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
In Iraq, Honor Crimes Spread to Cities Once common only in rural areas, the practice of murdering women and other Iraqis for what some perceive as immoral acts has made its way into the country’s urban centers. Iraq
Middle East Water Initiative Based on Rhine River Model The "Blue Peace in the Middle East" initiative seeks to examine how the multinational cooperation around the Rhine River might inform similar water agreements in the Middle East. Pan Arab
Netanyahu's Lost Battles Against West on Nuclear Iran The fate of Iran’s nuclear project will be sealed over the next few months, thus any agreement between the West and Iran that allows it to remain a “nuclear threshold state” will force Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to act. Israel
Will New Knesset Session Bring Changes in Netanyahu's Coalition? The Labor Party primaries and the confusion within the Shas Party are just some of the political opportunities presenting themselves to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming Knesset winter session. Israel
Palestinians to Continue Boycott Of Jerusalem Elections The PLO has renewed its call on Palestinians in Jerusalem to boycott municipal elections, but has the boycott only made life for Palestinians in the city worse? Palestine
Rise of Islamists Threatens Christian, Human Rights The rise of Islamists in the Middle East has increased the oppression of minorities in the region, but the issue could be resolved by protecting the human aspect of citizens. Lebanon
US 'Muddled' Approach to Egyptian Aid Needs Reassessment The freeze on aid shows the United States is missing the message on Egypt. Egypt
Lapid Calls for 'Endgame' In Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Israel's finance minister has told a Washington audience that Israelis and Palestinians should unite against "the media, cynicism and people who say 'no,'" but keep to a hard line on Iran. Palestine
My Conversation With Hamas Gershon Baskin, founder of the Israeli Palestinian Center for Research and Information, recounts his conversation with Ghazi Hamad, Hamas' deputy foreign minister. Palestine
TV Presenter in Turkey Loses Job Over Cleavage After AKP spokesman Huseyin Celik objected to TV presenter Gozde Kansu’s décolleté dress, her contract was suspended, raising eyebrows over Turkey's human rights record. Turkey
The Inevitable Rise Of Al-Qaeda in Libya The abduction and release of Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan by an armed group reveals that terrorists have been empowered since the US-backed Feb. 17 revolution, which overthrew Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. Originals
Turkey Goes Ballistic for China The whole episode has become an oxymoron of noisy speechlessness. Turkey
