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
Gazans lament loss of permits to visit Al-Aqsa during Ramadan Al-Monitor spoke to the members of a group from the Gaza Strip who visited Jerusalem and prayed at Al-Aqsa Mosque on the eve of Ramadan, before the travel permits of hundreds of Gaza residents were suspended following the Tel Aviv attack on June 8. Palestine
Erdogan's take on terror attacks nicely fits AKP agenda Despite the wide Western condemnation of the two latest terror attacks in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is pointing the finger of blame westward in accordance with his party's narrative of persecution and defiance. Turkey
Russian, Syrian defense ministers arrive in Tehran for 'strategic meeting' The defense ministers of Russia, Syria and Iran met in Tehran to discuss the latest regional developments and methods to "fight terrorism." Syria
Father of Tel Aviv attacker: If I had the chance, I'd ask Khaled why he did it The father of Tel Aviv attacker Khaled Mahmara told Al-Monitor he did not know about the intentions of his son. Palestine
New outlook on culture raises Tunisian hopes, fears The Tunisian Ministry of Culture has an increased budget and committed leadership, but some worry it might squeeze civil society's role in the arts. Tunisia
Will Arab-American voters rally around Clinton? Arab-Americans tend to vote Democratic in presidential elections, but will the community coalesce around Hillary Clinton despite the attraction of Bernie Sanders’ views on the Middle East? Palestine
How this Yazidi man is saving IS captives Yazidi families in Iraq are paying thousands of dollars to smugglers who rescue their members from the Islamic State’s grip. Iraq
Why Palestinians are tuning into this reality TV show to select the next president A Palestinian reality TV show allows the public and a jury to elect a so-called president of Palestine, which shed light on the need to hold free and fair elections in the Palestinian territories. Palestine
How Muhammad Ali became a hero for Turks Boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s funeral arrangements reveal the deep divisions among Turks on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s international credibility. Turkey
Will Afrin be the next Kobani? Afrin, one of the three cantons of Rojava, strives to provide refuge to its population despite the blockade by Turkey and its allies. Syria
Regional Kurdish party in AKP'S crosshairs The Kurdish Democratic Regions Party, which controls most of the local administrations in the southeast of Turkey, is under intense pressure not only over the self-rule movement in its provinces but as a staunchly democratic counterpoint to the authoritarian trend in Turkish politics. Turkey
Gaza attempts to deal with beggars The Ministry of Social Affairs recently launched a campaign to curb the begging phenomenon quickly spreading in the Gaza Strip, but critics say this is not the solution to the problem that should be resolved at the source. Palestine
