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
Should European states transport refugees themselves? Refugees and migrants are paying thousands of dollars to smugglers to reach Europe, so why don't European governments cut into the trade and provide the migrants safe transportation? Iraq
Bibi’s UN speech nothing more than hollow words The UN General Assembly could have been an occasion for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Mahmoud Abbas to meet, but both men preferred to stick to accusatory speeches. Palestine
Headscarves in schools: On or off? Policies vary Measures to force female students to wear — or not wear — the hijab seem to be erratic between state schools in Gaza and the West Bank. Palestine
Solar power pays off for enterprising Palestinians Palestinians are installing mini solar stations at home to produce electricity at affordable prices. Palestine
Executive branch in Palestine muzzles peaceful activists In the West Bank, the executive power is arresting political activists and bloggers on charges of inciting sectarian strife, based on legal texts experts argue are outdated. Palestine
Aleppo residents celebrate Eid al-Adha, despite war Syrians in Aleppo celebrate Eid al-Adha, despite the constant shelling by the regime forces. Syria
US-Iraqi relations need a reset US-Iraqi relations have had their ups and downs since the 2003 invasion and withdrawal of US troops in 2011, and currently require a reassessment to establish a solid partnership between the two parties. Iraq
Senate bill splits Iran deal advocates Nuclear deal skeptics seek to put the screws on Tehran without blowing up the agreement. Iran
After Iran deal, can P5+1 tackle Syria civil war? Major international parties continue to fumble for a solution to the Syria crisis as the plot thickens, and Russian airstrikes join the fray. Syria
PYD leader: Russia will stop Turkey from intervening in Syria Speaking in an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, PYD leader Salih Muslim says Russia will prevent Turkey from intervening in Syria. Syria
Is Syria bringing Iran, Egypt together? Egypt's seemingly shared interests with the Syrian government may provide grounds for improved relations with Iran. Saudi Arabia
Khamenei warns ‘appeasement’ won't end enemy hostility Ayatollah Ali Khamenei counseled military leaders that it is futile to compromise with Iran's enemies and that the nation must maintain its independent path for generations to come. Iran
