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
Palestinian saves Israeli doctor In an interview with Al-Monitor, a day laborer from the West Bank talks about saving the lives of an Israeli doctor and his son from an angry mob in his village. Palestine
What does it mean to be a modern Zionist? The term "Zionism" has been used and abused by Israeli politicians for decades, especially before election time, so perhaps a new civic perspective on the concept is in order. Palestine
Taxes on fuel paralyze Gaza’s only power plant By imposing the so-called blue tax on industrial diesel before it is sold in Gaza, the national consensus government in Ramallah is effectively paralyzing the only electrical power plant in the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Iraqis play politics with Mosul investigation Altering the committee investigating the fall of Mosul to reflect the political quota system serves the interests of the political parties and blocs, not finding the truth. Iraq
Former Egyptian diplomat cites progress on women's rights Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has made some gestures toward women, though his overall human rights record remains controversial. Egypt
Saudis struggle to reconcile IS fight, Wahhabism While it might not be what the West wants to hear, Wahhabism and Salafism offer young Saudis clear boundaries and a blueprint for changing the self and the world through action. Legacy: Gulf
Israelis take 'Bridge to Arabic' The Arabic studies project of the Israeli Arab Jisr az-Zarqa village encourages its Jewish students to substitute part of their tuition with service to the village, to strengthen their ties with local Arab residents. Palestine
Is Turkey becoming a police state? Critics say a proposed law will turn Turkey into a police state by providing security forces with extensive powers to suppress the government’s opponents. Turkey
Iraqi tribes slowly become 'state within a state' As political parties try to put tribes under their sway for electoral gains, Iraqi tribes have become “a state within a state,” where laws are powerless over their armament, authority and power. Iraq
Iran conservatives see defiance in Khamenei speech While most Iranian media outlets viewed the comments by Iran's supreme leader in a positive light, conservatives in the country are focusing on his comments in which he took a firm stand. Iran
Hamas condemns killing of Jordanian pilot Hamas speaks out in support of Jordan following the Islamic State’s brutal killing of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh and also looks to repair relations with the Hashemite kingdom following a tense period. Palestine
36 years after the revolution, where is Iran now? Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution has faced many challenges, with lifespan, access to education and standard of living having improved significantly, while corruption and the country's human rights situation remain a cause of concern. Iran
