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
Israel waits for Egypt to deal with terrorists in Sinai Israel observes the rise in Salafist violence just over its border in Sinai with alarm and waits for Egypt to take the necessary action. Egypt
Chalabi: Anbar crisis sign of 'political failure' in Iraq In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Ahmed Chalabi shares his views on the upcoming elections, the economy and the de-Baathification law. Iraq
'Cash box’ crops up in Turkey’s Africa opening The revelation that official Turkish aid to Somalia was delivered in boxes full of cash has raised questions about Turkey’s Africa policies. Turkey
Turkey defers to Baghdad on oil from Iraqi Kurdistan Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani has been conducting shuttle diplomacy between Baghdad and Ankara to facilitate an agreement. Iraq
Netanyahu absent from Likud politics Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s repeated avoidance of the Likud Party's internal politics and his silence on the current public debates are adding to the confusion and suspicion that dominate the governing party. Israel
Iraqis welcome Interfaith Harmony Week As Iraq welcomed Interfaith Harmony Week at the beginning of February, there is a need to separate religion from state and reform school curricula in the country. Iraq
Lebanon’s new government based on mutual oversight After a governmental vacuum that lasted 11 months, Lebanese parties have finally formed a government based on Sunni and Shiite groups providing a supervisory role to the other, with Christians serving as mediators. Lebanon
Palestinian entrepreneur returns to build new city in West Bank Palestinian entrepreneur Bashar al-Masri explains his vision for the West Bank town of Rawabi. Palestine
Israel shaken by decision to indict Rabbi Pinto The serious charges to be filed against Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto have generated a storm among the Israeli public days after the police recommended that Rabbi Yona Metzger be indicted for bribery and fraud. Israel
US, Russia should agree on a 'secular' Syria The objective of a revived diplomatic process should be assuring a secular state, not necessarily Assad's departure. Syria
US, Iran need to contain war of words With talks beginning in Vienna on Feb. 18 , on a comprehensive nuclear agreement, rhetoric on both sides can make the already difficult compromises that much harder. Iran
Ocalan extends hand to Armenians Abdullah Ocalan, head of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), has written a letter that seems to turn a new page in the bitter Armenian-Kurdish relationship. Turkey
