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
Widespread Iraqi anger threatens Saudi ties The Iraqi government has distanced itself from the Saudi-Iranian dispute and adopted a neutral position despite the Iraqi street’s angry reaction to the Saudi execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr. Saudi Arabia
Five years on, why do Egyptian authorities still fear January 25? Ahead of the fifth anniversary of the January 25 Revolution, Egyptian authorities have taken tight security measures to deter any protests. Egypt
Who is Israel's 'responsible adult'? In a society that veers right and within a party ruled by supporters of the settlers, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon defends law, order and democracy, as an heir to the late Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Palestine
Arab restaurateurs feel bite of settlers' blacklist The Samaria Settlers Committee, financed by Israeli taxpayers, has launched a defamatory campaign to boycott Arab-Israeli businesses they accuse of supporting terrorism. Israel
Is storm over settlements in Bibi’s coalition a sign of things to come? Instead of supporting Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, who ordered the evacuation of two buildings illegally seized by settlers, most Likud ministers have sided with the settlers or kept silent. Israel
Biden calls for 'change of attitude' by Turkish government US Vice President Joe Biden says Turkey is setting the wrong example for the region. Syria
Was Jan. 25, 2011, really a revolution? Five years after the January 25 Revolution, members of the new parliament question whether the uprising was really a revolution. Meanwhile, the government is cracking down on activists to avoid imminent protests. Egypt
Is Iran prepared for more Saudi surprises? The Iranian-Saudi rivalry has turned into a direct strategic conflict. With the crisis surrounding the attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran contained, it is unclear whether the next crisis can be managed. Saudi Arabia
Behind Turkish checkpoints The town of Silopi in southeastern Turkey has been devastated by monthlong clashes between the security forces and Kurdish militants, with local residents blaming both the government and the rebels for the destruction. Turkey
Why did Turkey ban a Brazilian cartoonist? Brazilian cartoonist Carlos Latuff talks to Al-Monitor about his cartoons depicting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which are now banned in Turkey. Turkey
Are Shiites divided over what to do about Saudi Arabia? Over the years, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani of Iraq have encouraged Shiites to take opposing approaches toward Sunnis, with ramifications for Saudi Arabia. Legacy: Gulf
Are this week's Geneva talks on Syria doomed to fail? Geneva III negotiations are expected to start Jan. 25 to seek a long-awaited political solution to the lingering Syrian crisis, but the parties have set preconditions and can't even agree on who should participate. Syria
