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
Israelis reflect on dangers of 'unjustified hatred' On Tisha B'av, religious and secular Jews gather to debate the issue of bigotry and the often difficult relations between the many diverse sectors of Israeli society. Israel
International intrigue surrounds missing Czechs in Lebanon Speculation has it that the disappearance of five Czech nationals in the Bekaa Valley is connected to an alleged Lebanese smuggler who is wanted by the United States, is being detained in Prague and has supposed ties to deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Lebanon
Burns: Implementation key to Iran nuclear deal The first year of implementation of the Iran nuclear deal will be especially critical to ensuring its success and durability over the long haul, former US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns tells Al-Monitor. Iran
Lebanon sees green future in ecotourism Ecotourism could potentially turn into a sustainable source of income for Lebanon, and some organizations have been coordinating efforts to develop the field. Lebanon
Salehi speaks on 'secret side deal' with IAEA In an interview with Iranian state television, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, talked about the agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency of how the inspections of specific sites will be handled. Iran
Turkish private sector gears up for Iran push An end to international sanctions against Iran raises strong commercial prospects for Turkish companies on the Iranian market. Turkey
Is PKK real target of Turkish strikes? Turkey’s decision to open two fronts, against the Islamic State and the PKK, complicates US cooperation with Kurds in Syria. Iraq
Egypt’s journalists worry new anti-terror law could send them to jail Egypt’s new draft anti-terrorism law is not sitting well with journalists, who claim the law is unnecessary and violates the rights of the Egyptian people. Egypt
Erbil-Baghdad oil relations swing between deal, no deal Tensions are still high between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government over oil exports. Iraq
The case for releasing Pollard US authorities deny any linkage between the Iran deal and the fact that it won't oppose the release of convicted spy Jonathan Pollard later this year. Israel
Former Shin Bet chief: Diplomatic stalemate keeps Bibi in power Yaakov Peri tells Al-Monitor that the Israeli government is stable since the outgoing US administration has formulated its legacy and there is no diplomatic initiative to be opposed by right-wing coalition members. Palestine
Arab Knesset leader: Don't call me 'a demographic problem' In an interview with Al-Monitor, Joint List Chair Ayman Odeh argues that calling for the preservation of a Jewish majority in Israel excludes Arabs from public discourse. Israel
