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 KRG formally welcomes Jews back to Iraq, will their numbers increase? The opening of a Jewish representation office in Iraqi Kurdistan gives exiled Iraqi Jews a glimmer of hope of returning to their homeland after fleeing persecution and dispossession. Iraq
Why it pays to be a settler in Israel The 2015-2016 state budget reflects well the priorities of the Netanyahu government, with generous funding and allocations to the settlers and religious parties, while neglecting the periphery, the Arabs and Israel's secular heritage. Israel
GOP blames Obama for anti-refugee backlash Republicans say a failed Middle East strategy has fueled "fear and panic" in the United States. Iraq
Netanyahu, the great pretender The Nov. 9 meeting between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu created a facade of improved bilateral relations, but did little to actually repair the damage done to US-Israel ties. Israel
Is the Chechen 'bogeyman' heading to Syria? Russia is playing up similarities between its past struggles and Syria’s civil war. Syria
Is defeating the Islamic State impossible? The Islamic State's stringing together of religion, power and modernity of sorts is a tough knot to untie. Syria
Will Rouhani only serve one term as president? The publication associated with Iran's Ansar-e Hezbollah argues that President Hassan Rouhani has failed in both his economic and diplomatic promises. Iran
How the Palestinian diaspora is reacting to unrest in the West Bank As Palestinians in the diaspora watch helplessly the current uprising in the Palestinian territories, they seek nonviolent ways to gather support to their cause. Palestine
As the economy falters, Egypt’s police launch a ‘war on prices’ Egypt’s supply police launch a campaign to reduce the prices of some goods, with the government calling it a war on high prices. Egypt
After IS threat, Turkey’s Alevi community on alert The Turkish police have disclosed intelligence of possible IS attacks on Alevi institutions but have yet to enforce protection measures. Turkey
Will Beirut bombing spur Lebanon into finding a new president? The attacks in Beirut have opened a window for consensus, and it is likely that presidential hopefuls Michel Aoun and Samir Geagea will stand aside to make room for a third, less divisive candidate. Lebanon
Veiled women detained, handcuffed spark public outcry in Turkey The latest controversy in Turkish society places people either in favor of or against the Justice and Development Party, in the ongoing fight of the "parallel state." Turkey
