Netanyahu and Al-Assad have visited France for talks in quick succession. But will Paris be able to help Syria and Israel overcome their differences, asks Bassel Oudat in Damascus

Palestinians are distrustful of a proposal by Salam Fayyad to declare a state within two years, reports Saleh Al-Naami

Continuing in disarray, the Palestinian arena appears locked between warring factions, delayed elections and a moribund peace process with Israel, writes Khaled Amayreh in Ramallah

Strained Iranian-Saudi relations over events in Yemen threaten to embroil the region in another wave of sectarian tension, writes Omayma Abdel-Latif

Following Saudi attacks on Al-Houthi rebel positions in northern Yemen, conditions among those fleeing the conflict have markedly worsened, reports Nasser Arrabyee

Egypt has been moving closer to Iraq, but does that mean facing up to Iran's regional ambitions, asks Salah Hemeid