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
Post-Morsi Egypt: Gulf In, Turkey Out Turkey held a positive image among many anti-Morsi protesters but is emerging as a loser with its diplomatic campaign to reinstate the deposed Egyptian president. Egypt
Will Offshore Gas Spark New Lebanon-Israel Conflict? As exploration and exploitation of offshore gas fields in Lebanese waters has yet to get going, concerns have been raised that bordering Israeli fields could serve as a pretext for Israel to steal Lebanese gas. Israel
The Decline of Israel's Labor Union Chairman Ofer Eini, chairman of Israel's labor union federation, once a major decision-maker within Israeli politics, has lost his relevance since the social protest movement in 2011, perceived by many as part of the "old system." Israel
Russia Winner in Energy Transit Deal With Turkey Turkey chooses cooperation with Russia on South Stream energy project. Turkey
The Egyptian Who Wants To Tell Israelis the Truth Hiba Hamdi Abu Sayyaf, a Cairo resident, has conquered the heart of Israelis, speaking to them in their language and explaining to them the complexity of her culture and the desire for peace. Egypt
Palestinian Islamic Jihad Unfazed by Egypt Crisis Palestinian Islamic Jihad is maintaining its approach of strict neutrality concerning regional developments including Egypt's latest crisis. Palestine
Middle Eastern Girls Advance Science and Technology A group of 27 teenagers from across the region recently visited the United States with a vision for the future of green energy, robotics and music. Near East
Hamas Feigns Optimism As Gaza Limps Toward Crisis Though Hamas downplays the effects on Gaza of the unrest in Egypt and the closure of the Rafah crossing, economists worry that conditions in the Strip are about to reach a new low. Palestine
Russia Steers Conservative, Steady Course in Middle East Unlike the United States, Russia can walk away from the Middle East at any time. Egypt
Gulf States Embrace Post-Brotherhood Egypt Gulf states are lining up to support Egypt after President Mohammed Morsi's ouster, including more than $8 billion in financial assistance, but should do more to ensure the country does not repeat the mistakes of the past. Legacy: Gulf
Egypt's Moral Test The challenges of the second transition in Egypt will not be overcome by sheer force or security measures alone, but through prudence, restraint, a spirit of reconciliation and high moral standards. Egypt
Iran, Iraq React Differently to Morsi's Fall A comparison of the Iraqi and Iranian reactions to the situation in Egypt shows a profound difference in their perspectives on democracy. Egypt
