Daily Briefing Erdogan gobbles up power in new Turkish government CENGIZ ÇANDAR for Al-Monitor Turkey’s recently announced cabinet is stacked with loyal allies of the president, making it clear that this is the ‘government of Erdogan’. Egypt is now publishing Friday sermons in English, but is anyone reading them?  AHMED FOUAD FOR AL-MONITOR Iran has high hopes for slick new oil contract model  FARSHAD KASHANI FOR AL-MONITOR Rouhani: Jets are not toys to shoot down  ARASH KARAMI FOR AL-MONITOR Kerry, the tourist  BEN CASPIT FOR AL-MONITOR In quest for statehood, Palestinians prepare security plans  URI SAVIR FOR AL-MONITOR From smoking weed to sexual harassment, Israel's Knesset members struggle with scandal  MAZAL MUALEM FOR AL-MONITOR Will Gaza’s public employees accept land in lieu of salaries?  ADNAN ABU AMER FOR AL-MONITOR Freed Palestinian prisoner: Swap deal with Israel is worthless if it excludes the sick  AHMAD ABU AMER FOR AL-MONITOR Chest-thumping pundits relish 'messing with Putin'  PINAR TREMBLAY FOR AL-MONITOR Who are 'Allah's lions'?  ORHAN KEMAL CENGIZ FOR AL-MONITOR VIEW SLIDESHOW> Egypt Gulf Iran Iraq Israel Lebanon Palestine Syria Turkey Congress Russia / MidEast