The Takeaway: Would Hamas complicate US plans for reset with Palestinians? Also: the back story on the spat between Israel and Jordan; Gulf post-COVID economic trends; Turkey’s Kurds; Egypt and Somalia; and more! Originals
Egypt sentences activist Sanaa Seif to 18 months in prison Seif, who had been in pretrial detention since June, was convicted Wednesday of spreading false news and misusing social media. Egypt
Ukraine rejects Iran's final report on downed passenger plane The Iranian government said last year's shooting down of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was the result of a human error. Iran
Palestinians receive first batch of vaccines through COVAX More than 60,000 doses of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines arrived in Ramallah on Wednesday. Palestine
Russia’s multilayered Syrian diplomacy worries Iran Mistrust and differing objectives continue to mar Iran-Russia relations, even as the two countries move forward on Syria. Saudi Arabia
Iran reacts to Trump's 'very dangerous' Jerusalem decision In reaction to Trump’s move to declare recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Iranian leaders warned that they won’t tolerate aggression against holy sites. Palestine
Pro-Erdogan groups call for Brett McGurk's arrest A no-name group claiming to work against the US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen has called for the arrest of US diplomat Brett McGurk, the most recent American to be targeted by supporters of the Turkish president. Turkey
Fear of Netanyahu paralyzes Likud leadership Some senior Likud politicians may feel that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must quit over the ongoing investigations, but no one is brave enough to say it aloud. Israel
#MeToo movement is stillborn in Turkey The #MeToo movement has focused on violence in Turkey with significant support, but the attackers are neither named nor punished, and sexual misconduct is still a taboo subject, so its victims often suffer alone in shame. Turkey
US sanctions-busting trial fails to shock Turkish markets Turkey’s financial markets remained relatively calm in the face of bribery confessions and other allegations targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey
Can Hamas agree to prisoner swap with Israel? Egypt pushes Hamas to send Israel some signs, signaling that it is ready for a prisoner-exchange deal. Palestine
Should Egypt arm Sinai tribes to confront extremists? The November attack on Al-Rawdah Mosque in the Sinai Peninsula has led to mounting calls for the arming of tribes, but not all tribes think that would be a good move. Egypt
How Egyptian public workers will stay warm this winter An initiative to allow Egyptian public sector employees to buy winter clothes and pay in installments amid soaring prices could revive the stagnating garment sector. Egypt
Hamas warns West Bank arrests could derail reconciliation Hamas is accusing the Palestinian security services in the West Bank of continued political arrests against its members despite the reconciliation agreement with Fatah. Palestine
Lebanon’s tech-savvy youths poised for bright future Initiatives in Lebanon assist youths in exploring technology and science, which could give them a boost in the job market in the future. Lebanon
Palestinians cancel Capitol Hill Christmas over Trump remarks The Palestinian mission in Washington abandoned attempts to court the White House and Congress with the mission's first-ever Christmas party on Capitol Hill after it was announced that President Donald Trump would make a major statement on the status of Jerusalem on Wednesday. Palestine
