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
Will Israel's force-feeding law turn doctors into political tools? The controversial force-feeding law passed in July will soon be tested by the case of hunger-striking Palestinian prisoner Mohammed Allan as the Israel Medical Association stands firm against a practice it considers unethical. Palestine
'New' Suez Canal might not save Egypt from austerity measures Despite praise for Cairo's economic achievements and a positive economic forecast, financial hardships are forcing Egypt to consider cutting back as revenues continue to trickle in. Egypt
Syrian online satirical show gains popularity A group of Syrian opposition activists has made an online satirical show criticizing well-known figures of the Syrian political scene and mainly focusing on President Bashar al-Assad. Syria
Liberman slams Netanyahu over Foreign Ministry failings Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely is practically ignored by the international community as Israel's Foreign Ministry keeps losing responsibilities to other ministries and its budget is slashed. Israel
US wins support from GCC, Asian allies for Iran nuclear deal Israel is outlier on nuclear deal; Rafsanjani tells Al-Monitor that Iran “does not inherently have any issues with Saudi Arabia”; Zarif proposes civil nuclear cooperation with Arab states; Syrian, Iranian and Russian officials meet in Tehran; Al-Monitor’s second annual Middle East lobbying investigation and cultural heritage series. Israel
Yemen war escalates The Yemeni people are paying a frightful toll as Saudi Arabia and its allies escalate the war in the country. Saudi Arabia
Nuke deal won't change Iran's approach to region In the aftermath of the JCPOA, Iran and other regional powers are seeking to engage, but will likely pursue policies to strengthen positions ahead of anticipated talks. Saudi Arabia
Egyptian-Ethiopian disputes stall Renaissance Dam Differences still abound between Egypt and Ethiopia over the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Cairo says could jeopardize its water resources. Egypt
Is Ankara headed toward all-out war with Turkey’s Kurds? Unless a deus ex machina like the United States enters into the equation between the Turkish government and the PKK, the clashes between the sides will continue. Iraq
Iran’s sagging housing market may face price shock With a nuclear deal in hand and the business environment improving, Iranian investors may begin piling cash into the country's ailing housing market — causing a price shock. Iran
The $55 billion cost of abandoning the Kurdish peace process The economic burden of the Kurdish conflict was one of the government’s key arguments when it launched the Kurdish peace process in 2013, but today, Ankara seems to be braving a hefty economic bill for the sake of its political interests. Turkey
Unlicensed rehab clinics prey on Egypt's most vulnerable citizens A large number of unlicensed addiction treatment centers in Egypt are luring desperate clients by promising to treat them in as little as 10 days. Egypt
