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
Life inside Khan Yunis A firsthand account of the intense shelling of Khan Yunis, which left scores of civilians dead and houses turned to rubble. Palestine
What made Abbas change position on Gaza war? Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas surprised many, including his Palestinian critics, when he publicly expressed support for armed resistance against Israel in Gaza. Palestine
Diplomats from P5+1 meet in Geneva, Kerry flies home Iranian media expressed disappointment that US secretary of State John Kerry and other P5+1 foreign ministers would not join the nuclear talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif. Iran
Turkish spy agency's image makeover Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) is undergoing a controversial image repair and institutional reconstruction after court proceedings revealed the agency's role in murders during the 1990s. Turkey
US on Iran talks: No one should expect breakthrough overnight Western diplomats have said that they are hopeful for the nuclear proposal Iran is set to give at the next round of P5+1 talks, but caution not to expect an immediate breakthrough. Iran
Obsession with Iran blinded Netanyahu to Hamas threat When the Gaza operation ends, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will have to justify his national defense priorities, as he relentlessly pushed the budget for funds against the Iranian nuclear threat while ignoring the tunnels Hamas was digging under Israel that threatened the residents of the south. Palestine
Netanyahu convinces Israelis of existential threat The Israeli public is lapping up the official line that Israel is fighting a "war of no choice" and ignoring the larger diplomatic context in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sabotaged the Palestinian unity government and suspended negotiations. Palestine
Baghdad seethes as Erbil hosts revolutionary tribal conference A revolutionary tribal leaders conference was held in Erbil, stirring harsh criticism from Baghdad that these armed groups are working with the Islamic State. Iraq
Pro-regime Syrians take risks to dodge draft The Syrian army is continuing to conscript recruits for compulsory military service, but young men, including supporters of the regime, are avoiding conscription at the risk of arrest and imprisonment. Syria
West praises 'useful, detailed' Iran nuclear proposal During the latest round of P5+1 talks on Iran's nuclear program, the Islamic Republic presented a nuclear proposal in a meeting that all parties described as substantive and productive. Iran
Breaking: Iran, US hold direct talks in Geneva During the latest round of P5+1 meetings, the US and Iran held bilateral talks which both sides described as 'useful.' Iran
Diplomats: Follow on Iran nuclear talks in Geneva in November In a rare joint statement issued by Iran and the P5+1, diplomats said that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif presented a framework for the negotiating process, which the US is seriously considering. Iran
