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
After terrorist label, what is GCC's next move against Hezbollah? Iranian officials and media have condemned the decision by the Gulf Cooperation Council to label the Lebanese group Hezbollah a terrorist organization and believe more anti-Hezbollah actions are on the way. Saudi Arabia
Will Africa cheer up Turkey’s troubled exporters? Turkey scrambles for trade opportunities in Africa to make up for major losses in economic ties with Iran, Iraq, Syria and Russia. Turkey
Water wars intensify between Egypt, Ethiopia Controversy continues to swirl around the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, with conflicting reports emerging about how soon Ethiopia will begin storing water there. Egypt
Historical, pampered bath in Gaza draws visitors from afar The majestic Hammam al-Sammara, the only bathhouse left standing in Gaza City, is an architectural masterpiece that has survived many hundreds of years. Palestine
How serious is the French proposal on Middle East peace? It is still unclear whether the international community will support the French initiative to hold a July conference in an effort to restart progress toward a two-state solution. Palestine
Will US restrictions on Hezbollah lead to collapse of Lebanon? On a five-day visit to Washington, a Lebanese delegation spoke to US officials about how to prevent collateral damage that could result from legal restrictions on Hezbollah. Lebanon
Why canceled Arab League summit should worry Israelis Morocco’s decision not to host the Arab League summit has unexpected implications for Israel. Saudi Arabia
Bus crash enrages ultra-Orthodox A fatal bus accident on the Jerusalem highway has stirred up long-held grievances by the ultra-Orthodox sector against the Israeli bus company Egged. Israel
House panel decries Islamic State genocide The Foreign Affairs Committee also voted to label Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a war criminal. Iraq
After elections, Iran's parliament split three ways Iran's Interior Ministry said that Reformists, moderates and conservatives are the three main groups in Iran's parliament. Iran
Egypt still struggles to improve human rights Activists, opposition politicians and journalists have been the targets of an escalating crackdown on human rights in Egypt. Egypt
Why Boeing kept Iran dealings under the radar As the world cashes in on an Iran ready to do business, the US risks being late to the game because of a mixture of political sensitivities, confusion about the remaining American sanctions and structural impediments. Iran
