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
House starts its review of Iran deal A look at the Middle East issues Congress will be addressing the week of July 6. Congress
Finish line in sight at Iran nuclear talks Substantial progress has been made in resolving key issues for a final Iran nuclear deal, but diplomats said some big and small issues still remain to be overcome to conclude the deal. Congress
Turkish military wary of Erdogan plan for Syrian buffer zone The United States remains opposed to a no-fly zone in northern Syria; Masrour Barzani calls for "amicable divorce" for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; Jacky Hugi writes that Israel should back the Syrian government "at any price." Iraq
Egypt’s missing activists resurface in prison Mysterious arrests are on the rise in Egypt, leaving citizens feeling vulnerable to both the precarious security situation and security forces. Egypt
Why did Sisi back out of African Union Summit? Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi canceling his participation in the African Union Summit in Johannesburg has raised questions about relations between Egypt and South Africa. Egypt
IS fights for its window to the Mediterranean As the Islamic State is gaining ground in Homs, which is close to the Lebanese border, the Lebanese army is preparing to counter any attempt to turn north Lebanon into an emirate affiliated with the terrorist organization. Lebanon
Gaza's only mobile phone company forced to close The Gaza attorney general's shutdown of Jawwal for alleged tax evasion could affect hundreds of jobs and has been met by criticism by those who see the company as a victim of a political divide. Palestine
Questions emerge over Hamas' ability to secure Gaza The disappearance of Mahmoud Salfiti, a Salafist prisoner who had been granted a 24-hour leave to visit his family, raises questions about Hamas’ ability to control and secure the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Netanyahu coalition's days may be numbered The natural gas fiasco, in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to withdraw his proposed outline from a Knesset vote, is yet another sign of the fragility of his coalition. Israel
Zarif: US must decide between deal, sanctions In an interview with Al-Monitor, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discusses the final steps necessary to seal the Iran deal. Iran
Opportunities for US-Iran cooperation await nuclear deal If signed, a nuclear accord might spur better relations between the United States and Iran. Iran
Iran's conservatives suspicious after IAEA head's visit Iranian conservatives believe that the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, traveled to Tehran to resolve issues over possible military dimensions. Iran
