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
US-Funded Employment Programs Criticized by Iraqi Activists The United States seeks to combat perceptions from some Iraqi activists that its training and employment programs have been ineffective, writes Omar al-Shaher. Iraq
Iran Reacts Angrily to 'Argo' Oscar Tehran rejects depictions of Iranians in "Argo," which received the Academy Award for best picture, writes Saideh Jamshidi. Iran
'Argo' Oscar Spurs Ex-Hostages To Call For Sustained Iran Talks Bruce Laingen and John Limbert, who were hostages in Iran from 1979-81, say they hope the movie "Argo" will encourage diplomacy with Iran and not just dredge up old grievances. Iran
Israel's First Arab Soccer Superstar Tells His Story Rifaat Turk, Israel’s first Arab soccer superstar, who paved the way for dozens of Arab players, tells Shlomi Eldar about the racism and challenges he has faced. Israel
How Is Kurdistan Different From Palestine? Tulin Daloglu compares the statehood claims of Kurdistan and Palestine. Palestine
Israel Cannot Afford to Cut Benefits for Children Cutting already-low child benefits in Israel under the pretext of equal sharing of the economic burden is liable to cause irreparable damage, warns Idan Grinbaum. Israel
UAE Deports 125 Lebanese Citizens The UAE recently deported some 125 Lebanese citizens, as Lebanese Shiites also face harassment in Libya, reports an Al-Monitor Lebanon Pulse contributor. United Arab Emirates
Hamas Mulls Palestinian Elections Adnan Abu Amer considers the implications of a potential victory by Hamas in the forthcoming Palestinian elections. Palestine
What is Behind Increase In Sectarian Killings in Iraq? A recent spate of execution-style killings in Iraq has again brought into question the effectiveness of the Iraqi security services, writes Ali Abel Sadah. Iraq
Offshore Gas Key to UK Interest In Lebanon In a bid to increase its political sway in the country, as well as take advantage of offshore gas reserves in Lebanese waters, the UK has sent its foreign secretary to meet with Lebanon’s prime minister, writes Nasser Chararah. Lebanon
US, Abu Mazen Sidelined on Gaza Talks Israel and Hamas, under Egyptian sponsorship, continue to talk about Gaza, leaving Fatah and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the margins, writes Geoffrey Aronson. Palestine
The Military Cannot Save Egypt Nervana Mahmoud weighs speculation about a military intervention in Egyptian politics. Egypt
