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
Israeli Media DiscriminateAgainst Women in Politics A report composed by women journalists reveals that the Israeli media relate to female politicians in a sexist manner, especially those of Middle Eastern or North African origin. Israel
Iran Opens First Alcohol Rehab Center The official permit for an alcohol rehabilitation center provides a window on the illegal trade and consumption of alcohol in Iran. Iran
International Oil Companies Gamble on Turkey’s Shale Gas While information on Turkey's hydrocarbon reserves remains elusive, some shale investors are willing to take the risk. Turkey
Al-Qaeda Sets Sights On Iraq’s Anbar Province As al-Qaeda-affiliated groups expand their activities throughout Iraq, some believe they are eyeing Anbar province, where a “huge battle” could unfold in the near future. Iraq
Israel Looks Beyond the Region For Strategic Partners Confronted by a gloomy strategic environment, Israel has found new foreign policy partners in Azerbaijan, Greece and India. Israel
Turkey's Choice: Chinese Missile Defense Or NATO? If Turkey moves ahead with the purchase of a Chinese missile defense system, Ankara will be opting out of a NATO system. Turkey
Jerusalem Mayor's Re-Election Setback for Liberman The victory of incumbent Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat in the municipal elections does not bode well for Knesset members Avigdor Liberman and Aryeh Deri, who placed their bets on his opponent. Israel
Gaza Olive Harvest Resumes Despite Israeli Border Threats Palestinian volunteers have resumed the olive harvest on Gaza's border with Israel, despite the continued threat from Israeli border forces. Palestine
Syrian Kurds Win Support In Battle With Al-Qaeda Forces Syrian Kurdish forces are winning local support in Ras al-Ain by beating back jihadist groups. Syria
Jordan Tightens Grip On Opposition Activism Jordan has moved to stifle free speech, targeting Islamist and secular activists alike and reneging on promises of reform. Jordan
Lebanon Gains From Hostage Deal, Regional Trends Qatar and the Palestinian Authority, which are at odds with Hezbollah, seem to have played key roles in releasing Lebanese hostages close to Hezbollah. Lebanon
Chinese Clothing Imports on the Rise In Iraq As with other local markets around the world, availability of cheap Chinese-made clothing in Iraq has largely run the country’s secondhand-clothing merchants out of business. Iraq
