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
Iran minister: WhatsApp, Viber shutdown won't solve problem Iran's Communication Minister Mahmoud Vaezi, in response to the judiciary's request to shut down WhatsApp, Viber and Tango, said it would not solve the issue at hand. Iran
Turkish markets undergo two-month slump A series of domestic and external risks, coupled with the global surge of the dollar, spur an alarming downturn in the Turkish economy. Turkey
Israel should create 'Marshall Plan' for Gaza Israel should seek a regional alliance — supported by the European Union, Russia, United Nations and United States — to enable the creation of a Palestinian state and peace between Israel and most neighboring countries, and form a strong axis to fight radical Islam. Palestine
Abbas destroyed hopes of Israel's peace camp Accusing Israel of "genocide" would not prompt the UN to grant President Mahmoud Abbas a Palestinian state on a silver platter, but it did destroy whatever was still left of the bridge between the two people. Palestine
Secular Turkey to build an 'International Islamic University' Turkey’s International Islamic University could be a meaningful contribution to the Islamic world, but only if it is not dominated by the ultra-conservative school of jurisprudence and theology. Turkey
Rich kids of Tehran A new Instagram account documenting the lives of Iran's young elite reveals the extreme wealth of the newly rich. Iran
Banks remain fearful of US-approved transfers to Iran An Iranian-American doctor tells Al-Monitor that his charity’s efforts to send money to Iran for an orphanage led to his US bank account being closed. Iran
IDF chief of staff speaks out on IS, Syria, Iran Chief of Staff Benny Gantz does not exclude the possibility that in the future, Israel will have to deal with the Islamic State, saying, "If they would take us on, they would fail." Israel
Fatwas issued to stop illegal migration from Gaza The families of Palestinians who died in the Mediterranean trying to migrate from Gaza are hoping to find answers about the fate of their loved ones. Palestine
Israel braces for conflict as Yom Kippur, Eid al-Adha coincide With this year's Yom Kippur and Eid al-Adha falling on the same day, Jewish and Arab leaders are pleading with the two sides not to repeat past clashes and allow each other to observe the holy day peacefully. Israel
Iran official says satellite jamming can cause cancer An Iranian official has said that the practice of jamming satellites can cause cancer and recommended that Iran's jamming efforts be eliminated. Iran
Syrian rebels unhappy with coalition airstrikes Rebels in northern Aleppo say the US-led airstrikes have made no difference on their front lines against the Islamic State, and they have yet to see an increase in arms supplies. Syria
