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
Middle East Needs 'Win-Win' Approach to Regional Security An approach is overdue for regional security that recognizes the interests of Iran, Israel and all the states of West Asia. Legacy: Gulf
Is There Role for NATO In Israel-Palestine Peace Process? Many “ifs” remain about a NATO role in a final Israeli-Palestinian settlement, if there is one, but the option may be there. Israel
Kurdish National Congress Seeks Unity Amid Divisions The Kurdish National Congress, to be held in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region on Aug. 24, will seek a common agenda for Kurds divided over the war in Syria. Iraq
Iranian Reformists Return To Public Sphere Like bears emerging from a four-year hibernation, Iranian reformists are beginning to speak out again, empowered by the election of President Hassan Rouhani and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's departure. Iran
Turkey’s Secret 'Ancestry Codes' Track Non-Muslim Minorities Turkey has been secretly coding its Armenian, Greek, Jewish, Syriac and other non-Muslim minorities since the beginning of the republic in 1923. Turkey
Is Hamas Considering A Move to Beirut? Beirut has been the scene of intense political activity by Hamas as it seeks to restore ties with Hezbollah and Iran. Palestine
Is Maliki Considering Postponing Iraq's Parliamentary Elections? There is speculation in Baghdad that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki may consider postponing Iraq's parliamentary elections scheduled for next year. Iraq
Turkish Judicial System Takes Blow in Ergenekon Verdict Huseyin Celik, spokesman of the ruling Justice and Development Party, says if Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of Turkey, was alive, he would not even allow the defense lawyers in the Ergenekon trials to "peel potatoes." Turkey
Will Eid al-Fitr Bring Hope For Arab World? Eid al-Fitr is being celebrated with an especially heavy heart this year, with massacres still taking place in Syria, hatred in Egypt boiling over and the closure of Gaza continuing. Palestine
Israeli Arabs' Views Reveal Gap With Political Leaders Polls suggest that Israeli Arabs feel attached to their country, but their political leaders do little to strengthen that feeling or fight to improve their rights. Palestine
The White, Black and Gray Of the Ergenekon Trial That fervent belief in secrecy is behind the excesses of the Ergenekon case in Turkey. Turkey
Forced Underage Marriages Continue in Gaza Forced marriages of teenage Palestinian girls in Gaza remain frequent, despite laws prohibiting the marriage of those under 17. Palestine
