A wide network of official and unofficial outlets and social media in Arabic parrot pro-Russian talking points about Ukraine. They are often lies, yet somehow the reports still appeal to people in the Middle East. By Cathrin Schaer and Emad HassanMore

They hold dual citizenship and speak both Arabic and Hebrew fluently. The small Samaritan community in Nablus sees itself as the custodian of the "true religion of the Israelites". Its members support a two-state solution, yet deliberately distance themselves from the Middle East conflict. Laura Overmeyer paid them a visitMore

For the first time since 1989, Algeria‘s authoritarian regime has sent a military parade marching through Algiers. A formidable show of strength designed to impress rival regional powers, the event also sought to highlight the country’s own stance on Israel and Palestine. By Sofian Philip NaceurMore

For many years, world-famous conductor Zubin Mehta has worked tirelessly to strengthen relations between Arabs and Jews, sponsoring projects such as "Road to Recovery", which is designed to foster dialogue and bring people closer together. Peter Munch reports from Tel AvivMore

In April 2012, Tukish novelist and Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk opened a private museum – "Masumiyet Muzesi" (The Museum of Innocence) – in an old district of Istanbul, showcasing thousands of objects relating to the life of ordinary people in the Turkish metropolis. More...More

Asked about the Shoah, Palestinians often bring up the Nakba, the displacement of Palestinians associated with the founding of the state of Israel. An Israeli Holocaust researcher and a Palestinian political scientist have developed a concept aimed at promoting dialogue about these two interlinked national traumas. By Joseph CroitoruMore

Fifty-five years after Israel began occupying Palestinian lands, it is more difficult than ever to imagine a way out. The seeds of the two-state solution that were planted by visionary leaders on both sides have failed to take root. All that remains is a fatalistic acceptance of the conflict’s insolubility. Commentary by Schlomo Ben-AmiMore

A law has been passed by the Iraqi parliament that criminalises any contact with Israel. In the midst of heated debates on the subject, one crucial aspect has been forgotten: the restitution of Jewish property. Birgit Svensson reports from BaghdadMore

In Iraq – which has suffered four decades of conflict and years of political and economic turmoil – separating and recycling waste has yet to become a priority for most people. Garbage clogs the banks of Iraq's Tigris River in Baghdad, but an army of young volunteers is cleaning it, a rare environmental project in the war-battered countryMore

A straightforward message emerged from last week’s meeting in the Negev desert of the foreign ministers of four Arab countries, Israel and the United States: Israel is key to the security of Gulf autocracies and continued U.S. engagement in the Middle East. By James M. DorseyMore