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
Beersheba residents revitalize their city Beersheba residents joined social activists and students in renovating neglected streets and public spaces in the poor neighborhoods of the city, engaging in a global movement of communal responsibility. Israel
Turkey's 'pink prison' LGBT organizations strongly oppose a prison being built for LGBT inmates, who often end up in solitary confinement for reasons of security, which is illegal. Turkey
Gaza bombings deepen Hamas-Fatah rift Fatah believes Hamas is behind the recent spate of explosions in the Gaza Strip in an effort to add pressure on the Palestinian unity government. Palestine
Gaza's brain drain Hamas officials see the flight of professionals and talented youth from the Gaza Strip as part of a systematic Israeli policy to empty the territory of skilled citizens through siege and regular wars. Palestine
GOP delays Iran sanctions vote for State of the Union The Senate Banking Committee will hold its markup next week after Democrats cry foul. Iran
Netanyahu responds to Erdogan's provocations For a long time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has avoided referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s attacks against him and Israel, but with the upcoming elections he has apparently decided to abandon his self-restraint policy to prevent being perceived as weak. Palestine
Israeli Bedouin call for inquiry over police conduct In an interview with Al-Monitor, Talal al-Krenawi, mayor of the Bedouin town Rahat, accuses the Israeli police of using unnecessary force in riots that erupted over the past two days instead of trying to calm the situation. Israel
Israel anticipates Hezbollah's reaction Israeli security experts estimate that although Hezbollah is not interested in raising tensions with Israel, it will respond to the Jan. 18 attack on its convoy, either in the Golan Heights or against Israeli targets abroad. Israel
Decentralization of powers weakens IS The Islamic State leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is forced to limit his movements while relying on primitive means of communication, which weakens the organization. Iraq
Saudi Arabia beheadings in stark contrast with fight against IS Saudi Arabia's human rights record of public punishments and criminalization of dissent finds its roots in the Al-Saud ruling family's "contract" with Wahhabism. Saudi Arabia
Children freeze to death in Aleppo refugee camp At least four children have died from the cold in the Bab al-Salameh camp in the Aleppo countryside as supplies run low for Syria’s internally displaced. Syria
Amid nuclear talks, Iran still trying to swap prisoners US officials say there is no equivalence between Americans detained in Iran and Iranians jailed in the United States, and that the issue is separate from slow-moving nuclear talks. Iran
