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
Israel may regret hasty UNESCO exit Israel reacted quickly to the US announcement that it was pulling out of UNESCO with one of its own, potentially forfeiting an opportunity to shore up its international presence. Qatar
How will Hamas’ new deputy head influence events? The election of Saleh al-Arouri as deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau reflects a shift in the movement toward leaders with strong local ties in the Palestinian territories. Palestine
Israel should practice what it preaches to the Palestinians Instead of risking a three-front war with its current policy of settlement expansion, Israel would do better if its leaders followed through on previous peace initiatives and the commitments it has made in negotiations with the Palestinians. Palestine
Arabs campaign to keep Israel from gaining foothold in Africa After Togo postponed the African-Israel Summit, Arab efforts continue to permanently cancel the event. Egypt
Egypt added to Roman Catholic pilgrimage list Egypt's elated tourism officials are ready to roll out the red carpet for Catholics now that the country has Pope Francis' blessing as a pilgrimage destination. Egypt
Israel's center-left fears opposing Netanyahu on Iran The center-left's flaccid leadership on security and diplomatic issues is once again on display, with pronouncements in line with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's agenda. Israel
Congress threatens to withhold arms from Baghdad Allegations that Shiite-majority militias allied with Iraq’s central government have used US military equipment against Kurds in the disputed Kirkuk province has sparked outrage among US lawmakers. Iraq
IRGC's popularity gets 'Trump bump' After US President Donald Trump's speech, Iranians tweeted in support of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. United States
Assessing impact of shifting Iran-KRG relations While Iran’s important trade with Iraqi Kurdistan could temper tensions, Iranian geostrategic concerns in the aftermath of the Kurdish independence referendum are driving government policy. Iran
Turkish deployment may redraw battle lines in Syria's Idlib The Turkish military deployment in Idlib has a direct impact on armed factions in the region, some of which have already accused Turkey of implementing Russia’s plans. Syria
Egyptian doctors, therapists explore healing powers of music Though new and experimental treatments are slow to be adopted in Egypt, some medical professionals see great potential in music therapy. Egypt
Turkey targets 30% hike in military spending next year Turkey expects the public to fund a huge increase in military expenditures through new direct tax hikes and price increases. Turkey
