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
Erdogan's unwelcome intervention in college life The Turkish prime minister’s legislative attempts to interfere in the private lives of citizens reveal a mindset that places his will above the law. Turkey
Kiss sparks debate in Iraqi Kurdistan On the charred remains of a modern symbol of love in the Iraqi Kurdistan city of Sulaimaniyah, a young couple sparked a public debate about the religious versus secular nature of Iraqi Kurdish society. Iraq
US official on Syria: 'half the population is suffering' US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration Anne Richard discusses the Syrian humanitarian crisis with Al-Monitor. Jordan
Turkish hijab activist calls on state to keep out of private life In an interview, Merve Kavakci-Islam, who was elected to Turkey’s parliament in 1999 but was unable to serve because of wearing a headscarf, said that Turkey is moving toward a “more citizen-friendly, Muslim-friendly, woman-friendly secularism.” Turkey
'Culture of fear' for region's minorities Conferences recently dedicated to the plight of Middle East Christians need to be understood in broader context. Egypt
Palestinians want to know who killed Arafat Palestinians are not surprised by the findings of the Swiss forensic report that the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat's body contained high levels of polonium. Palestine
Israeli police warn of rise in organized crime Israeli criminal organizations are stepping up their ruthlessness, adapting their operational methods to the modern era and penetrating government circles. Israel
Iranian foreign minister 'hopeful' on nuclear framework agreement US Secretary of State John Kerry will join the P5+1 talks in Geneva amid expectations of a possible deal. Iran
Obama goes big in the Middle East The US-Russia agreement on Syria’s chemical weapons, a possible nuclear deal with Iran, and Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are all signs that the Obama administration may be charting a new course in the region. Palestine
Syrian Kurdish leader: Turkey may end proxy war In an interview, Saleh Muslim, co-chairman of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), says that Turkey is ceasing its proxy war against the PYD by ending its support for jihadist groups in Syria. Syria
Turkey's stalled constitution In the post-Gezi Park protests era, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is being pressured to give up on writing a new constitution, at least until the March elections are over. Turkey
Palestine-Israel talks are a road without a map A freeze on settlements and recognition that the West Bank is occupied territory is necessary to turn the talks into true negotiations. Palestine
