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
Europe needs to coordinate its anti-jihadist measures Israeli security experts warn that the Schengen Area — which allows Europeans to move freely around the continent — makes it easy for jihadists returning home from Syria or Iraq to move around and plan attacks. Israel
Netanyahu, Lapid both winners in defense budget quarrel The Israeli prime minister and finance minister's public quarrel over the defense budget is more a political show than a real coalition crisis, as both politicians are benefiting from the rivalry. Israel
Clashes escalate around Damascus Syrian rebels took al-Dukhaniyya last week in a bid to open supply routes to the front line in Jobar. Syria
Israel must prepare for third Lebanon war Israel must prepare for an eventual third Lebanon war, where it will be confronted with much stronger and more organized forces, perhaps equivalent in equipment to other Arab armies, capable of penetrating Israeli territory. Israel
Davutoglu sets ambitious target for Turkish democracy Developments contradict claims by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that Turkey will become a global power in terms of universal democracy over the next nine years. Turkey
Banished Erdogan critics find new home at opposition paper The Sozcu daily, a relative newcomer in the Turkish press, has climbed to the top of the circulation ladder, taking on board senior journalists dumped from other papers for criticizing the government. Turkey
Iraqi Kurds unhappy partners in Abadi's government The Kurdish position in internal Iraqi politics has been weakened by the fight with the Islamic State, resulting in a new Iraqi government that largely ignores their demands. Iraq
Did Israel's judicial system cover up sex scandal? The sexual harassment investigation into Judge Yitzak Cohen is the result of a transparency revolution in Israel empowered by social media. Israel
Why didn't Khatami visit Iran's supreme leader in hospital? Iranians have speculated over social media on why former President Mohammad Khatami failed to visit Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during his hospital stay. Iran
Houthis' contradictory path in Sanaa Yemen's Houthi movement might be heading toward military clashes in Sanaa to force the government into meeting its demands. Yemen
Opening of Egypt-Sudan border crossing sign of reconciliation The opening of the land port between Egypt and Sudan comes as part of a series of conciliatory steps between the two countries. Egypt
Obama needs peace in Syria to defeat IS Syria’s internal opposition says defeating the Islamic State is impossible without finding a solution to Syria’s civil war. Iraq
