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
Top Turkish bank official resigns as lira drops further A deputy governor of Turkey's Central Bank quit suddenly today as the lira took yet another tumble. Turkey
Gaza girls take plunge in male-dominated sport After her father's death by Israeli shelling, a teenager from Gaza decided to realize his dream — having an international swimmer in the family. Palestine
Zarif: Even America’s allies not immune to US sanctions During an unannounced trip to Turkey, Iran’s foreign minister warned America’s allies that they are not immune to US pressure. Syria
Basra residents reeling from contaminated drinking water Thousands are being sickened by water polluted with chemicals and bacteria in Basra, but the government has not taken action to stem the crisis. Iraq
Israeli right-wing party aims at 1 million settlers HaBayit HaYehudi Party Chairman Naftali Bennett said that he is aiming for 1 million settlers in the West Bank by the end of next year. Palestine
Israel continues to deny travel permits to Gaza cancer patients Despite its acknowledged humanitarian responsibility toward the residents of Gaza, a ruling by the Israeli Supreme Court to allow five cancer-stricken relatives of Hamas members to travel for treatment is a notable exception to policy. Palestine
FIFA red cards Palestinian soccer leader The latest FIFA decision to ban Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub points to the world soccer association’s possible shift in its actions toward Israel and Palestine. Palestine
Jordan can't afford to lose UNRWA battle The row over UNRWA, including its funding, may strain bilateral relations between Jordan and the United States, as Amman rallies international partners to step in and compensate for the suspension of US funding. Israel
US cuts millions of dollars' worth of aid to Palestinians The United States continues to cut funds that had been designated as aid for the Gaza Strip and West Bank, this time withholding hundreds of millions of dollars. Palestine
Likud lawmaker seeks to ban Palestinian flag in Israel In the wake of protests at which participants waved the Palestinian flag in Tel Aviv, a bill is being fast tracked to ban the banner at even small gatherings. Palestine
Trump administration releases another $195 million in Egypt aid The Donald Trump administration has issued a national security waiver allowing it to release more military aid despite congressional concerns over Cairo’s human rights record and ties to North Korea. Egypt
Trump turns away from the Palestinians In a departure from past US administrations, the Donald Trump administration in a series of recent steps increasingly appears to be aligning the United States against the Palestinians on key issues in the conflict. Palestine
