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
US Succeeds in Alienating All Parties in Egypt The US is searching for an anchor for its policy toward the coup in Egypt. Egypt
Iraq's Anbar Province Struggles To Form Government Three months following elections in Iraq’s protest-riddled Anbar province, its various factions have still not managed to create alliances and form a local government. Iraq
Egyptian Revolution Broadcast in Hebrew Events in Egypt are now being interpreted in the Israeli news media, and on social media, by Hebrew-speaking Egyptians who are shattering the image of the Arab world in Israel. Egypt
Israel’s Plague of Self-Censorship A series of new academic studies reveals that the self-silencing and mouth-muzzling phenomenon regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has turned into an Israeli plague. Palestine
Lebanese Alliance Shifts Ultimately Depend on Syria After Lebanon’s parliament failed to pass a new electoral law, speculation began to circulate that Gen. Michel Aoun might end his long alliance with Hezbollah and Amal. Lebanon
Is Egypt's Media Inciting Hatred Against Palestinians? A hate campaign against Palestinians in the Egyptian media has irked Palestinian journalists. Palestine
Kurdish Rebel Group in Turkey Re-Focuses on Syria A change in the PKK leadership has prompted debate over Turkey’s Kurdish peace initiative and Syria policies. Turkey
Iraq’s Sex Trade Thrives Given the lax security situation since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, the country’s sex trade has proliferated. Iraq
What Next for Muslim Brotherhood? The Muslim Brotherhood must realize its failings and consider a sweeping internal change in leadership. Egypt
Clashes Re-Erupt in Syria Between Al-Qaeda, Kurds Fighting between the Kurdish People’s Defense Units (YPG) and the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jahbat al-Nusra killed at least four Jabhat al-Nusra fighters in the city of Ras al-Ain, Syria. Syria
Palestinians Celebrate Ramadan in Israel The initiative of allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank to visit Israel’s parks and beaches this month is intended to foster a sense of coexistence and to send a message to the isolated Palestinians of the Gaza Strip. Palestine
How Can Turkey Bounce Back In the Middle East? Turkey's AKP government must alter its Islamic-based “exclusionary policies,” stabilize political and economic ties with Iraq and Iran and restore normalcy to its relations with Israel. Turkey
