The mass hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners in Israel ends with a deal brokered by Egypt. Only some of their demands will be met, writes Khaled Amayreh in Ramallah

Recent internal elections in Hamas have greatly strengthened the hand of Khaled Meshaal, who but a few months ago was set to leave his position as Hamas head, writes Saleh Al-Naami

Yemeni government forces assisted by US drones have been carrying out attacks on Al-Qaeda fighters in the country before a Friends of Yemen meeting next week, writes Nasser Arrabyee in Sanaa

Last Thursday's Algerian parliamentary poll failed to jolt the entrenched ruling FLN, in power since 1962, writes Gamal Nkrumah

Turkey's refusal to extradite Iraqi politician Tariq Al-Hashemi to Iraq has added to the feuding between the two regional neighbours, writes Sayed Abdel-Maguid

Despite calls by Saudi King Abdullah last year for a union of Gulf states, the plan has now been postponed until December, writes Rasheed Abul-Samh

What are the prospects for Jordanian Prime Minister Fayez Al-Tarawneh being able to bring about real reform, asks Khetam Malkawi in Amman

The possible induction of Al-Qaeda inspired groups into Syria could make an intractable conflict irredeemable -- at least for the UN, writes Graham Usher

The Syrian regime and opposition have been accusing each other of undermining the Anan plan, raising questions as to whether it can succeed in resolving the crisis, writes Bassel Oudat in Damascus

Syria's economy is continuing on its downward spiral in the absence of a political solution to the crisis, writes Bassel Oudat