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
Fewer flags fly on Israel's Independence Day The Israeli left is divided over whether to display flags on Independence Day, with some feeling that this national symbol has been commandeered by the right and no longer stands for what they believe in. Israel
Israeli High Court upholds anti-boycott law By defending a law sanctioning calls for economic, cultural or academic boycotts involving Israel, the Israeli High Court endorsed extending Israeli law over the West Bank while also damaging freedom of speech. Palestine
Abductions in Syria cause widespread fear The Islamic State and the Kurdish People's Protection Units have been carrying out kidnappings in Syria, both seemingly working toward the same goal: terrorizing those who do not support them. Syria
Iraq's Gypsy communities face discrimination Iraq’s Gypsy communities must lead clandestine lives to avoid persecution by the wider society in Iraq, particularly at the hands of religious extremists and conservatives. Iraq
Protest law stops Cairo band from playing free shows in metro Egyptian transit officials have made it difficult for the student band Metro Tune to brighten train riders’ days with performances of popular folk songs. Egypt
Yemen air force falls into grip of Houthis The Houthi takeover of the Yemeni air force led to the Saudi military intervention in Yemen, while al-Qaeda is using the absence of local forces to advance in strategic regions in the country. Yemen
Divorced women in Gaza denied custody rights Divorcees in Gaza face social marginalization when they refuse to relinquish their children to fathers they deem unfit to raise them. Palestine
Hamas reaches out to Egypt Although Egypt's campaign to destroy the tunnels between Gaza and Sinai continues, Hamas, whose relations with other regional countries are even more strained, is working to restore ties with its neighbor. Palestine
Should Saudi Arabia test Iran’s offer of diplomacy on Yemen? Iranian officials offer diplomatic initiative and warnings on Yemen; book burning in Giza; Kremlin ignored Israeli objections on missile system sale to Iran; Russian "soft power" in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia
Will Iran review bill survive Senate? A look at the Middle East issues Congress will be addressing the week of April 27. Regional
Former Iran negotiator: Better ties with US impossible Former Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili argued that the United States and Iran cannot have ties because of America's policy to "consolidate its leadership over the world." Iran
Syria's spy chiefs meet untimely deaths Ten years following the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon, many of the Syrian security officers who once ruled Beirut are now slowly disappearing within Syria. Lebanon
