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
What's delaying Palestinian elections? Fatah and Hamas keep accusing each other of hindering the election process while expressing their willingness to work together. Palestine
What’s next for Anbar? After its liberation, Anbar seems on the verge of a new wave of internal conflicts that will inevitably hinder reconstruction and the return of refugees. Iraq
Why Israelis love their cars more than the environment The government has committed to reducing private cars, but its scattered expansion of Israeli suburbs and haphazard public transportation planning continue. Israel
Israeli opposition leader: 'Peace will have to wait' In an interview with Al-Monitor, Zionist Camp and opposition leader Isaac Herzog discusses his new plan to restore security while waiting for the right time to resume pursuit of a two-state solution. Palestine
EU shuts down pro-Israel congressional hawks The EU’s top diplomat dismisses congressional attacks against its settlement labeling policy. Palestine
Did Egyptian intelligence meddle in recent elections? A political activist’s claim that the "For the Love of Egypt" alliance — which won many seats in the latest parliamentary elections — was established under the supervision of the intelligence services has divided Egyptians. Egypt
Will natural gas shelter Iran from oil price crisis? Although Iran faces many challenges in the global natural gas market, the industry also presents plenty of opportunities post-nuclear deal. Legacy: Gulf
Why an Abbas departure would be bad for Israel Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prefers a weak Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but at the same time needs him to stay in power. Palestine
Rouhani: Not even the first Shiite imam was this strict Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is criticizing the Guardian Council for disqualifying parliamentary candidates for "non-adherence to Islam." Iran
What’s next for the Syrian regime? The Syrian regime forces, with the help of the Russian air force, have managed to take over the strategic town of Salma, thus getting closer to the Syrian-Turkish border. Syria
Why one former IDF chief of staff may be heading for politics Former IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi has just been cleared of a five-year legal affair and might be considering joining Israeli politics. Israel
Bibi fools everyone … except his wife Feeling that Israel is facing an ongoing existential threat, the public turns to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, mistakenly perceived as a security authority and a savior. Palestine
