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 more and more of Gaza's parents are sending their kids to private schools Despite the difficult economic conditions in the Gaza Strip, parents are still enrolling their children in high-cost private schools, which indicates the value they place on quality education. Palestine
With spread of IS-like tactics, urban warfare in Turkey grows bloodier Turkish officials believe Kurdish militants leading clashes in the southeast have learned techniques used by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units and the Islamic State in Kobani. Syria
Armenian animosity rekindled through PKK terror The Justice and Development Party’s repeated insults that Kurds are considered Armenians are aimed at labeling the pro-Kurdish HDP as non-Muslim, and to justify the heavy attacks on border towns in the southeast of Turkey. Turkey
Is free speech a crime in Palestine? The Palestinian government needs to rewrite the law on defamation, making it a civil matter, not a criminal offense. Palestine
Libya’s militias take justice into their own hands Libya's police say the country's justice system is collapsing, as courts often fail to prosecute crimes for fear of the suspects' affiliation with militias and armed groups continue to take matters into their own hands. Libya
Why Israel needs Putin more than it needs Erdogan Reconciliation with Turkey is stalled, possibly due to Israeli-Russian security interests regarding Syria, Lebanon and Hezbollah, as well as Russian hostility to Israeli-Turkish rapprochement. Israel
Why is Iraq challenging human rights reports? Despite accounts of major human rights violations in Iraq, the government continues to deny and criticize reports by international human rights organizations. Iraq
Israeli ties with Egypt may be thawing, but no 'love and warmth' just yet In an interview with Al-Monitor, Zionist Camp Knesset member Ksenia Svetlova claims that while progress is being made, Egyptian society is still influenced by anti-Israeli discourse and not yet ready for normalization. Egypt
Will expelling families of Palestinian attackers to Gaza stop terror? A proposal to expel the families of Palestinians who attack Israelis to Gaza could motivate relatives remaining in the West Bank to commit revenge attacks. Palestine
Tunisian envoy: Counterterrorism cooperation with US is new normal Tunisian Ambassador to the United States Faycal Gouia opens up about the war in Libya, US assistance and his country’s economic needs. Tunisia
Is Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution almost dead? Iran poised to exploit the declining fortunes of the Palestinian Authority as Israel expands West Bank settlements; Syrian government forces prepare for a showdown in Raqqa; The Washington Post refers to Jaish al-Islam as a "rebel" group; Al-Monitor Syria Timeline includes commentary from Ambassador Ryan Crocker and others. Palestine
Iran names head of country’s wealthiest foundation After the passing of the head of Astan Quds Razavi, a charitable endowment, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei must find his replacement. Iran
