Al-Monitor Daily Briefing: Erdogan's order making Hagia Sophia mosque brings cheers, mourning

If you have trouble reading this email, [view it in a browser](. [logo]( [fb_icon]( [twitter_icon]( EDITOR'S PICKS Friday, July 10 | Daily Briefing [By: Amberin Zaman on Friday, Jul. 10, 2020]( 1 [Erdogan's order making Hagia Sophia mosque brings cheers, mourning]( While many pious Turks and some Muslims throughout the world celebrated the decision to revert the world heritage site to its pre-Ataturk status, others warned of the move's potential to create further domestic polarization. Iran 2 [Iran government squeezed over ‘secretive’ deal with China]( Pressure is mounting on the Iranian government to release specifics of a contentious, long-term partnership agreement with Beijing, which some critics fear could effectively turn Iran into a Chinese “colony.” Israel 3 [Israel shifts blame for prostitution from sex workers to clients]( After years of promotion and preparation, Israel's new law criminalizing the consumption of prostitution has finally entered into force. 4 [Turkey expels Protestant missionaries for 'threatening public order']( The Turkish Protestant community is witnessing a purge as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government turns up pressure against the church. Iran 5 [Nine Iranian MPs test positive for coronavirus]( Iran has continued to see a rise in coronavirus-related deaths as the virus spreads across provinces. Israel 6 [Will COVID-19 crisis bury PM Netanyahu?]( With an unprecedented economic crisis generated by the coronavirus pandemic, it is not at all sure whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can regain public trust. Turkey 7 [Why Turkey is trying to improve its profile in the Maghreb]( In parallel with its military activities in Libya and rising profile in Africa, Ankara moves to strengthen its geostrategic and geo-economic ties with Maghreb countries. Washington 8 [US CENTCOM commander discusses security ties in visit to Iraq]( The visit of US Central Command Gen. Frank McKenzie to Baghdad this week comes as the United States restructures and consolidates force posture while bringing in more NATO advisers. Egypt 9 [Egyptian women call out accused rapist, demand change]( The arrest of an accused serial rapist and sexual harasser in Egypt has rekindled public discussion about sexual harassment and abuse after many women shared their stories of the man over social media. Israel 10 [Israel said to offer Hamas prisoner swap]( Palestinian sources claim that Israel has offered Hamas a limp proposal for a prisoner-exchange deal. 11 [Sudan reopens airport to flights from Egypt, UAE, Turkey]( The reopening follows the easing of virus-related restrictions and a modest decline in daily COVID-19 cases. Washington 12 [Intel: CENTCOM commander says Soleimani strike won’t deter Iran forever]( The top commander of US military forces in the Middle East says he believes the assassination of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani has only temporarily deterred Iran from pursuing its goal of pushing US troops out of the region. 13 [Emirates resumes more international flights as restrictions ease]( The addition of flights to Los Angeles, Dar es Salaam and other destinations follows the resumption of tourism to Dubai. Gulf 14 [UAE seeks turnaround in relations with Somalia for help in Yemen war]( The United Arab Emirates has offered Somalia to reopen a hospital in the capital, in exchange for backing the UAE’s involvement in the Yemeni war, but Somalia rejected this amid deteriorating relations between the two countries. 15 [What would President Kanye West's Middle East policy be?]( Rapper Kanye West has yet to develop a foreign policy platform for his announced presidential candidacy, but his past lyrics, tweets and travels may reveal some of his views. Washington 16 [Intel: Turkey lashes out at new US support for Cyprus]( Turkey is lashing out at the United States as Washington moves closer to providing Cyprus with military aid as the disputed island nation develops closer energy ties with Israel. 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