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
Palestinian Cabinet to consider new law providing greater access to government documents A draft law on the right to access information has languished for years without being presented to the president's office, so supporters of the proposal have formed a coalition to press for movement on the measure. Palestine
Why Syria's youngest refugees need more than just food aid The Syrian refugee children spread in Syria’s neighboring countries are at risk of becoming isolated and violent and need extensive psychological rehabilitation. Jordan
Party squabbles keep Herzog from leading opposition Instead of piloting the opposition while the coalition is leading Israel toward harsh divisions, Zionist Camp leader Isaac Herzog is busy dealing with internal party bickering and threats to his leadership. Israel
Iranian olive branch offers diplomatic paradigm shift To resolve regional crises before they become even worse, Iran and its Arab neighbors must engage in dialogue based on a new paradigm for conflict resolution. Legacy: Gulf
Khamenei warns Iranians not to rely on the US Ahead of the anniversary of the US Embassy takeover, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned against relying on the United States. Iran
Will AKP victory change Turkey's foreign policy? If the new Turkish government fails to take advantage of its electoral mandate to make necessary revisions in foreign policy, events on the ground might force its hand anyway. Egypt
How Palestinian divisions affect the intifada As the uprising in the Palestinian territories enters its second month, Palestinians have yet to agree on its nature, objectives and repercussions. Palestine
How will Jordan's pivot to Russia pay off? Jordan and Russia have agreed on military coordination in Syria after a long silence in Amman about Russian intervention there. Jordan
Why Iraqi Christians are against the establishment of their own autonomous region The secretary-general of the Assyrian Democratic Movement and member of the Iraqi parliament, Yonadam Kanna, speaks to Al-Monitor about the Christians’ status in Iraq, while he denied claims that they are demanding an autonomous region of their own, saying these claims are racist. Iraq
How to apply the lessons from protecting Hebron to Jerusalem The Temporary International Presence in Hebron has failed to make a major change in relations between Israelis and Palestinians, as many argue that a similar force in Jerusalem will not work unless it is given clear mandate and power to hold any violators accountable. Palestine
Will new Egyptian employment law help its women lean in? Nearly five years after the revolution, Egyptian women still face much the same obstacles in the workforce as the economy continues to limp along without their full participation. Egypt
The struggle to be king of the Mount Israel should be wary that events surrounding the Temple Mount are morphing into a battle between the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel and Jordan. Palestine
