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
Israeli art fair aims to attract new collectors The Fresh Paint contemporary art fair, which opened this week in Tel Aviv, offers art lovers a chance to acquire Israeli works of art at reasonable prices, while introducing a new generation of up-and-coming young artists. Israel
Is Israel restricting UNRWA's reconstruction efforts in Gaza? While UNRWA is assessing the houses damaged or destroyed during the Gaza war, some Hamas officials are accusing the international relief organization of working with Israel to the detriment of the Palestinian people. Palestine
Egypt's youth turn to Islamic State The security restrictions imposed by the authorities in Egypt on its youth are pushing many to believe in the ideology of the Islamic State (IS) and become actively involved in IS cells in Egyptian society. Egypt
Will Davutoglu ever emerge from Erdogan's shadow? Having been forced into a secondary role, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu merely implements what President Recep Tayyip Erdogan decides — but for how long? Turkey
Iran quietly celebrates US Embassy takeover anniversary The Nov. 4 commemoration of the 1979 takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran, coinciding this year with the Shiite holy day of Ashoura, was relatively muted, perhaps in consideration for the ongoing negotiations with the West. Iran
Arab universities chart new course: research and job training How Arab universities are training students to fit the region's emerging needs. Pan Arab
Splitting gendarmerie from Turkish army: reform or bad timing? The Turkish public is divided over the government’s decision to attach the Gendarmerie Command to the Ministry of Interior. Turkey
Rabin memorial reflects lack of left's leadership The Israeli left has failed to produce any leader who could follow in the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's footsteps, leaving the political scene in the hands of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Palestine
Turkey adds entry to book of enemies Turkey’s National Security Policy Document — known as the "Red Book" and infamous for designating social groups as “internal enemies” — has been taken off the shelf again. Turkey
Media wars hamper Qatari-Egypt relations As Qatari and Egyptian media outlets engage in a bitter tug-of-war, diplomatic efforts continue at senior levels to tone down the rhetoric. Qatar
Will Egypt's buffer zone worsen Israel-Hamas friction? Egypt's plan to clear a buffer zone on its Gaza-Sinai border will oblige Hamas to depend on the crossing points to Israel, a reality that might lead to another round of conflict. Palestine
