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's right of self-defense should not include attacking Iran An Israeli attack on Iran could not be legally justified as self-defense, considering that Iran so far has not breached the NPT, to which Israel is not a signatory. Israel
Israeli defense official slams nuclear deal with 'evil' Iran In an interview with Al-Monitor, Amos Gilad, director of the diplomatic-security bureau of the Israeli Defense Ministry, claims that Iran's acceptance of the recent nuclear deal is just a ploy to continue developing nuclear capabilities. Israel
Allen mission key to Israeli-Palestinian security talks Gen. John Allen, former commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, quietly pursues the security talks required to support an Israeli-Palestinian agreement. Palestine
Israel should freeze the Bedouin relocation bill The Israeli plan to relocate Bedouins cannot be properly discussed before a series of actions to mend the rift between them and Israeli authorities rebuild trust. Israel
Syrian refugees in Istanbul sent from pillar to post Over 200,000 Syrian refugees, most of them without legal papers, struggle to find shelter and work in Istanbul as winter sets in. Syria
Change in Hezbollah will be true sign of change in Iran Although many have applauded the recent deal between the P5+1 and Tehran on the latter’s nuclear program, a fundamental change in Iranian policy in the region remains to be seen. Iran
Turkish culture popular among Gaza Palestinians Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's support for Palestine, in particular Gaza, has prompted strong interest in Turkish culture among Gazans. Palestine
Iran nuclear deal may be start of new era in Persian Gulf The Iran nuclear deal could be a breakthrough on regional ties. Legacy: Gulf
Elderly in Iran suffer as economy falters Iran's senior citizens feel the toll of Iran's faltering economy and record pollution. Iran
Turkey’s Laz awakening Turkey’s Laz people are awakening to their language and culture, though it is still premature to speak of a “Laz Renaissance.” Turkey
Iranian government builds bridges to Sunni minority Iran’s Sunni community is estimated at 9% of the country's population. Iran
The Sufi challenge to Iran’s clergy While Iran's Sufis have attempted to blend into society, their beliefs and practices have sometimes been questioned by Iran’s clerical leadership. Iran
