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
Why some Lebanese say arrest of Assir was not enough Lebanese security forces have arrested Salafist Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir in an operation that, while lauded by many, has stirred debate about the deepening sectarian tensions in the country. Lebanon
Iraq’s government, society struggle with widespread bribery Although Iraqis have recently taken to the street in protest of the rampant corruption among government officials, it seems that eliminating bribery is far-fetched as it is rooted in government officials as well as employees. Iraq
Egypt's mosque minders: The rise of surveillance cameras in places of worship Since the overthrow of Mohammed Morsi, the Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments has been trying to quell the spread of extremism in mosques, but critics warn these steps could threaten basic rights. Egypt
Livestock prices soar in Gaza Each year around Eid al-Adha, the demand for sacrificial animals rises simultaneously with their prices, but more Gazans than ever are left unable to buy them as the already difficult economic situation worsens. Palestine
Republicans prepare for next round on Iran A look at the Middle East issues Congress will be addressing the week of Sept. 14. Palestine
Russia not backing down on Assad Moscow considers the Syrian government as the best bet to defeat the Islamic State; US leaders rally to support Pope Francis’ call to offer “concrete hope” to refugees; Netanyahu’s words don’t match deeds on refugees. Israel
Will Herzog join Netanyahu's government? This Jewish year has been one of turbulence and political surprises, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firing Ministers Tzipi Livni and Yair Lapid, launching elections and astonishingly also winning them. Israel
Will Iran reach truce with the Islamic State? Some members of Iran’s foreign policy elite are suggesting that Iran reduce regional military intervention — a policy that could help US President Barack Obama's administration sell the Iran deal to skeptical traditional allies and their US supporters. Saudi Arabia
After tumultuous history, what's next for Turkish-Iranian relations? For Turkey and Iran, preventing differences over regional issues from spilling into their bilateral relations will — now more than ever — be a balancing act. Turkey
Is Turkey heading toward civil war? Following the deaths of 30 soldiers and police in PKK operations, a nationwide wave of attacks on Kurds has increased the risk of deepening ethnic strife and stoking renewed separatist sentiment. Turkey
Can Turkey pull back from brink of civil conflict? HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtas' "civil war" warning may not be entirely overblown. Turkey
Why Israel, not NGOs, must care for poor Welfare and Social Services Minister Haim Katz says that the work being done by associations, providing food and products to the poor, cannot replace the responsibility of the state toward its citizens. Israel
