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
Will Turkey face another credit rating downgrade? Fitch Ratings has warned of high risks in Turkey, sparking concern that the agency, the first to raise Turkey to investment grade back in 2012, may now be the first to downgrade the country. Turkey
Is Hamas' tunnel network still intact? Hamas officials tell Al-Monitor that while Israel inflicted a blow to the tunnel network along the border, their main strategic tunnels are still operational. Palestine
US sees opportunity in Iran election for progress in nuclear talks The US hopes that progress in addressing international concerns over Iran's nuclear program will take place under the newly elected more moderate Iranian President Hassan Rouahni who has taken a "positive tone." Iran
Time for Obama to justify his Nobel Peace Prize Once November’s elections for Congress are over, the Obama administration will begin its final governing quarter, which would be the last term for the president to pressure Israel and the Palestinians back into negotiations, and earn his Nobel Prize. Palestine
Turkey's AKP looks to the future Erdogan wants and will likely see a loyal young generation of leaders take over his Justice and Development Party (AKP). Turkey
Iraqi Kurds accuse local Arabs of supporting IS Iraqi Kurds say many local Arabs aided the Islamic State in their recent offensives against Kurdish forces. Iraq
EU's Ashton hopes Iran nuclear talks resume soon After meeting with political directors from the P5+1 countries, lead international negotiator, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, expressed an eagerness to resume nuclear talks with Iran after the election of the Islamic Republic's Hassan Rouhani to be President. Iran
In their own words: IDF reservists on war, politics Four IDF reserve soldiers speak to Al-Monitor about going to war as adults, with families to worry about and with more complex political and societal views than those of many young regular soldiers. Israel
Iran's supreme leader rules out broader engagement with US Iran's supreme leader supports the continuation of the nuclear talks but has criticized bilateral talks between Iranian and US officials. Iran
IS emerges from radical Islamic jurisprudence The Islamic State and other radical groups found their religious underpinnings in the heart of Islamic teachings. Iraq
Without Hamas, Israelis and Palestinians can find peace It was terrorist attacks by Hamas from the 1990s until today that ruined any chance of reconciliation with Israel. Thus, only when the Palestinian people come out against Hamas will it be possible to talk about peace. Palestine
Obama misses the mark on Netanyahu Barack Obama’s statement about Benjamin Netanyahu’s internal political strength shows how much Americans fail to understand Israeli politics, with Israel's prime minister at an unprecedented political low point following the Gaza war. Palestine
