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
Aleppo's fuel prices quadruple As the Islamic State continues to prevent the entry of fuel into rebel-held areas, all vital sectors in northern Syria are deeply affected. Syria
Kurds fight Kurds in Syria The Islamic State may be a bitter enemy of the Kurdish forces in Syria, but many Kurds — mostly from Turkey — are fighting in the jihadist ranks. Syria
France prepares sanctions against settlement policy France is considering sharp economic measures against Israeli goods and businesses east of the Green Line, and might implement these measures once the agreement with Iran is signed. Palestine
Israeli archaeology unearths controversy The discovery of an ancient architectural structure from the Hasmonean era in Jerusalem, the latest in a series of archaeological findings that connects the Jewish people to the Land of Israel, has become an ideological tool for Minister of Education Naftali Bennett, among others. Israel
Increased import taxes drive Gaza auto dealers around the bend Auto dealers in the Gaza Strip are facing a double taxation policy that is slashing their profits, amid an already precarious industry and deteriorating living conditions. Palestine
Israeli doctors against 'force-feeding' Palestinian prisoners Israeli medical associations claim that the "force-feeding" bill promoted by the government is unethical, but the authorities are still pushing the proposal forward to avoid image-damaging Palestinian prisoner deaths. Palestine
Sense of belonging draws Palestinians to West Bank Growing numbers of Palestinians living in Israel prefer shopping and conducting other business in the West Bank because of a sense of belonging and to bolster the economy. Palestine
Cairo's shifting stance on Syrian crisis Cairo and its regional ally Riyadh have not been seeing eye to eye when it comes to the Syrian crisis and ways to resolve it, amid bitterness on the part of Syrian opposition factions that accuse Cairo of not strongly contributing to finding a solution to the crisis. Saudi Arabia
Lebanon looks to sustainable agriculture A Lebanese association, SOILS, is working to implement permaculture to help farmers develop sustainable, diversified and environmentally friendly long-term production. Lebanon
The Islamic State's first year The Islamic State celebrates its first year anniversary amid military and strategic successes, while its regional and international enemies remain ever more confused. Iraq
Interior Ministry: Rouhani hecklers 'rogue' elements Interior Ministry officials said that recent hecklers at a Rouhani event were rogue elements, drawing criticism that authorities are unable or unwilling to prosecute the culprits. Iran
Children's fashion show takes the runway in Gaza A children's fashion show, only the second of its kind in Gaza’s history, divided members of the civil society and religious hard-liners, who deemed the event non-reflective of Gazan society and culture. Palestine
