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
Israeli judiciary’s double standard on Jewish, Arab terrorists The Israeli justice system appears to have a double standard on collective punishment for the families of Arabs who commit acts of terror and those of Jews who do the same. Palestine
Palestinian succession gets more complicated Hopes that Saeb Erekat, the head of the Palestinian negotiating team, would succeed President Mahmoud Abbas have been dashed by news that Erekat has to undergo an urgent lung transplant, thus further complicating the Palestinian political scene. Palestine
New Hamas chief's first speech reflects strategic shift Ismail Haniyeh's maiden speech as the head of Hamas' political bureau was uncharacteristically dry and vague for the movement, avoiding potentially divisive policy details and providing leeway for any future shift in positions. Palestine
Pentagon: Rebel forces taking heavy casualties in Raqqa fight The United States confirmed today that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are taking heavy casualties in an effort to push the Islamic State out of its stronghold in Raqqa. Syria
Turkish-YPG clashes rage around critical sites in northern Syria Turkey and its allies among the Syrian rebel forces have intensified attacks on Syrian Kurdish fighters in northwest Syria as Turkey's buildup continues. Syria
Exhibition in Cairo casts a look at 1980s art Five artists of the 1980s came together in Cairo’s Soma Art Gallery to showcase their work from 30 years ago. Egypt
Even through all his bluster, Erdogan's fear is obvious Despite massive purges since the attempted coup a year ago, Turkey's president and those around him are still afraid of their own military. Turkey
450-year-old home restored in traditional style in Gaza A Gaza resident has turned his centuries-old house into a Damascene-type home with an inner courtyard, using old cut stones, stained glass and iron. Palestine
Israeli-Arab town's residents fear speaking out after Temple Mount attack Residents of Umm al-Fahm, an Israeli-Arab town that was home to the three perpetrators of Friday's Temple Mount attack, claim that ever since Islamic Movement’s northern branch leader Sheikh Raed Salah was elected mayor, the town has been turning extremely religious. Palestine
What Netanyahu told Macron in Paris French President Emmanuel Macron’s warm welcome in Paris of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shouldn’t fool Jerusalem; France will continue to criticize settlement construction and continue the quest for the two-state solution. Palestine
Arrest of Rouhani's brother reveals internal power struggle in Iran The arrest of Hassan Rouhani’s brother poses a major challenge for the Iranian president. Iran
Doomsday averted on the Temple Mount, for now Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas set aside their mutual loathing to calm tensions when Israeli Arabs launched a short-lived attack on the Temple Mount. Palestine
