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
Are UN Security Council anti-al-Qaeda terror statutes properly enforced? The UN Security Council has established a regime for a travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo against the al-Qaeda network since 1999, but new circumstances bring about serious doubts if such a regime is still functioning. Yemen
Muslim pilgrims visit Jerusalem French Imam Hassan Chalghoumi, undeterred by extreme voices, launches Muslim pilgrim voyages to Israel. Palestine
Iraqi liberals losing ground to Islamists Although liberal and civil Iraqi figures have formed a new alliance to compete in upcoming parliamentary elections, they seemed to have garnered little popular support amid an increasingly sectarian atmosphere. Iraq
Palestinian refugees from Syria struggle to attend Gaza's universities Palestinian university students who fled the violence in Syria are facing many difficulties in the Gaza Strip, as the authorities have backtracked on promises to exempt them from fees. Palestine
Israel faces crisis of growing poverty Israel's new national committee on poverty has been asked to propose a comprehensive solution to the alarming increase in Israeli families living below the poverty line, most of them working poor. Israel
US policies in Lebanon well-received Lebanese Sunnis appreciate US support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Christians see a US convergence with the Vatican and “Orthodox Russia” and Shiites see the United States as against the Sunni fundamentalist project that came in the wake of the Arab Spring. Lebanon
Kerry may address Israeli public on peace deal Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman agree on most points of US Secretary of State John Kerry's ''terms of reference'' document. Palestine
Crime, arms possession increase in Israeli Arab society In an interview with Al-Monitor, Knesset member Issawi Frej deplores the increase of weapons within Israeli Arab society and criticizes Israeli policy for not dealing with the phenomenon. Israel
Checkpoint hardship for sick Gazans seeking care in Israel Some sick patients in the Gaza Strip have reported that Israeli security officers offered to exchange travel permits for information. Palestine
Egyptian woman attacked in Tahrir Square as police watch, laugh On the anniversary of Egypt's Day of Rage, an Egyptian woman is subjected to the same police brutality her fellow citizens revolted against three years ago. Egypt
Israeli Knesset member calls US pressure 'pure anti-Semitism' In an interview with Al-Monitor, Knesset member Moti Yogev attacks US Secretary of State John Kerry for his role as mediator and warns President Shimon Peres is "delusional" for preaching in favor of a Palestinian state. Palestine
