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
The Democratic Case Against Islamism Any legitimate democratic system must allow for Islamist parties but have legal checks on their agenda. Egypt
US Military Force Could Promote Diplomacy in Syria If the endgame is a diplomatic solution, the Obama administration should seek to strengthen secular Syrian opposition forces in advance of the Geneva II conference. Syria
Egyptian-Americans Split Over Morsi Coup The Egyptian-American community is divided and frustrated over US policy toward Egypt. Egypt
Regional Turmoil Casts Shadow On Israelis’ New Year’s Eve Israelis will celebrate the Jewish New Year with the threat of the Syrian civil war, the revolutions in Egypt and other changes in the region; next year doesn't promise more stability. Palestine
Jerusalem Mayor: City Must Remain Outside Peace Negotiations Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat's re-election campaign has heightened tensions between former Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, supporting Barkat's opponent, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is yet to endorse a candidate. Israel
Obama's Unnecessary Red Line President Obama's hesitation in enforcing his own red line on Syria will make Israelis question his limits for Iran. Israel
Iraqi Secular Trend Responds To Religious Extremism In the face of increasingly influential religious forces, Iraq's secular and moderate figures attempt to play a part in developing the country’s national identity. Iraq
Islamic Jihad May Respond If Israel Enters Syria War Fighters from Al-Quds Brigades say they are ready to fight in Syria alongside Hezbollah if requested. Palestine
Syria's Bus Drivers Brave War to Provide Transport Bus companies operating between Lebanese and Syrian cities continue despite the high dangers of war. Lebanon
Attacking Al-Qaeda in Syria A robust information campaign to undermine al-Qaeda in Syria would help to mitigate, although not eliminate, the dangers of the civil war. Syria
Saudi Arabia Pushes US Toward Military Strike in Syria Saudi Arabia is advocating for a US military strike in Syria to advance its own regional and sectarian agenda. Saudi Arabia
Political Disputes Delay Lebanon’s Gas Projects In light of Lebanon’s governmental vacuum and developments in neighboring Syria, certain parties want to delay the bidding process for exploration rights to the country’s offshore gas fields. Lebanon
