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
Netanyahu's European Double Standard Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demands that Europe "be strict, be strong” vis-a-vis Iran and its nuclear project, while his government continues to violate international law in the occupied territories. Palestine
Turkey: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Of the Hakan Fidan Story During a 10-day holiday break, a series of Western news reports roiled Turkey's pro-government establishment. Israel
Turkish Intelligence ChiefBoth Iconoclast and Target Hakan Fidan, Turkey’s highly intellectual and pro-West intelligence chief, has drawn a lot of attention and criticism as the architect of the peace process with the PKK. Turkey
IPI to Release Reporters Guide For Palestine-Israel Conflict The International Press Institute is set to publish a guide for reporters on the use of language in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, aimed at addressing sensitivities on both sides. Palestine
Hezbollah Deputy Received in Paris France hosts a Hezbollah deputy just three months after the party was added to the EU terrorist list. Lebanon
In switch, Egypt may join Ethiopia in Nile Dam project In a surprising move, Egypt said that it will consider participating with Ethiopia in the construction of the Renaissance Dam, which it had staunchly opposed. Egypt
Is Saudi Arabia Holding Up The Geneva II Conference on Syria? While Turkey may be shifting its Syria policy in response to domestic and international pressure, Saudi Arabia appears to be digging in to oppose the trend toward a diplomatic solution. Saudi Arabia
Is Libi’s Al-Qaeda Manual A Blueprint for Arab Spring? The famous “Manchester Manual” of captured al-Qaeda operative Abu Anas al-Libi reveals more about jihadist intentions for “apostate” Arab regimes than Western targets. Pan Arab
Khaleeji Cities Are Present, Future As argued by Sultan al-Qassemi, the Gulf cities of Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi deserve to be recognized as the new, 21st century centers of the Arab world. Pan Arab
Iran's 'Cable Guys' Provide Service For Contraband Satellites While technically illegal, satellite dishes in Iran are ubiquitous, creating a niche market for the men who install them. Iran
Gulf Cash Gives Jolt of Life To Egypt's Economy About $12 billion in aid and bank deposits are helping the Egyptian economy in the short term, but structural reforms are needed to sustain the economy in the long term. Saudi Arabia
