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
Will Gaza, West Bank merge security forces? Fatah and Hamas are seeking to overcome the obstacles to reconciliation, namely the problems related to security services and Hamas-appointed employees. Palestine
Delegation inspects Renaissance Dam in first Egyptian visit Representatives of the Egyptian Ministry of Water and Irrigation visited Ethiopia's in-progress Renaissance Dam to verify no water is being stored there yet, but anxiety continues over an overdue technical report on the project's impacts. Egypt
How Netanyahu's plan to lower electoral threshold could backfire Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is promoting lowering the Knesset electoral threshold to prevent wasted votes on the Israeli right, but not everybody on the right is on board with the plan. Israel
Turkey tightens siege on Afrin Turkey is closing in on the Kurdish stronghold of Afrin in northern Syria. Syria
Putin resets Iraqi energy landscape as Barzani steps aside Russian moves maximize leverage as US stumbles on Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units; Massoud Barzani resigns as Kurdistan Region president; Syria and Russia take initiative with regard to local governance in Syria. Iraq
Why did Erdogan sacrifice Kurdish vote? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, having lost his last Kurdish "brother" Massoud Barzani, explores other ways to compensate for the Kurdish vote. Turkey
Turkey pays informants to target most wanted terrorists Al-Monitor looks into the success of Turkey's 2-year-old program that pays informants for tips that help eliminate illegal organizations operating in the country. Turkey
Istanbul’s housing sector in turmoil The increase in housing prices in Istanbul has fallen below both the inflation rate and the increase in construction costs, signaling serous trouble for a sector that has long been a driving force of the Turkish economy. Turkey
Mounting calls to form 'national salvation government' in Iraqi Kurdistan Amid the rejection of the two main parties, opposition parties in the Kurdistan Region are calling for a so-called government of national salvation. Iraq
Historic Boeing-IranAir deal at risk amid claims of IRGC use Charges that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may use Boeing jets in its operations put the US aircraft maker’s landmark deal with IranAir at risk. United States
Lebanon's civil war scars re-emerge with assassination case verdict The sentencing of two men accused of assassinating former Lebanese President-elect Bashir Gemayel in 1982 has become politicized as questions are raised about its timing. Lebanon
Hamas' futile pursuit of a middle ground Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh called Jordanian King Abdullah II to try to engage him in efforts to achieve Palestinian unity while his deputy appears to have secured the support of Iran for the movement. Palestine
