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
Farewell, Subject; Welcome, Citizen The new Egyptian constitution has loopholes and disputed articles, and still has the potential of leading the Egyptian people towards a just and better future, writes Jacky Hugi. Egypt
Turkey Prepares for Life After Its Syrian Quagmire Cengiz Çandar writes that Turkey is counting down the last days of the Bashar al-Assad regime and in delight and relief. Syria
Regional Chaos Makes Israel Seem Like an Island of Stability Israel, stable and predictable for the first time in many years, worries about the changes and chaos in which its neighbors have been caught up, writes Ben Caspit. Israel
Liberman Resigns — Like a Fox Avigdor Liberman has resigned immediately from his post as foreign minister — a plan which, writes Ben Caspit, may return him to the head of a new Israeli government in March 2013. Israel
Hezbollah Plans to Aid Displaced Syrians As the year-end holidays approach, Hezbollah reportedly plans to donate food and blankets to Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Nasser Chararah reports. Lebanon
For Lebanese, Syrian Crisis Cuts along Sectarian Lines Within both the March 8 & 14 Alliances, reactions differ at the grass-roots level regarding the events transpiring in the country bordering Lebanon, Elie Hajj reports Lebanon
The Debate Over Lebanon's 'Democracy' Intensifies There is intense debate about the need for a new elections law in Lebanon, which has not witnessed a rotation in power as a result of elections in its 60 years of independence, writes Jean Aziz. Lebanon
Russia Will Not Change Its Position on Syria Fyodor Lukyanov writes that Russia's fundamental interests in Syria remain unchanged, and that while Moscow will support a political settlement to what it views as a sectarian and regional war, it will not support a Western intervention to depose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Syria
New Jerusalem Neighborhood Threatens Territorial Solution The plans for a new Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem will preclude any possibility of a territorial solution along the lines of the Clinton Parameters and render those proposals for Israeli-Palestinian peace null and void, writes Akiva Eldar Palestine
Syrian Minister Says US Ignores 'Lessons of Afghanistan' In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem, who rarely speaks to the Western press, cast violence in Syria as a war against Salafi terrorists backed by predominantly Sunni Arab nations. "If ending the violence was in the hands of the Syrian government, then I assure you we would have ended it yesterday," Moallem said. Syria
Lebanese Band Cancels Gig With Chili Peppers in Beirut Lebanese band Mashrou Leila has pulled out of opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who are due to play in Tel Aviv on Sept. 10, in solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Patrick Galey writes that the gig would have meant huge exposure for the band and all Lebanese alternative music, and the decision has set social media in the region ablaze. Lebanon
