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
Saudi-Qatar divide means reset for GCC Saudi Arabia and Qatar have different ideas about what constitutes internal and external threats to the Gulf region, making their partnership within the Gulf Cooperation Council difficult. Saudi Arabia
Dahlan-Hamas reconciliation to open doors in Egypt Hamas leaders met with former Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan in Abu Dhabi to create a framework to deliver financial aid to the Gaza people, and so doing chipped a small crack in the wall between Egypt and Hamas. Palestine
Right-wing Knesset members lash out at Arabs for ratings Housing Minister Uri Ariel's remarks against Arab Knesset members aim first and foremost to attract headlines, says Arab Knesset member Mohammad Barakeh in an interview with Al-Monitor, but they sometimes serve Arab Knesset members as well. Israel
GCC rift another blow to Erdogan’s Mideast policies Turkey is increasingly isolated in the region, more so as Qatar is on the outs with other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Saudi Arabia
In latest tape, Erdogan calls judiciary Leaked tapes suggest Recep Tayyip Erdogan interfered directly in the judiciary to curb press freedom. Turkey
Iraqi Shiite clerics maintain humility, influence The Shiite clerics of Najaf have always provided a spiritual reference to their followers, while at the same time playing an important role on various levels. Iraq
Avoiding the 'disaster scenario' in Lebanon Lebanon at a crossroad: in the best-case scenario Lebanon would see a new president who forms a new government, while in a worst-case scenario no president is elected and the government does not enjoy parliament's confidence. Lebanon
Israel's 'campaign between the wars' with Iran The latest capture of a vessel carrying weapons en route to the Gaza Strip reveals Israel's ongoing battle against Iranian attempts to gain a military foothold in the region — while nuclear negotiations follow their course. Palestine
Jordan Valley essential for a viable Palestinian state US Secretary of State John Kerry should work to ensure that full sovereignty of the Jordan Valley is given to the Palestinians to ensure a future state is economically viable. Palestine
Iraqi atheists demand recognition, guarantee of their rights Following Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi’s article on atheism in the Gulf, atheism in Iraq is no longer limited to the intellectual elite, but has spread among all social classes, and there is a pressing need to ensure the rights of these citizens in the face of threats from extremists. Iraq
Egypt seeks Saudi help on Ethiopia water dispute Egypt has turned to Saudi Arabia to help pressure Ethiopia into compromising on the Renaissance Dam, which Cairo fears will cut off vital water supplies from the Nile River. Saudi Arabia
Is Tel Aviv's vegan craze here to stay? A vegetarian diet amasses more and more supporters in Israel, but is this a genuine change of heart, a fashionable trend or the latest outlet for an “acceptable” aggressiveness? Israel
