Iraqi Kurdistan
Talk of a referendum on the independence of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRoI) has really dropped off, with most of the little that I've seen recently being something like 'We will go on with the referendum even if there is no international support.'
No more oil has been sold by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). One tanker of crude was sold to Israel a few weeks ago but there are now three full tankers floating around in the Mediterranean.
The KRG has caught quite a lot of criticism recently along the lines of 'Israel is using KRoI oil to fuel it's attack on Gaza.'
Iran has announced that it will not recognize a unilaterally declared independent KRoI and has stated that they will seal the border if one is declared.
This leaves only Turkey as a transport route should an independent KRoI be unilaterally declared. And the Turkish position is unclear.
Iraq
The Iraqi government is taking shape. The Sunni Arab parties finally agreed on a candidate for Speaker of the Council of Representatives last week and he was elected.
The Kurdish parties, due to infighting, still have not been able to agree on a candidate for President of Iraq. They were to submit one today but couldn't. The Council will meet again tomorrow to see if the Kurdish parties have agreed on one.
After a president (the Kurdish parties' candidate) is elected by the council the process of forming a cabinet will begin.
Syria
If you read or hear that Syrian Kurds now support the western propped up opposition in Istanbul, take it with about ten million grains of salt. An exile Syrian Kurdish group, which is allied with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Iraqi Kurdistan, is trying to convince people that the Syrian Kurds have joined the idiots in Istanbul.
These Syrian Kurds have the odd positions that the Syrian Kurdish PYD is working with the Assad government and that Iran and the Assad government created and control ISIS(IS) so that it can destroy the Syrian Kurds.
And this group's position on Syrian Kurdish autonomy is that 'after the idiots in Istanbul overthrow Assad they'll think about it.'
Gaza
There is one big, big difference I've noticed between the Gaza ceasefire talks and the other ceasefire talks the west has been involved with recently.
For Syria the west's position was "Assad government, you resign and leave the country and then we'll 'talk'."
And for Ukraine the west's position was "Separatists, you quit, give up your arms, and go sit at home and then we'll 'talk'."
But for Gaza they haven't been as stupid or full of themselves. ... yet.
Israel
For all those who were so upset that flights to and from Ben-Gurion airport were cancelled.
Now imagine all the ports in Israel closed,
and all the Israeli border crossings closed,
and all imports into Israel, including medicine, so restricted that very, very little gets in,
and 97% of Israeli exports stopped,
and Israeli fishing boats only allowed to go about 5 km out to sea to catch fish,
and fuel for Israeli electricity generating plants only allowed in at the whim of some capricious outside power,
and Israeli banks only allowed to access their own money at the whim of some capricious outside central bank.
Now, wouldn't that be terrible?