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
'Bogus Muslims' exposed for 'fake it 'til you make it' attitude Muslims faking sudden commitments to a religious lifestyle for political and financial gain are facing backlash from pious Muslims as well as criticism from secularists. Turkey
Gazans' inability to buy gifts affects social relationships Gazans are facing harsh living conditions with little money to spend, which is increasingly affecting social relationships in a society where buying gifts for family and friends when visiting their homes is part of the culture. Palestine
Former IDF lawyer finds UN report on Gaza war 'relatively balanced' Pnina Sharvit-Baruch, the former head of the IDF’s Department of International Law, tells Al-Monitor in an interview that though the UN report on the Gaza war was fairly impartial, it cannot be used as the basis for a criminal indictment. Palestine
KRG seeks $5 billion lifeline Kurdish parliamentarians rejected the KRG's move to borrow $5 billion from international banks in light of a severe budget deficit, arguing that this would impose a heavy burden on the government itself and on the economy. Iraq
Israel blames France for anti-Israeli approach While Israeli leaders tend to be open to at least discussing US peace initiatives, European proposals, most recently a French effort, are perceived as anti-Israel. Palestine
Emails to Hillary contradict French tale on Libya war Ex-CIA source says French intel service “created” Libyan rebel group in fight against Moammar Gadhafi. Libya
Why doesn't Iran trust the US? A fundamental lack of trust between Iran and the world powers, and mainly the United States, continues to stand in the way of a comprehensive nuclear deal. Iran
Oren's Obama-bashing Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and his associates have been forced to speak out about the attack by their colleague, Knesset member and former Ambassador Michael Oren, on President Barack Obama. Israel
Next Saudi royal generation takes lead Although stability seems to prevail in Saudi Arabia under the reign of King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, future rulers are likely to face a slew of problems. Saudi Arabia
Palestinians stand their ground in Wadi Fukin Palestinian residents in the town of Wadi Fukin close to Bethlehem invest in their land by cultivating it and raising livestock in a way to stop, or at least delay, Israeli expropriation plans. Palestine
Local tourism in Gaza witnesses cautious growth Local tourism in Gaza is still dependent on the worsening economic and political situation, which explains the cautious attendance at resorts. Palestine
Arafat’s helicopter serves as a symbol for Gazans The late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's helicopter, the only one remaining after Israel bombed his airfield in 2001, is a symbol of a past era free of missiles. Palestine
