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
Why was Egypt's justice minister really fired? Egyptian Justice Minister Ahmed al-Zind was removed from his post following remarks deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad — but politics may be the real culprit. Egypt
Is Israeli media blurring the line between news and propaganda? The investigative report of Israeli TV Channel 2 accuses NGO Breaking the Silence of endangering IDF soldiers, without balancing its report or verifying its information properly. Israel
Bomb scare ends century-old run of Turkish soccer match Turkey's postponement of a major soccer match reveals much about the country's failure to combat terror, and cancellations of other public events are likely to follow. Turkey
Is Turkey ready to become Europe’s border guard? Opposition says the deal aims to reduce Europe’s discomfort and poses a threat to Turkey. Syria
Is Turkey swaying back toward Iran? The recent visits of Turkey’s prime minister to Iran and the Iranian foreign minister to Turkey may indicate a turning point in relations between these two important neighbors. Turkey
Massoud Barzani vows to fight corruption with same dedication as KRG has fought IS Speaking exclusively to Al-Monitor, Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani discussed his meetings with the judiciary to launch a corruption investigation, starting with his own family and the KDP. Iraq
Trump no longer 'neutral' on Israel Republican and Democratic presidential candidates vied to prove their pro-Israel credentials before the annual AIPAC convention, with Ted Cruz threatening to shoot down Iranian ballistic missiles and Hillary Clinton channeling her inner Queen Esther and Golda Meir. Palestine
Why Hamas closed down Iranian charity in Gaza The Gaza Interior Ministry’s decision to shut down an Iranian-affiliated charity association in the Gaza Strip raised questions on whether this move will affect the fragile and fluctuating ties between Hamas and Iran. Palestine
Gaza's Christians prepare to celebrate Easter in Jerusalem Many Palestinians from Gaza have been given permits to attend Easter celebrations in Jerusalem, though the current easing of restrictions does not mean that Gazans have gained their freedom of movement. Palestine
Israelis return to DIY Purim costumes Various do-it-yourself workshops are teaching parents and kids how to make their own unique costumes for the Purim holiday, the way it was done in the past. Israel
Can Hezbollah withstand Saudis' wrath? Hezbollah's actions are isolating Lebanon from the Arab states and exacerbating the country's already fractured and paralyzed politics. Legacy: Gulf
Why is Netanyahu ignoring legacy of late Mossad chief? In a memorable speech delivered one year ago, late Mossad chief Meir Dagan stated that he fears the current leadership and its policy of diplomatic stalemate. Palestine
