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
Khashoggi murder: Storm clouds gather over Turkish-Saudi ties Whatever fate awaits Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ankara’s already frosty relationship with Riyadh will continue to be clouded by this affair for the foreseeable future. Saudi Arabia
Will Airbnb settlement ban lead other online giants to follow suit? Palestinians are hoping other online giant companies will also boycott Israel and its settlement activities after Airbnb decided to remove its listings from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Palestine
As new AU head, Egypt eyes greater African role in 2019 Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is preparing to take over leadership of the African Union for 2019 with an ambitious set of goals and programs. Egypt
Hamas, Israel in intelligence duel The botched Israeli undercover operation in the Gaza Strip could be disastrous for Israel’s methods of operation behind enemy lines. Palestine
How Saudi Arabia, Qatar are competing over Iraq As the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Qatar continues, each country seeks influence in Iraq in order to expand its economic and political power in the region. Saudi Arabia
Congress to make determination on F-35s for Turkey Defense officials have handed lawmakers a congressionally mandated report assessing the impact of Turkey’s removal from the F-35 program. Turkey
Gezi protests return to Turkish headlines after latest arrests Erdogan lashes out at opposition for questioning his take on who was behind the 2013 Gezi protests; various political parties discuss deals for March 2019 local elections. Turkey
Trump reignites Iranian rage with 'terrorist nation' diatribe Despite political differences, many Iranians are coming together to lash out at US President Donald Trump after he called Iran "a terrorist nation." Iran
Iranian pension funds on brink absent major reforms Iran’s main pension funds appear to be in dire need of prompt reform in order to survive without government bailouts. Iran
Did PA receive Saudi reward for its support? Saudi Arabia has resumed aid to the Palestinian Authority in a surprising move that raises questions about the kingdom’s motives behind the decision. Saudi Arabia
Egypt sends mixed messages on possible thaw with Qatar Though some officials in Cairo have stated the importance of a stable relationship with Qatar, so far there are no initiatives for reconciliation. Saudi Arabia
