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
The Islamic State’s Baathist roots Although the presence and strength of former Baathist officers in the Islamic State is unlikely to revive pan-Arab nationalism, it has implications for a strategy to counter the Islamic State and eventually stabilize Iraq. Iraq
Gaza's employee crisis derails latest reconciliation attempt Tensions are continuing to worsen within Palestine’s consensus government over the issue of the Gaza employees, who still have not been paid. Palestine
Public outcry pushes Peres to cancel bank deal With banking system reform in the offing, the lobbying contract of former President Shimon Peres with Bank Hapoalim delivered a serious blow to his image. Israel
'Unnatural' porn becomes ticket to jail in Turkey The Constitutional Court’s decision to ban pornography featuring “unnatural sexual behavior” has confounded Turkey and provoked average people to speak out about sex. Turkey
Turkish pilgrims to Jerusalem face backlash Turkey’s Department of Religious Affairs elicited protests from an unexpected quarter when it added Jerusalem to its Umrah pilgrimage. Palestine
Beirut's little Armenia keeps tradition alive People of Armenian descent living in Lebanon strive to preserve their culture, working in traditional sectors and passing down their heritage to the younger generations. Lebanon
UNESCO resolutions raise Palestinian hopes New UNESCO resolutions raises Palestinian hopes for more effective thwarting of Israeli violations of Palestinian land through illegal settlements and violation of historic sites. Palestine
Iraq maintains neutrality in regional conflicts On a visit to Washington, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi leveled criticism at Iran and Saudi Arabia, reflecting his desire to maintain a neutral position in their regional rivalry. Legacy: Gulf
Egyptian businessmen rattled by new regulations The Egyptian government has upset the local business community with the issuance of regulations for laws imposing a 10% tax on stock market profits and restricting dollar deposits. Egypt
MEK leader to testify before Congress Maryam Rajavi will discuss the threat the Islamic State poses to members of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK) at Camp Liberty. Iraq
Ultra-Orthodox oppose conscription, not the IDF Despite the wide ultra-Orthodox objection to their conscription into military service, attitudes vary within the sector, ranging from total rejection to support and appreciation for the IDF. Israel
Armenian genocide anniversary divides Lebanese Cabinet Sunni and Christian factions in Lebanon are unable to agree on whether to observe the centennial of the Armenian genocide. Lebanon
