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
Temple Mount blindness: Bibi takes the nation for a ride Ministers Tzipi Livni and Yair Lapid, who continue to hold to their Cabinet seats, are as much to blame as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the lack of diplomatic progress with the Palestinians and the risk of a third intifada. Palestine
Gaza’s businessmen facing bankruptcy Israel targeted important economic sectors in the Gaza Strip in the latest war, rendering many businesses bankrupt and business owners unemployed. Palestine
Decrypting Erdogan's 'Daesh' stumbles Why did President Recep Tayyip Erdogan begin using an incorrect Arabic acronym, Deash, in referring to the Islamic State immediately after his meeting with French President François Hollande? Near East
Israelis remember Rabin, but many reject his legacy Educators, especially within the national-religious sector, debate whether Rabin Memorial Day should be dedicated to his political legacy or to tolerance and coexistence. Israel
Palestinian-Syrian refugees face hardship in Lebanon About 60,000 Palestinian-Syrians have fled to Lebanon, but many are finding that they cannot work and cannot afford food and housing. Palestine
Syrian official: negotiations with US blocked by Saudi Arabia A Syrian official spoke on the continued gains of the Syrian army, the failings of the international coalition and chances of talks between the opposing parties. Lebanon
Remittances key for Lebanon’s economy In economically and politically stagnant Lebanon, expatriate remittances provide a relatively steady inflow of hard currency and serve as a social safety net and cushion. Legacy: Gulf
Iran conservatives limit discussion topics at nuclear talks Conservative Iranian officials have not formally responded to claims that the US president asked for cooperation in a letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei but insist that the nuclear talks will not cover any other issues. Iran
Jabhat al-Nusra deflates hopes of Assad opponents Following the Islamic State's advance, Jabhat al-Nusra has also moved to the Turkish border, routing moderate rebels and dashing the hopes of “train and equip” proponents eager for a renewed war on the Syrian regime. Syria
Palestinians see US-Israel 'crisis' as temporary According to Palestinian officials, reports of a crisis threatening US-Israeli ties are overblown, as the US administration remains committed to Israel. Palestine
Ethiopian minister upbeat about dam talks with Egypt In an interview with Al-Monitor, Ethiopian Minister of Water and Energy Alemayehu Tenegu says negotiations with Egypt and Sudan over the Renaissance Dam are improving. Egypt
The third intifada is here Preventing Jews from ascending Temple Mount seems to be the only solution to avoid further conflict in Jerusalem and the risk of another "Al-Aqsa intifada." Palestine
