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
Dismissed Fatah leaders look to reform movement from outside A group of Fatah leaders who were dismissed by President Mahmoud Abbas for having allegiances to Mohammed Dahlan called for the formation of a committee of Fatah elders to end the division plaguing the movement. Palestine
What's behind uptick of attacks in Cairo? A spate of terror attacks in Egypt could have to do with boosting the morale of Muslim Brotherhood supporters in addition to the upcoming verdicts and sentencing involving former President Mohammed Morsi and other Brotherhood figures. Egypt
Should Iran fear a Trump presidency? New US sanctions could end up isolating Washington, not Tehran, as Iran gains ground in the region; Obama’s decision to target Jabhat al-Nusra leaders could lead to breakthrough on Aleppo. Syria
Should Baathists have role in post-IS Iraq? Former Baathists, some of whom have collaborated with the Islamic State (IS), are now looking to take on a prominent role in the post-IS recovery. Iraq
Why Moscow won't recognize genocide against Yazidis in Iraq The newly established Yazidi Congress in Russia is the first political platform uniting all Yazidis in their quest to urge Russia to recognize genocide against Yazidis in Sinjar, Iraq. Iraq
Iraq considers proposal of agricultural licensing rounds for foreign investors The Iraqi government is studying a licensing proposal that would allow foreign investment in agriculture to increase revenue from agricultural production. Iraq
Will Trump bring better future for Iraqis? Many Iraqi officials and citizens have welcomed Donald Trump's presidential victory due to his stances against terrorism and in favor of a secure region. Iraq
How Kurdish hopes became Turkey's fears The regionalization of the Kurdish problem was the main factor blowing up the peace process in Turkey, and any return to the negotiating table now depends on developments in the Middle East. Turkey
Turkey insists on exclusion of Kurdish forces from Raqqa battle Washington prefers to work with the Kurds to oust the Islamic State from Raqqa, but it still wants to keep Turkey involved. Syria
Gazans divided over death sentences Gaza courts issued six death sentences in October, prompting concern among human rights groups for Gaza's judicial situation. Palestine
One bomb, three suspects: Who was behind latest Diyarbakir attack? A vehicle-borne bomb attack against a police compound in Diyarbakir left behind 11 fatalities and unanswered questions when three organizations were blamed for the carnage. Turkey
Will Fatah’s upcoming conference do more harm than good? There are fears among Palestinians that the seventh Fatah conference to be held Nov. 29 will lead to an organizational split. Palestine
