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
Egypt’s New Cabinet: More of the Same Nervana Mahmoud writes that the new cabinet announced by President Mohammed Morsi offers little prospect for progress or change. Egypt
Netanyahu Teaches Lapid A Lesson in Politics The message of support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent Finance Minister Yair Lapid was a political maneuver against Lapid, already under fire for his austerity plan, writes Mazal Mualem. Israel
Is Turkey Headed for Sharia Rule? Mustafa Akyol argues that even if Turkey's Islamists have a "hidden agenda" of imposing sharia or Islamic law, they don't have much chance because of societal trends. Turkey
Exclusive: Islamic Jihad Rethinks Role In Palestinian Politics In the second of four exclusive reports from Gaza on the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, Asmaa al-Ghoul reports on the movement's greater involvement in Palestinian civic and political life, including municipal elections. Palestine
Davutoglu Warns Of 'Ethnic Cleansing' in Syria Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu lectures on Syria as the Kurdistan Workers Party starts to withdraw from Turkey, writes Tulin Daloglu. Syria
PKK Challenges Barzani In Iraqi Kurdistan Denise Natali writes that the withdrawal of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) forces from Turkey and developments in Syria will keep the Kurdish nationalist movement fragmented from within and across borders. Iraq
Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid Disappoints Middle Class Ashdod residents pinned great hopes on the electoral success of Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, but the new finance minister's austerity plan has left them angry and frustrated, writes Daniel Ben Simon. Israel
Gazans Alarmed by Draft Law Including Islamic Punishments A hard-line draft penal code that calls for Islamic punishments including flogging and amputation has sparked fierce debates in Gaza, writes Hazem Balousha. Palestine
Jerusalem Day Needs a Makeover On the occasion of Jerusalem Day, which is not celebrated by 67% of residents, Akiva Eldar wonders what could happen if the so-called “united city” combined to vote for a Palestinian Jerusalemite candidate. Palestine
Will the Iraqi Cabinet Meet In Kurdistan Region? Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional Government sources have confirmed that a cabinet meeting will be held in Erbil, reports Ali Abel Sadah. Iraq
Europe and the Politics Of Syrian Oil The EU lifted a ban on the export of Syrian oil from rebel areas and must figure out how to get hold of the oil, much of which lies under destroyed infrastructure and in areas of active fighting, writes Nasser Chararah. Lebanon
Holy City Divided on Jerusalem Day The annual march of nationalist Israelis through east Jerusalem on Jerusalem Day on May 8 contributes to divisions and resentment in the Holy City, reports Jillian Kestler-D’Amours. Palestine
