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
Hamas, Hezbollah Reportedly Seek To Cool Tensions Hamas sought an urgent meeting with Hezbollah to ease tensions after accusations that Palestinians affiliated with Hamas had fought alongside Syrian rebels in Qusair. Palestine
Music Festival Revives Hope For Tourism in Bethlehem Hopes that tourists will return to Bethlehem are buoyed by a successful Bet Lahem Live Festival. Palestine
Obama Should Invite Iran's Rouhani to Geneva The election of Hassan Rouhani as president of Iran might present an opening for a political solution to the Syria war. Israel
Exclusive: I Saw Nasrallah in Qusair The Hezbollah secretary-general’s mysterious visit to Qusair may not have been his first. Lebanon
Rouhani’s Election Win in Iran Promises to Ease Tension Hassan Rouhani's election is expected to ease tensions among Iranians and the international community. Lebanon
Erdogan Cheered, Criticized In AKP Stronghold A crowd rallies for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a show of force against the protests, but not without a sense of apprehension even in one of his party’s main strongholds. Turkey
Khamenei, Iran Choose Statesman Rouhani Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has acquiesced to the will of the people and a perhaps more conciliatory political posture with the election of Hassan Rouhani. Iran
Chances for Nuclear Deal Rise With Rouhani The victory by moderate cleric and experienced negotiator Hassan Rouhani revives chances for progress in nuclear negotiations provided the United States is also willing to compromise. Iran
Iranian Kurdish Struggle Linked to Turkey, Syria Iran is not admitting that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps units are operating in Syria. Syria
Erdogan Places Blame for Protests On International Conspiracy Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan would be better served by focusing on governance, and not blaming foreign or other interests for Turkey’s problems. Turkey
Russia Sees Turkey Through Its Own Lens As long as Russia-Turkey relations stay calm, Moscow has no comment. Turkey
