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
Will CHP face its dark past? For the Republican People’s Party (CHP) to become a real alternative to the Justice and Development Party (AKP), its leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, should start an honest dialogue about the party’s past. Turkey
Druze, Muslims clash over ties with Israel In an interview with Al-Monitor, Abu Snan Local Council head Nuhad Mishlav refers to the clashes last week between Druze and Muslim youth, saying, "The entire Arab leadership in Israel is mobilized to resolve the crisis and return to coexistence." Israel
Could Assad end up in court? As the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in The Hague starts to hear testimony from several high-level Lebanese politicians, it's likely that evidence linking the assassination of Rafik Hariri directly to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will come to the surface, involving Assad directly in the trial. Lebanon
Khamenei says world relies on Iran’s armed forces Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has encouraged young officers to "elevate Iran’s military organization" by taking advantage of the country’s scientific abilities, as "the world counts on" Iran's military. Iran
Iran nuclear deal could be key to resolving region’s conflicts Iran has signaled a willingness to engage in Iraq and Syria. Iraq
Iraq's one too many holidays Economists are warning Iraqi policymakers that the large number of official and unofficial holidays is crippling the economy against a backdrop of governmental indifference. Iraq
Iran official: US proposals in Oman 'back to zero' The head of Iran's parliamentary nuclear committee said that an eight-page proposal by the United States takes the nuclear talks "back to zero." Iran
New Turkish law deals blow to unions Turkey's unionized workforce has dropped from 57.5% to 9.6% over the past decade, with Ankara offering weak solutions to the problem, including a hotline where workers can report their bosses. Turkey
Turkey's Kurdish client state Turkey has tremendous financial and security influence over the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, exposing Erbil to economic and political vulnerabilities. Iraq
Arab MKs aim to restore dialogue with Israelis In an interview with Al-Monitor, Arab Knesset members Haneen Zoabi, Basel Ghattas and Jamal Zahalka claim that the Israeli media categorize and demonize them in a way that prevents them from entering into a dialogue with the public. Palestine
Can Islamic State keep control of Mosul? The wide Sunni sympathy for the Islamic State in Mosul cracked less than two months into its occupation, and residents are increasingly horrified by rampant arrests and executions. Iraq
Development plan needed for peace in Yemen The Gulf Initiative has failed to bring peace to Yemen, prompting the need for a new initiative that is more realistic and includes a long-term economic and development plan. Saudi Arabia
