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
Sewage flood pushes Gaza crisis to new heights The siege on Gaza prompted a sewage treatment plant to cease operating, flooding the nearby neighborhood with human waste. Originals
Turkey backing off support for jihadists on Syria border Turkey’s fading support for Syria’s jihadists is a boon for the PYD; Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu tells Al-Monitor Ankara never aided al-Qaeda-affiliated groups. Syria
Wife of Turkey Foreign Minister says women’s rights improving The Turkish Foreign Ministry sponsored an event on Monday to demonstrate concern about violence against women. Turkey
Israeli police neglect crime in Israeli Arab sector Israeli police dedicate vast resources to fight organized crime in central cities, but little effort fighting violence and crime in the Arab Israeli sector. Israel
Fathoming Iran's nuclear intentions Iran is already a civilian nuclear power; international safeguards should be enough to prevent it from getting the bomb. Israel
Turkish artist breaks stereotypes Reknowned artist and well-known leftist Kutlug Ataman surprises with his support for Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party. Turkey
Saudi film captivates Israeli moviegoers "Wadjda" opens a window into Saudi society and the phenomenon of feminism there, unknown to the Israeli public. Saudi Arabia
Iraq's unknown future It's no secret that Iraq’s present situation is dire; however, the question is still pertinent regarding what we can expect for the nation’s future. Iraq
Egypt's rulers face first test with gas shortage Public support for Egypt's new government could take a drastic turn if it fails to solve the country's persisting gas shortage. Egypt
The coming three battles of the Syria war Will Geneva II or three battles determine the course of the Syria war? Syria
Saving the Iran deal – and the Syrian state Ratcheting up sanctions on Iran risks a chance to end the war in Syria. Israel
Rouhani tackles unfinished projects Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s plans to create jobs by subsidizing projects with small and medium-sized enterprises were a failure, leaving the new president to pick up the slack. Iran
