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
Inside Gaza's traditional tribal courts Known for their efficiency and simple procedures compared to the official judiciary, tribal courts hold a significant position among Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip who resort to them to resolve their disputes. Palestine
Iran takes page from US Treasury’s playbook Having spent two years on negotiating the nuclear deal, it seems that Iran’s foreign minister is now focusing his efforts on making sure that the JCPOA is effectively implemented. United States
Why third Israeli crossing into Gaza may weaken Hamas' hand With a second Israeli Bedouin crossing the border into Gaza, Hamas now holds three Israeli citizens, all of them reportedly suffering from mental illness. Palestine
In battle for Aleppo, Syria may be at stake The future of the Syrian revolution could be at stake as regime forces and rebels fiercely battle over control of Aleppo for strategic and symbolic purposes. Syria
Will Western Wall dispute topple Israeli government? Despite earlier agreement by religious representatives to a deal allocating a mixed-gender prayer space near the Western Wall, objections remain, with some among the ultra-Orthodox threatening to topple the government over it. Israel
Another Egyptian MP ensnared in sex video scandal A member of Egypt's parliament claims a sexually explicit video clip — the same one that embroiled another parliament member in scandal in December — was sent by a hacker from his account. Egypt
EU lawmakers warn Congress against Saudi terrorism bill The Dutch parliament registered its opposition ahead of a July 14 hearing on the issue. Saudi Arabia
Egypt's Brotherhood, Sisi both put out feelers for reconciliation While recent statements from Egyptian officials and Brotherhood members hint that a reconciliation could be in the works, some think both sides are merely testing their bases' reaction to the idea. Egypt
Iranian negotiator: Blocking sale of planes is violation of deal Is the question of the sale of Boeing aircraft to Iran a make or break issue for the nuclear deal? United States
Mizrahi heritage committee's quiet revolution Contrary to the divisive attitude of Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev, the Mizrahi heritage committee headed by poet Erez Biton presents constructive ideas to integrate Jewish Mizrahi history, culture and literature into school curricula, thus building a new Israeliness. Israel
On eve of mass protests, what's next for Iraq's political crisis? Iraq's Supreme Court canceled the decision to dismiss the parliament speaker and the Abadi reform Cabinet, intensifying the political crisis as the popular movement prepares for mass demonstrations July 15. Iraq
