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
Is Sisi undermining independence of Egypt's judiciary? Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi approved legal amendments that allow him to appoint the heads of the judicial bodies in the country, which forecasts a never-ending clash between the state and judges. Egypt
Hamas defies charter, recognizes 1967 borders Hamas' recognition of the Israeli borders established in 1967 is part of outgoing political chief Khaled Meshaal's legacy of pragmatism, but Israel won't be easily soothed. Palestine
Netanyahu’s old friend becomes Trump’s new ally Much to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chagrin, Jewish billionaire Ronald Lauder is encouraging US President Donald Trump to advance the two-state solution. Palestine
US to send senior envoy to Syria talks after Trump-Putin call Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Stuart Jones is set to attend Syria cease-fire talks in Astana on May 3-4 after Trump-Putin confer on Syria. Syria
Gulf carriers delight as Congress rakes US airlines over the coals Lawmakers fault lack of competition for plummeting US customer service; could this affect US airlines' campaign for fairer competition with Gulf carriers? United Arab Emirates
Cotton revival could keep Egypt’s economy spinning The production and export of Egypt’s most famous crop is seeing a revival after quality assurance measures are enacted. Egypt
Turkey continues its foreign policy blunders Turkey finds itself ever more isolated after making "frenemies" on all fronts. Syria
Post-referendum, what’s next for Turkey’s EU bid? EU foreign ministers disappoint Turkey’s democratic opposition by declaring “respect” for referendum results that further empower President Erdogan. Turkey
Which candidate does Iran’s influential speaker favor? In Iran, moderate conservatives have officially thrown their weight behind incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, who is seeking a second term in the May 19 presidential elections. Iran
Why Rouhani will likely win second term While incumbent Hassan Rouhani is likely to face a tighter race than anticipated, he will likely be re-elected on May 19 — just as the Iranian political establishment prefers. Iran
US, Turkish nerves fray as Erdogan visit nears The Turkish foreign minister shared a heated conversation with his American counterpart in the wake of the Turkish airstrikes in Syria, and despite US fury, Ankara's increasingly roguish behavior will likely remain unchanged. Syria
Jordan and Egypt key to Abbas' Washington visit With the support of Egypt and Jordan, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is hoping that he can slightly change the balance of forces in favor of a fair process in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict ahead of his visit to the United States. Palestine
