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
Has Israel found its savior? The publication of recordings of former Prime Minister Ehud Barak blaming Israeli politicians for blocking an attack on Iran may have been designed to rebuild his image as Mr. Security and portray him as the only alternative to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel
Gazans use WhatsApp to see what's up with the news Virtual communication application WhatsApp has taken on a more media-oriented role in the Gaza Strip, whereby media outlets are now using it to send news to subscribers, but there are still things to be improved. Palestine
Is Russia Hamas' bridge to global diplomacy? Hamas is seeking to improve its international relations by reinforcing some ties and mending others following a period of relative isolation. Saudi Arabia
How one West Bank mosque is reconnecting with local Palestinians By encouraging Hebron's Palestinian residents to hold weddings and other celebrations in the Ibrahimi Mosque, officials and activists hope to restore their connection to the sacred site. Palestine
Abbas oversteps in moves against 'political sabotage' Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appears to have gone too far, upsetting his European Union supporters, in ordering the closure of the Palestinian Peace Coalition, led by Yasser Abed Rabbo, whom Abbas earlier removed as secretary-general of the PLO's Executive Committee. Palestine
Kurdish fighters struggle to pay bills Peshmerga fighters are committed to fighting the Islamic State, even though their salaries are not enough to make ends meet. Iraq
Kidnapped Lebanese soldiers spared despite arrest of Salafist cleric The Lebanese General Security’s arrest of Ahmad al-Assir raised concerns about the life of the kidnapped soldiers in the Bekaa, although a security official confirms that there are no apparent ties between Assir and Jabhat al-Nusra, which is holding the soldiers hostage. Lebanon
Anti-harassment campaign stirs controversy in Egypt Egyptians are outraged by alleged anti-harassment campaign "Mat3brhash," whose promoters hold women partially responsible for inviting harassment. Egypt
To veil or not to veil: Iraqi women face scrutiny over their choices Iraq's religious parties are increasingly forcing women to wear the veil through intimidation and repressive policies, to the frustration of secular progressives. Iraq
Audio tapes reveal how Ehud Barak attempted to rewrite history with Iran Associates of former Prime Minister Ehud Barak leaked tapes indicating that Barak supported an attack on Iran in 2012, but other sources suggest that he then changed his mind and was the person who actually blocked an eventual strike. Israel
Security Council: Syria 'largest humanitarian crisis in the world' UN, Russia and Iran coordinate new diplomatic effort on Syria; what did Zarif tell Nasrallah?; Egyptian government rejects mediation with Muslim Brotherhood; did US-trained force coordinate with Jabhat al-Nusra? Qatar
Hamas caught between Tehran and Riyadh Hamas is trying to rebuild its relationship with Iran, but mistrust on both sides is impeding the process. Saudi Arabia
