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
Are the Saudis ready to fight in Syria? With no end in sight to Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in Yemen, is Riyadh ready to risk major casualties by sending ground troops to Syria? Saudi Arabia
Doctors join Turkey’s ever-growing army of 'terrorists' Turkish policemen wounded in clashes with Kurdish militants are no longer taken to civilian hospitals in Diyarbakir following claims that local Kurdish doctors collaborate with the insurgency. Turkey
AKP generous with lip service, but Turkish soldiers need more Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party is glorifying military "martyrdom" in an attempt to steer civilian-military relations into support for the government. Turkey
Iran reacts to Saudis' offer of troops in Syria Iranian officials play down Saudi statements about sending ground troops to Syria, especially as the Syrian government makes gains on the ground. Saudi Arabia
Israeli slip of the tongue embarrasses Egypt The statement by Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz in regard to alleged security cooperation with Egypt angered Cairo and complicated the battle against Hamas. Palestine
Israeli minister: After Abbas, there will be no more Palestinian Authority Talking to Al-Monitor, Israeli Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Immigrant Absorption Zeev Elkin predicts that once Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas steps down, the Palestinian Authority will disintegrate, lamenting that Israel has no plan to face this likelihood. Palestine
After 27 years, men and women will be able to pray together at Western Wall After a long dispute, the ultra-Orthodox and progressive Judaism movements have reached a historic compromise on a mixed-gender praying space at the Western Wall. Israel
How Palestine's parliament is squandering millions of dollars There are no prospects that a new speaker could be elected or the PLC itself could be activated, as millions of dollars are disbursed to cover the spending of members of parliament. Palestine
Who are Iraq's Kakai? In an interview with Al-Monitor, Ako Shawais, the first political representative of Iraq’s Kakai minority, discusses why this sect is so secretive and its careful struggle for political and religious rights. Iraq
Russia's Syria dilemma Moscow wants a political settlement to the Syrian war, but its military support, which is resulting in regime victories on the battlefield, could threaten that outcome. Syria
Mystery surrounds killing of Italian scholar in Egypt Egypt risks losing Italy as a valuable international ally if the investigation into the murder of Italian graduate student Giulio Regeni is not carried out with full transparency. Egypt
The growing Israeli corruption problem Israelis view corruption as the price for getting things done, but it’s in all layers of the governance, despite the economic, social and moral consequences. Israel
