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
How this minister may take down Netanyahu's government Seventeen years after being convicted of bribery and corruption, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri is being investigated and might leave the government, which would endanger the whole coalition. Israel
Has Bibi forgotten what loyalty means? Instead of standing by Gadi Eizenkot and condemning the soldier who shot a Palestinian attacker in custody, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu preferred to follow the public mood to the soldier's side. Israel
Is Russia leaning away from Palestine? Russia recently described Palestinian attacks against Israelis as terrorist attacks, which might indicate a change in what Palestinians regarded as Moscow's balanced position. Palestine
The making of an Islamic State terrorist The father of an Islamic State jihadi told Al-Monitor about his son's journey from being a teenager trying to escape a small criminal gang in the Netherlands to joining the terror organization in Syria. Syria
Who will be the next chair of Iran's Assembly of Experts? Iranian conservatives and moderates alike have their sights set on the Assembly of Experts' chairmanship vote on May 24. Iran
Has the US found a new friend in Iraq's Shiite militias? Despite its earlier fears that Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units would assume a sectarian role in the liberation of Sunni areas from the Islamic State, the United States is now expressing support for the force. Iraq
How these Israeli mayors are finding their own path to peace A group of Palestinian officials have been meeting with Israeli mayors on both the right and the left in an effort to convince them that there is a partner for peace on the Palestinian side. Palestine
Iran officials defend Rouhani's Pakistan trip After criticism suggesting that President Hassan Rouhani’s trip to Pakistan did not achieve anything, officials from the administration and media linked to the administration have fired back. Saudi Arabia
Why PKK shifted to urban warfare Many people couldn’t understand why the PKK resorted to trench-barricade warfare in cities. Some say the PKK was misled by reports of its militias who claimed people were ready to join an uprising. Turkey
Will families of Libyan airstrike victims ever get justice? Five years on, NATO has yet to be forthcoming about how and how many civilians died during its battle to overthrow former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. Libya
Are ships really avoiding the Suez? Falling oil prices do not necessarily spell disaster for the Suez Canal. Egypt
Is Israel reviving this 50-year-old land plan? Recent land confiscations by the Israeli government appear to further the Allon Plan for securing permanent Israeli control of the West Bank. Palestine
