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
Tunisia’s new government shifts foreign policy The Tunisian Foreign Ministry’s announcement that it would send a consul to Syria has been refuted by the president as the new government reconfigures Tunisia’s regional alliances. Syria
Gaza's dying bamboo crafts industry Handmade bamboo furniture, which is part of the Palestinian identity, is endangered as the financial crisis is worsening in Gaza. Palestine
Morocco, Algeria compete over Libya Morocco may be exploiting Algerian weaknesses to raise the stature of its foreign diplomacy by hosting the UN-sponsored dialogue between the conflicting Libyan parties. North Africa
Gaza women shed veil, spark conversation Journalist Razan Madhoon has stirred debate about religiosity in the Gaza Strip by posting pictures of herself unveiled on Facebook. Palestine
Controversy surrounds alleged violations by Shiite forces in Tikrit Contradictory assertions have Iraqis divided on whether members of the Popular Mobilization Units are guilty of allegations that they looted and destroyed property in Tikrit during and after the city's liberation from the Islamic State. Iraq
Congressional terror finance task force targets Iran The potential lifting of sanctions has led Congress to seek other avenues to block Tehran from funding terror. Congress
Rouhani ignores domestic political reforms The nuclear negotiations have taken up a great deal of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's time, but domestic political reforms are what is needed for long-term change. Iran
Iran, Sudan fall out over Yemen The Saudi Arabian-led coalition against the Houthi rebels in Yemen has tested the decadeslong ties between Iran and Sudan. Saudi Arabia
The Kremlin's unexpected decisions Moscow’s current Middle East policy is characterized by, among other things, maintaining a strong focus on bilateral relations, striving to diversify or to develop relations with states that are at conflict and wishing to play a mediating role in conflict situations without claiming a monopoly or opposing other players, in particular the United Nations. Russia
Syria agrees to return highly enriched uranium to China The recent decision by Syria to modify a small HEU-fueled research reactor will advance the possibility of a Middle East free of the civilian use of weapons-grade uranium. Syria
Turkey’s foreign policy blunders hit home The Turkish ruling party’s economic and foreign policies have resulted in declining production and exports, with women emerging as the immediate victim of rising unemployment. Turkey
Lebanese army advances to secure border The Lebanese army has received a substantial arms shipment from the United States, allowing it to advance against terrorist groups in the mountainous border regions. Lebanon
