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
Turkey, Saudi ties less than meet the eye Despite a shared interest in supporting opposition groups against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Riyadh and Ankara are unlikely to become allies. Saudi Arabia
Netanyahu, Kerry put security first in peace talks with Palestinians Did the Israeli prime minister promise the US president that he would go for a peace deal with Palestinians under certain conditions? Palestine
Polish cuisine wins Israeli hearts and stomachs Polish Culinary Week offered a tasty step toward restoring Israeli cultural relations with Poland, which for many Israelis is a source of both nostalgia and pain. Israel
Basra officials hope new contracts will spur reconstruction Following years of rampant corruption in reconstruction projects, officials in the Iraqi city of Basra are optimistic that recent contracts concluded with Hill International will spark a construction boom in the city. Iraq
The dark side of Pink Floyd's Roger Waters Comparing Israel to Nazi Germany is abhorrent, even for an aging rock star. Palestine
Turkey, China cooperation on ballistic missiles not new Turkish defense industry insiders are dismayed with US pressure on Turkey for it reaching a deal with China, as this is not the first time they have cooperated. Turkey
Gaza artists improvise under siege Gaza artists show just how innovative they can be in their work as they find unique ways to depict the Gaza Strip residents' plight. Palestine
Iraqi politicians focus on buying, not convincing voters Since the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraq's political scene has been more about infighting and vote-buying than the state's welfare. Iraq
Private sector key to development in Middle East, North Africa Arab governments need to give room and encourage private sector growth if they’re serious about developing their economies. Pan Arab
Hezbollah contemplates next move Israel’s president extends a hand to Iran, putting the ball in Hezbollah and Tehran's court. Saudi Arabia
Michel Aoun: Lebanon 'paralyzed' by Syria war In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Gen. Michel Aoun, leader of Lebanon’s Free Patriotic Movement, blames Saudi Arabia for the deadlock in Lebanese politics. Saudi Arabia
Nasrallah, Assad ties stronger than ever Hassan Nasrallah's defense of Hezbollah’s role in the Syrian conflict sheds light on the nature of his relationship with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Lebanon
