In a worsening trend in the Middle East, Egyptian Insurance and Social Affairs ministry has rejected the registration applications of 8 American non-profit groups that operate in the country. Egypt has claimed their activities violate its sovereignty. The groups that have been denied include Cater Center and Seeds of Peace.

Recently, Egypt had put 43 people on trial over the funding of non-governmental organizations. It was alleged that support from these groups might have assisted in triggering protests against the Egyptian military.

At the time, Washington had warned that it would review aid to Egypt if it did not respect rights of NGOs. The U.S. government ultimately paid $5 million in bail to secure the March 1 release of American NGO workers trapped in Egypt. These included Sam LaHood, the Cairo director of the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the son of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

In case of UAE, the country shut down the regional office of National Democratic Institute (NDI) just days before Clinton visited the region. UAE alleges that NDI had been operating without a license and had no legal right to operate in UAE. Moreover, NDI was writing things that were not true. On the other hand, some US officials have contended that UAE is acting on the behest of Saudi Arabia, which has objections on NDI’s program for women.

Following the UAE crackdown, a US State Department official stated to the Foreign Policy magazine:

“As the Secretary has said many times, we believe NGOs play a valuable and legitimate role in a country’s political and economic development. They should be able to operate consistent with regulations and standards and without constraints.”

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A clash between Egyptian forces and Copt protestors on Sunday left 26 people dead and 200 injured. State television reported that the clash erupted during a demonstration in the Maspero district on the Nile when hundreds of Muslims exchanged blows with the Coptic Christians who form 10% of the population. Stones were also hurled at the hospital which was treated those wounded in earlier fighting. The clashes have taken place for weeks.

Hundreds of Copts protested last Tuesday against the burning of a church after the governor of Aswan, Mustafa al-Seyyed, said the church broke regulations. Activists blame the government for encouraging sectarian violence in the country. Egypt’s Vice President resigned today as a result of the incident.

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Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Edrogan announced on Thursday that Turkey naval forces would escort the country’s humanitarian aid ships bound for Gaza. Erdogan told reporters “Turkish warships will be tasked with protecting the Turkish boats bringing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.” The announcement came in light of the row between Ankara and Tel Aviv over Israel’s refusal to apologize for a raid on a flotilla. In May 2010, Israeli commandos boarded the ship Mayi Marmara killing nine Turks, and sparking an international row between the two countries.

Israeli officials have terms the remarks serious, but do not plan to retaliate to the verbal attacks.

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United States threatened to cut aid to the Palestinian Authority if it continues with its decision to ask the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian state in next month’s meeting. According to reports, the statement was made on Friday by Daniel Rubinstein, the US consul general in Jerusalem to Saeb Eraketm, the Palestinian Authority’s chief negotiator. “In case the Palestinian Authority seeks to upgrade its position at the UN through the General Assembly, the US Congress will take punitive measures against it, including a cut in US aid,” Rubinstein said, according to the statement.

Palestine currently receives $460million from the United States, more than 10 percent of the authority’s annual budget.

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