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
Mubarak's main man speaks from beyond the grave Testimony from former Mubarak regime official Omar Suleiman, who died in 2012, has a narrative that Egypt's courts seem to be following in their cases against deposed President Mohammed Morsi. Egypt
Congress seeks to help Tunisia, hinder Iran A look at the Middle East issues Congress will be addressing the week of July 13. Tunisia
Reversals in Vienna throw deal into doubt As negotiators try to finalize a nuclear deal, it seems differences within the P5+1 may push them past the deadline once again. Iran
Christians clash with Lebanese security forces Lebanon has been without a president for over a year now, and sectarian sensitivities are at their highest. Lebanon
Istanbul’s Disneyfication State-led gentrification of Istanbul might be the most important and irreversible legacy of the conservative Islamist AKP government. Turkey
Aleppo once again in the eye of the storm It is total chaos in Aleppo where the regime and the opposition are fighting to reign supreme. Syria
Gaza’s drama series hopes to compete in pan-Arab market During the month of Ramadan, Arab channels screen several TV series, and the Gaza Strip hopes to take part in this regional field by producing comedy and drama shows. Palestine
Why Iraq needs to depoliticize their Popular Mobilization Units Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units are made up of several groups whose political interests differ, clashing sometimes, which is causing the units to shift focus from the most urgent need — fighting the Islamic State. Iraq
Negev Bedouin await forced evictions The residents of unrecognized Negev villages have for years suffered discrimination and neglect by the Israeli government, which is now threatening them with mass forced evictions and relocation under the Prawer Plan. Israel
PA tightens purse strings on Hamas In a report by the Palestinian Legislative Council’s Oversight and Human Rights Committee, the Palestinian Authority is accused of neglecting Gaza’s financial needs, while it is witnessing the deterioration of its people’s living conditions. Palestine
Bibi no Rabin Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently lauded the leadership of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin for his courage in launching the 1976 Operation Entebbe, though he himself has never followed him in making historic decisions. Israel
Israel-Hamas prisoner exchange deal hits snag Public acknowledgment that an Israeli man is allegedly being held in Gaza has complicated negotiations between Israel and Hamas for his return, along with the remains of two IDF soldiers, in exchange for Hamas prisoners in Israeli jails. Palestine
