fear would give Turkey an opening to take over the entire Rojava area. 12 [Israel suggests strings be attached to coronavirus aid for Gaza]( Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett has urged that any aid to Gaza for the COVID-19 pandemic be linked to the recovery of soldiers' remains. 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]( © 2020 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