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 mourns Shulamit Aloni, champion of feminism in Israeli politics The former education minister and Israel Prize laureate, Shulamit Aloni, was the grand dame of civil rights, and above all a pioneer in the fight for women’s rights in Israel's male-dominated, militaristic environment. Israel
Islamic Jihad blames Israel for Gaza escalation After Israeli strikes killed two Islamic Jihad members in the Gaza Strip, the movement has come out accusing Israel of escalation, in what it says is an attempt to fuel intra-Palestinian conflict. Palestine
Syria opposition announces negotiating team as peace talks get underway Western diplomats have said the the peace talks are underway and should continue into the weekend. Originals
Film on Prophet Muhammad mired in controversy An Iranian film on the Prophet Muhammad by acclaimed director Majid Majidi has been wrought with religious, financial and political issues. Iran
Controversy brews over Israeli babies born to Thai surrogates The campaign accusing Interior Minister Gideon Saar of being responsible for babies born through surrogacy in Thailand not allowed to leave should blame agencies and the parents instead. Israel
Released Palestinian detainees struggle with life outside prison Although Palestinian prisoners are given much attention and press when released, they face many challenges alone when it comes to re-entering everyday life. Palestine
Erdogan briefs EU on ‘rule of judiciary’ danger During a trip to Brussels, Erdogan tells EU leaders about Gulenist activities in the judiciary, where the community wields huge influence, and explains his vision for Syria. Turkey
Moussa: Sisi will assume presidency in 'democratic way' In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, veteran Egyptian politician Amr Moussa says he supports Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi running for president and predicts that the Geneva II talks will not lead to a solution in Syria. Palestine
Turkey seals border against al-Qaeda Turkey has closed its gates after al-Qaeda captured three border crossings into northern Syria, with potential implications for armed groups operating in Syria. Syria
Palestinian Authority: Israel's security partner Israel and the Palestinian Authority share a common interest of fighting emerging al-Qaeda cells in the West Bank and the proliferation of global jihad. Palestine
Iraqi army declares its control of Khalidiya The Iraqi army declared that it has gained control of the Jazira area of Khalidiya, but maintaining that control will be a challenge. Iraq
SOC member Michel Kilo claims evidence of Assad links to ISIS In an exclusive interview, veteran Syrian opposition figure Michel Kilo tells Al-Monitor, "If Walid Moallem will talk about terrorism, he will receive a true lecture about terrorists." Syria
