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
Egyptian law could imprison refugees, asylum seekers Egypt is in close coordination with Europe and is moving in the direction to clamp down on irregular migrants and human smugglers who would be criminalized for the first time in Egyptian law should the said migration law be implemented. Egypt
Hamas-Fatah divide cripples Palestine’s judiciary Efforts to reach a reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah have failed, and the dichotomy separating judiciaries in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is growing. Palestine
Investors remain wary of Gaza A recent conference of investors landed six projects for the West Bank, but none for Gaza because of the risk involved. Palestine
Babil’s Jewish shrine, mosque share space The tomb of the Prophet Ezekiel, located next to a mosque in Kifl, Babil, is a site of both controversy and religious coexistence. Iraq
What's driving Pope Francis' Middle East diplomacy? Pope Francis' push for Palestinian statehood is part of a series of bold initiatives to preserve the region's rich religious mosaic. Palestine
Iran’s new strategy in Syria Iran and its allies, such as Hezbollah, seem to be getting more involved in the Syrian civil war. Iraq
IAEA comments on military sites strike nerve in Iran Iran's hard-liners have rejected a call by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency for Iran to allow inspections of military sites. Iran
No questions asked about Turkey's suitcases full of cash Pundits fear that the new Customs Code will turn Turkey into a haven for money launderers and terror financiers. Turkey
Iran's Rezaei returns to his military roots The former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has left behind politics to lead a new generation of military officers. Iran
Holocaust's use as political tool divides Israelis Alongside a serious discourse in Israel on the Holocaust, there also exists a populist discourse that makes use of the Holocaust to the point of seeming contempt. Israel
Services improve under IS in Mosul Some say there is a silver lining to the Islamic State’s takeover of Mosul in Iraq, namely an improvement in services, in an apparent attempt by the group to gain legitimacy and garner the support of Mosul residents. Iraq
Muslims, Christians clash over 'Martyrs' Church' construction Pending an official ruling on laws governing the building of churches in Egypt, local religious communities have taken matters into their own hands, underscoring tensions between Christians and Muslims in the country. Egypt
