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
After Qusair, Is Hezbollah Finished in Syria? Will Hezbollah continue its military involvement in Syria? Lebanon
No Turkish Spring, But Maybe Erdogan's Solstice The recent protests may not mark a turning point for Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but rather a shift from a steady rise to a gradual decline. Turkey
For Egypt's Opposition, It’s Economy, Not Religion Mass mobilization against Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi will not lead to effective change unless there are alternative policies to back it up. Egypt
Is Gaza Honey Mixture The Next Viagra? Gaza merchant claims honey mixture treats erectile dysfunction, male infertility. Palestine
Iraqi Interfaith Council Tries to Protect Minorities The Iraqi Council for Interfaith Dialogue has sought to unite people around protection of minorities. Iraq
Jerusalem Absentee Law A Major Roadblock to Peace The Israeli attorney-general has dangerously declared that property in East Jerusalem owned by Palestinians in the West Bank could be confiscated by the Israeli state. Palestine
Syrian Kurdish NGOs Prevent Recruitment of Youth Soldiers NGOs fight to keep impoverished Syrian Kurdish youth from being militarized by political parties. Syria
Republican Congressman King Opposes US Arms to Syrian Rebels Congressman Peter King of New York discusses US policy toward Syria and the Middle East. Israel
Rouhani's Biopic Surprises Iranian Voters Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani's 30-minute documentary on state TV has captured voters' attention. Iran
Gaza Factions Denounce Hamdallah Appointment Hamas and Islamic Jihad have criticized Rami Hamdallah's appointment as the new Palestinian prime minister, while leftist groups have vowed to boycott the new cabinet. Palestine
