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
Hamas leader stresses 'concessions' in reconciliation deal Some Hamas officials had hoped Khaled Meshaal would take a tougher stand on Fatah in his most recent speech, as Hamas members in the West Bank continue to be arrested despite the reconciliation deal. Palestine
Erdogan visit riles German government Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan brought his divisive politics to Cologne. Turkey
Rouhani under fire for saying heaven can’t be forced Influential Iranian conservative Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami has criticized President Hassan Rouhani for saying that people cannot be taken "to heaven through force and a whip." Iran
Russia rejects UN resolution as pretext to Syria 'intervention' Russia is standing by Syria, including its elections, and warning the United States and other members of the UN Security Council against the perils of "external intervention." Syria
Mofaz: 'Strategic situation worse' on Iran In an interview with Al-Monitor, former Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz argues that US over-involvement in Israeli-Palestinian talks only alienated both sides, and the only feasible solution is a two-stage agreement with the Palestinians, even while talking with Hamas. Palestine
Tzipi Livni in Ehud Barak’s footsteps Five years ago, Tzipi Livni criticized Ehud Barak for being part of a diplomatically stagnating right-wing government but she, too, will soon have to choose: negotiations with a Palestinian unity government, or diplomatic stagnation that will lead to a binational state. Palestine
Turkey-Azerbaijan pipeline offers alternative for Russian gas Ankara hopes the new pipeline, which could also carry Iranian natural gas, will break Russia’s stranglehold on natural gas prices. Turkey
Egypt tightens border security amid Libyan unrest Following former Gen. Khalifa Hifter’s campaign against armed Islamist groups in Libya, Egypt has partially closed its eastern border and is trying to avoid any negative repercussions of this unrest. Egypt
Saudi, UAE coordination signals differences with Qatar Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have formed a joint committee to coordinate their regional efforts, with Egypt and Libya topping the agenda. Saudi Arabia
Iran businessman hanged for embezzlement Iran has executed businessman Mehafarid Amri-Khosravi for crimes connected to a $2.7 billion embezzlement scheme, Iran's largest-ever embezzlement case. Iran
US, Iran cannot afford another missed opportunity In his new book, Seyed Hossein Mousavian recounts new details of how the chances for US-Iran engagement after 9/11 and the 2003-2005 nuclear negotiations were wasted, at great cost. Iran
Erdogan’s dictator defense Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, responding to critics who label him a “dictator,” can improve his image by giving up practices that generate criticism. Turkey
