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
Haunted by war, Gaza residents try to rebuild Residents in the Gaza border town of Khuza’a recall traumatic arrests and killings by the Israeli army as they begin to rebuild their lives and homes. Palestine
Reformist cleric skips Assembly of Experts session The 16th session of Iran's Assembly of Experts, which supervises and chooses the supreme leader, has convened without its speaker due to illness and one member who abstained in protest over Basiji persecution. Iran
Tangled web of alliances emerges as Middle East divides into blocs The Middle East is divided into three blocs, but all have a common enemy in the Islamic State. Regional
Ferguson could lead to more US weapons for Middle East Congress wants to clamp down on leftover military equipment going to local police departments, but what will happen to all that surplus gear? Iraq
Why Abbas needs Hamas Despite attempts by Hamas to topple Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the latter knows that he must preserve the Fatah-Hamas unity government at all costs, as the West Bank and the Gaza Strip risk becoming two Palestinian states. Palestine
SMS-spamming by companies sparks vigilante texting in Israel Israeli companies have been spamming their consumers with text messages, recalling a tactic Hamas used during the Gaza war. Israel
The next battle for the Turkish judiciary No matter who wins the race for seats in the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors, the result will still be far from an “independent and impartial judiciary.” Turkey
Underage and trapped: female Iraqi factory workers need help A tougher framework is needed to protect Iraqi girls who are working illegally in factories, as many are being exploited, harassed and sexually abused. Iraq
Gazans reject Israel's calls to disarm Gaza's factions appear to be united in rejecting Israel's demand that the area should become a weapons-free zone. Palestine
Fighting on Golan border puts Israel on the spot Israel has intercepted a drone over the Golan Heights, but turned a blind eye to a Syrian warplane near its border, highlighting the complex reality of the war in Syria and the difficulty in calculating what is in Israel's best interest. Israel
Hariri’s visit sign of Iranian-Saudi rapprochement Saad Hariri's return to Lebanon coincided with a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and appears to be part of Riyadh's plan to invest in fighting terrorism and promoting moderate Islam. Saudi Arabia
After minister's impeachment, critics of Rouhani grow louder Iranian Science Minister Reza Faraji-Dana has been impeached for alleged ties to the 2009 election protests. Iran
