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
Iraqi judiciary accused of bias, failure Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is accused of using the judiciary to fight his political opponents. Iraq
Tourism is Lebanon’s biggest missed opportunity A new report highlights the wasted potential of the tourism sector in Lebanon. Lebanon
Olmert soap opera tries Israeli judicial system Charges against former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and a complaint of sexual harassment against Energy and Water Minister Silvan Shalom emphasize the freedom of the Israeli legal system to act. Israel
Is Turkish-Israeli reconciliation back on track? The shifting regional picture may be forcing Israel and Turkey to rebuild ties, but only after Turkey’s elections on March 30. Israel
Hamas takes Israeli threats seriously Hamas is paying close attention to Israel's latest threats of military retaliation and a possible re-invasion of Gaza. Palestine
Foreign journalists accuse Hamas of SMS threats Hamas officials deny they had anything to do with the messages allegedly sent by the party's military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Palestine
Secrets of the Israeli treasury In an interview with Al-Monitor, Knesset member Stav Shaffir of the Labor Party reveals the treasury’s concealed budget transfers to the settlements, but her Google generation isn’t fooled by lack of government transparency. Palestine
Low turnout at Hamas rally sign of declining support? A lower-than-expected turnout at the anniversary of the assassination of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin has added to speculation about its declining popularity. Palestine
Archive Upfront from Mar 27, 2014 Syrian Kurds, rebels find common enemy in ISIS Bitter enemies less than a year ago, the Kurdish Democratic Union Party and the Free Syrian Army are cooperating to fight the extremist Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham. Syria
Seder can be inconvenient for gentile guests Jewish law does not prohibit hosting non-Jews for the traditional Passover dinner, but does render such invitations very inconvenient. Israel
Iraq-Saudi ties need strategic context While Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has accused Saudi Arabia of supporting terrorist groups, Baghdad should instead work on establishing effective channels of communication to cooperate in anti-terror efforts. Saudi Arabia
The incitement paradox While Israel complains about Palestinian incitement, the political class pays tribute to IDF warrior Meir Har-Zion, omitting mention of his responsibility for the death of four Bedouin youths in 1955. Palestine
