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
Porn-watching Egyptian actress arouses passionate debate The actress Entisar faces trial for allegedly encouraging young men to watch pornographic films to educate themselves before marriage about sex. Egypt
How the AKP dominated yesterday's election in Turkey While the Justice and Development Party was projected to win in Turkey’s Nov. 1 polls, a concurrence of factors led to an unexpected sweeping victory. Turkey
How will relations between Jews and Palestinians in Israel be restored? Israelis can't rely on politicians to help repair fraught relations between Jewish and Arab citizens, because they are in part responsible for the incitement highlighted by the recent wave of stabbing attacks. Israel
The Russian, Iranian, Hezbollah military triangle It seems that Russia, through its military intervention in Syria, is complementing the Iranian-Hezbollah axis there, instead of replacing it, as Hezbollah sources confirm that coordination is ongoing between Moscow, Iran and the party. Lebanon
Lebanese activists raise a stink about trash crisis, government paralysis Lebanese civil movements continue to call for democratic reform, but government officials protest that real change will be decided, as always, outside Lebanon. Lebanon
Turkey’s dispiriting elections Erdogan offers an uncertain democratic future for Turkey; Syria Contact Group avoids divisions over Assad’s fate; Iranian and Russian support pivotal in Syrian military campaign to retake Aleppo. Syria
How to get Iran to improve its human rights The arrest of another Iranian-American dramatizes efforts by Iran’s security establishment to undercut President Hassan Rouhani but also jeopardizes economic gains from the nuclear agreement. Iran
Congress probes US, Russia face-off in Syria A look at the Middle East issues Congress will be addressing the week of Nov. 2. Palestine
Children’s photo exhibit brings plight of Syrian refugees to Washington UNICEF is partnering with a Lebanese NGO to draw attention to the needs of Syria’s children. Lebanon
Nations find some common ground at tough Syria talks Citing a sense of urgency to try to stop the Syria killing, arch rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia join 17 nations in a call to bring the Syrian parties into talks for a political transition, cease-fires and UN-monitored elections. Syria
The Palestinian uprising's blurred lines It is difficult to determine whether the events in the Palestinian territories are a limited and temporary uprising or a full-blown intifada. Palestine
Is Israel headed to a civil war? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has destroyed one of Israel's major achievements: the basic allegiance of Israeli Arabs with Israel, including their participation in the electoral process and their at least partial integration in the economy and in academic life. Palestine
