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
Are Egypt’s anti-terror efforts 'shackled' by law? There are concerns about the amendment of laws in the Egyptian parliament to impose more exceptional measures under the excuse of combating terrorism. Egypt
In Lebanon, even private schools caught in education crisis The influx of displaced Syrians into Lebanon has worsened the already struggling education system in the country, with demand for private schools soaring as public schools are overcrowded and teachers exhausted. Lebanon
How long can Yemen's Houthi-Saleh alliance last? Houthis and former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh claim they have formed a government, but they can't necessarily convince the world, or even each other, in the long run to accept it. Saudi Arabia
Is regulating fatwas solution to extremism in Egypt? A parliamentary committee is currently reviewing a draft law that limits the issuance of fatwas to Al-Azhar and Dar Al-Ifta scholars and sheikhs, as a way to fight the spread of extremist thought. Egypt
Why Jordan thinks Baathists belong in Iraqi reconciliation Jordan is playing an important role as mediator in Iraq's national reconciliation efforts. Iraq
Will 'earth shaking' revelation bring down Netanyahu? The investigation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could have tremendous ramifications for the Israeli political landscape. Israel
Why Trump can’t save Israeli settlements Despite his harsh declarations, not even President-elect Donald Trump has the power to cancel the UN Security Council's resolution against the settlements or quiet the world’s objections to Israel’s policies. Palestine
Here’s why Russia gives itself high marks for 2016 Russia achieved many of its 2016 goals in the Middle East and paved the way for potentially significant successes in 2017 and beyond. Legacy: Gulf
What's in store at Paris peace conference? Three working groups for the Paris Middle East conference are preparing an incentive package for Israelis and Palestinians with the hope of enticing them to reopen negotiations. Palestine
Is Erdogan trying to wreck US-Turkey relations? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims he has “evidence” of US support for the Islamic State; Iranian President Hassan Rouhani applauds valuable “victory” in Aleppo. Syria
Bahrain shifts foreign policy with eye on Turkey Bahraini officials want to deepen their ties with Turkey as regional politics become more unstable. Legacy: Gulf
Egypt's protest law gets makeover The amendment to the 2013 Protest Law, which deems several articles contrary to the Egyptian Constitution, will not mean a significant change to those in prison or those wanting to protest. Egypt
