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
Iran and Turkey Have DifferencesOn Syria, But Not a Crisis Iran's ambassador in Ankara, Alireza Bikdeli, says if the Iranian and Turkish differences on Syria were between two other countries, it would have led to serious problems. Turkey
Erdogan’s Democracy Package Gets Cool Reception The AKP’s long-anticipated reform package has produced mixed reactions in Turkey, while EU circles remain cautiously optimistic. Turkey
UN Resolution Opens New Chapter in Syria Conflict A UN Security Council resolution has recast the Syria conflict as a matter for international diplomacy, not US unilateral action. Syria
Conflict a Winner At the Israeli Oscars When “Bethlehem” won the Ophir Award for best film, it showed, once again, that Israeli DNA, which is made up of fear and pain, is also a recipe for exciting, intriguing and successful cinema. Palestine
The Honor Games: Netanyahu vs. Rouhani Despite the “post-honor world” we live in, national pride still plays a key role in the relations between Israel and Iran, a zero-sum game that could lead to an abyss. Israel
Tunisians Lose Faith In Ennahda, Revolution Missteps have left Ennahda as unpopular in Tunisia as the Muslim Brotherhood is in Egypt. Originals
Bitcoins: Currency for Criminals? Israeli authorities are examining the possibility of taxing commerce conducted with bitcoins, which secures the identity of its users but is also a tool for drug and arms dealers. Israel
Lebanese Army Takes Over Security In Beirut’s Southern Suburbs For the first time in decades, the Lebanese army has taken over security in Beirut’s southern suburbs — Hezbollah’s traditional stronghold — leading some to hope that this step can be applied throughout the country. Lebanon
Turkish Court Investigates Syrian Jihadist Use of Chemicals Turkish prosecutors have indicted a Syrian opposition figure with links to Jabhat al-Nusra's attempts to manufacture chemical weapons. Syria
Hamas MP Entangled In Palestinian Honor Killing Palestinian rights groups have urged President Mahmoud Abbas to act after two more women were killed in honor crimes. Palestine
Sudan Protests Continue Amid Violence Anti-government Sudanese protesters vow to keep their rallies peaceful, despite the violent crackdown by security forces that have left dozens dead in the past week. Sudan
