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
Iraqi Politician Attacks Central Bank Corruption The Iraqi Sunni politician Ahmed al-Alwani claims that Iraqi private banks have been involved in schemes to bypass the sanctions imposed on Syria and Iran, reports Omar al-Shaher. Iraq
Hamas Bars Women From Gaza Marathon Hamas' decision to bar women from UNRWA's annual Gaza marathon might have more to do with politics than religion, Abeer Ayyoub reports. Palestine
Hugo Chavez’s Mixed Legacy in the Middle East The late president of Venezuela won the support of large numbers of Arabs for his anti-Israeli positions, but his stock dropped after the Arab Spring and his continued backing of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, writes Ali Hashem. Regional
Segregation Existed BeforeNew Palestinian Bus Lines Israel's new bus lines for Palestinian workers are not where segregation begins, Lena Odgaard reports. Palestine
Kurdish MP Displays Turkish Unity Abroad While traveling with Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan, BDP Hakkari Deputy Esat Canan, a Kurd, revealed a common purpose in promoting Turkey abroad, writes Tulin Daloglu. Turkey
Erdogan Wins Palestinian Hearts and Minds Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s increasing political and economic support for the Palestinians has strengthened Turkey's ties with both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, writes Adnan Abu Amer. Palestine
Palestinians, Activists Protest Israeli Settlement in Hebron Nowhere are Israeli settlement policies more evident and combustible than in the Palestinian city of Hebron, Daoud Kuttab writes. Palestine
Israeli Settler Dedicated His Life to Peace Rabbi Menachem Froman, who died March 5, believed that only religious leaders could resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as Shlomi Eldar recalls. Israel
Gaza Farmers Lament Israeli Blockade Despite Israel allowing limited agricultural exports from the Gaza Strip, Gazan farmers continue to struggle with diminished incomes and difficult working conditions due to the blockade, reports Hazem Balousha. Palestine
Ahmadinejad’s Budget Is About Iran’s Elections Iranian President Ahmadinejad has proposed a budget that empowers the president’s office and shows that he is still up for a political battle in his final months in office, writes Mohammad Ali Shabani. Iran
Jordan at Crossroads On Eve of New Government Abdullah Ensour's expected reappointment as prime minister, involving unprecedented consultation between the court and the parliament, may not be enough to address Jordan's political and economic challenges, write Dana Barakat and Thomas Sullivan. Jordan
Poll: Sectarianism, Syria Drive Negative Image of Iran The rise of sectarian tensions as a result of the Syrian conflict, and Iran’s support for the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, have contributed to negative perceptions of Iran in the region, according to a new Zogby poll, reports Barbara Slavin. Pan Arab
